Losian opened his eyes, or rather he pried them open. His headache was as bad as any he had felt and he didn’t think he could move a muscle. He tried to make out where he was, but everything was a blur. He was alive. Most people, he supposed would be happy about that, but not him. He’d gladly take the oblivion of death over the massive headache. He closed his eyes and considered whether he was actually dead. He opened his eyes again and tried to focus. He was lying on the floor of a room looking at the legs of a table. Sturdy legs he thought, yes, sturdy legs indeed. Beyond the legs was a wall. A plain wall. Plastered. He stared at the table legs and the wall for a bit. Nothing happened. His head wasn’t better but it wasn’t as bad as it could be he decided. He rolled over slightly so he could leaver himself up into a sitting position. He paused half way. His head hanging down as everything seemed to spin around him. Once things stilled he managed to sit up and slowly look around. He realised that he was in Gruthwin’s room. As he slowly climbed to his feet he wondered if they been drinking. He shook his head and then realised that was a mistake, a big mistake. His stomach revolted and he clapped his hands over his mouth and swallowed convulsively. He stumbled over to where the chamber pot was and threw up, not that there was anything there. He wretched several times, bile souring his mouth. He finished and sat back. He never drank with Gruthwin. He never drank with anyone. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and looked towards the bed. Gruthwin’s big body was lying there, fully dressed.

Losian’s mind started to work. What was he doing in Gruthwin’s room? He’d only visited it twice. Then he remembered the alley. He got up and stumbled over to Gruthwin. He felt the side of his neck and the blood there pulsed against his finger. He shook Gruthwin. “Wake up you sodding bastard. What happened?”

Gruthwin muttered something and turned over. Losian shook him harder. “Come on, wake up.”

Gruthwin finally opened his eyes and stared at him. He sat up suddenly and looked around. “What the hell happened?”

“That’s what I want to know.”

“The alley, gods the mage.” Gruthwin dropped his head into his hands. “Oh my head,” he moaned.

Losian felt around his head. “You’ve got a cut here and a bump. What do you remember?”

“The shield fell and then I was flying. I must of hit my head. How’d you get us out of there?”

“I didn’t.”

“What do you mean you didn’t?”

I didn’t get us out of there. Someone else did, a woman I think.” Losian looked around the room again. “Where’s Notir?”

“I don’t think he made it. When the shield fell, I think he got caught in the break,” Gruthwin said tiredly. “I’ve never felt a force like that.”

“Well we’d better go back there and see what happened.”

There was a knock on the door and Gruthwin stared at Losian. Losian shrugged.

“Who’s there?” Gruthwin called.

“Beryl. Captain want’s you at the dutyhame. He’s some mad. Why’d you leave Notir.”

“Leave Notir?” Gruthwin asked as he opened the door to Beryl.

“He’s dead and you just left his body there and the body of a mage. He was with you wasn’t he? Mathwin said you were there. Your first kill?”

Gruthwin shook his head. “I don’t remember.”

“Well you’d better remember something because Captain’s on your case for leaving Notir and not reporting the mage,” Beryl said. “Don’t envy you explaining to the captain and Marthwin.” Beryl turned and clattered down the stairs. Losian, who had come to stand behind Gruthwin could see his partner waiting at the bottom.

“I guess we’d better get to the station,” Gruthwin said. He shut the door and turned back looking at Losian. “You look like death. Go home. I’ll talk to the captain.”

“I’ll do,” Losian growled.

“Losian, your eyes are bloody and your face is white.” Gruthwin pushed him into a chair at the table. “What’s this?” He picked up a mug and under it was a piece of paper with Drink This written on it. He sniffed it and held it away. “Whew that smells strong.” He considered it and then handed it to Losian. “I think this is for you. It reminds me of a headache remedy that the healer at the school gave me the first time I had a magic backlash.

“Where’d it come from?” Losian asked.

“Maybe the woman left it?” Losian frowned at him. “I didn’t get us here and you didn’t so she must have. If she wanted to kill us she wouldn’t have bothered to tuck us in or leave you this,” Gruthwin pointed out. He felt his head. “Looks like she cleaned my head as well.”

Losian’s head was so bad that he was at the point when he’d try anything. He had to talk to the captain, look at the mage’s body and Notir’s. He couldn’t do that if his head wanted to explode. He reached out and took the cup swallowing it’s contents. He gagged but managed to finish it. For a moment he wondered if it would stay put and then his head started to clear. He carefully put the mug down. “I think we need something to eat and then we’ll go talk to the captain.”

Gruthwin nodded but he first picked up the mug and took it over to his work table. “I’ll take a look at this after we get back,” he muttered as he carefully covered it with a cloth, muttering a preservation spell on it.

Losian got up looking for his cloak. It had been folded up as a pillow for his head. He leaned down, feeling creaky, to pick it up. Walking to the door he dragged it around his shoulders. He knew Gruthwin would follow.