Larten’s head was throbbing when he woke. He groaned, tried to get out of bed, but collapsed and lay on the floor in a huddle, shivering like a wet dog. “I’m dying,” he whimpered.
“You’re lucky,” Wester croaked. “I think I’m already dead.”
Larten looked up and spotted Wester sitting in a corner, holding a bucket, his face as white as flour.
“Have we been poisoned?” Larten asked.
“Hangovers,” Wester whispered.
“I thought vampires did not get hangovers,” Larten said.
“You thought wrong,” Wester replied, then thrust his head over the bucket.
“My fine, sensible, hard-drinking assistants!” Seba bellowed, opening the door and stepping into the room. He was grinning wickedly.
“Not so loud,” Larten begged, jamming his hands over his ears.
“What was that?” Seba roared.
Larten scrunched his eyes shut and took deep breaths, trying hard not to be sick. “I’m never drinking again,” he vowed.
“I am,” Seba chuckled. “But beware of making promises you cannot keep. I am sure you will find your way back to the barrel once your head clears.”
“Barrel?” Larten echoed.
“You each had a barrel of ale on your shoulder when you staggered home this morning,” Seba said. “You were swigging from them, laughing about puny humans who could only drink from mugs. I put them out in the Hall when I got up. I can fetch them for you if you would like some more.”
“No!” Larten and Wester yelled.
“I need that bucket,” Larten gasped.
“Get your own,” Wester snapped.
Seba laughed again, then sat on Larten’s bed and picked a flower from his groggy assistant’s orange hair. “Where did this come from?” he asked.
Larten stared at the flower and shrugged.
“Have you been courting pretty maids?” Seba pressed.
“I can’t remember,” Larten said.
“I did not have you pegged for a romantic,” Seba hummed, “but perhaps there is hope for you yet.” He cocked an eyebrow at Wester. “Did you come home bearing flowers too, Master Flack?”
“I don’t think so,” Wester said, running a hand through his hair just in case.
“Perhaps it fell into your bucket,” Seba said. “Have a look.”
Wester almost got sick again at the thought of that.
“You are loving this,” Larten snarled.
“Aye,” Seba beamed. “You will too when you are my age. One of the few joys for old men is being able to relish the suffering of the young when they overindulge. Now, who would like a hearty breakfast? Bacon? Sausages? A leg of lamb? Runny eggs?”
Larten lurched to his feet, darted across the room, and snatched the bucket from Wester just in time. When he sank back, wiping drool from his lips, Seba said, “While I would happily stay and watch you suffer for several more hours, time is against us. Get ready, gentlemen. We depart in five minutes.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Larten groaned.
“I couldn’t leave this room even if I wanted to,” Wester agreed.
“Never mind your hangovers,” Seba barked. “I gave you your freedom last night with the understanding that it would be a one-off. You have had your fun. Now it is time to resume training. We will hunt, and then I will set a fresh test for you.”
“To hell with your tests!” Larten shouted.
Seba’s features darkened. “Do not take that tone with me,” he growled. “I am your master and I demand respect.”
“Then earn it!” Larten challenged him. “If you showed us some compassion and understanding, maybe we would return it.”
“Compassion for a pair of self-pitying drunkards?” Seba snorted. “You acted like fools, so it is only fitting that you suffer. As for understanding… I understand all too well. You would rather stay here, recover from your hangovers, and go out carousing for flowers again, aye?”
“Aye!” Larten shouted. “Flowers and more ale, that’s what we’re after. Do you have a problem with that, old man?”
“No,” Seba said calmly. “I will leave you to it. Good luck, gentlemen.”
Seba started for the door.
“Wait!” Wester cried. “Where are you going?”
“To explore the night.”
“But you’re coming back, aren’t you?”
Seba looked around at the crumpled sheets, the bedraggled vampires, the bucket of vomit. “What is worth coming back for?”
“But… you can’t mean… you’re abandoning us?”
Seba stared at Wester, who looked distraught, then at Larten, who was trying unsuccessfully to look as if he couldn’t care less.
“I assume you crossed paths with Tanish Eul last night?” Seba said softly.
Wester blinked. “How did you know about Tanish?”
“Vampires usually bump into one another in towns like this. I was certain you would root out Master Eul sooner or later and that when you did, you would face a choice—come with me to continue your education, or stay and run wild with him. It seems that you have chosen the latter option.”
“But it can’t end like this,” Wester protested, struggling to his feet. “We’ll come with you. Give us a minute. We didn’t mean what we said. Tanish isn’t—”
“Peace, Wester,” Seba said kindly. “This is not the end of your apprenticeship, merely a pause. You are aware of the Cubs, vampires who break from the clan for a few years or decades to enjoy life in the world of humans before committing themselves to the demands of the night. You and Larten need to spend some time with others of your age and attitude, to drink and chase women and do whatever it is that you long to do.
“When you have had your fun and wish to return to the clan, I will be waiting, assuming the luck of the vampires is with me and I am still alive. We can resume where we left off.”
“What if we do not want to return?” Larten asked quietly, not looking up at his master.
“That is your choice too,” Seba said. “I make no demands of either of you.” He stretched and smiled. “To be honest, I am glad to be rid of you for a while. I want to run by myself again. I have been a tutor for too long.
“I will keep in touch,” he promised. “This is a small world, and we will never be that far from one another. If you need me, I will come. If you wish to study by my side again, I will accept you back. And if you choose to leave the clan, I will wave you on your way and bear you no ill wishes.
“Even in death may you be triumphant.”
With that Seba turned and let himself out, leaving a very sick and bewildered pair of young vampires to stare in silence at the door and wonder what on earth they were going to do next.