Wyrdrune rolled his eyes. "It looks like you had a little too much to drink last night."

"Last night?" the mage said. "I don't remember."

"I'm not surprised," said Wyrdrune sourly. "How much do you recall?"

Merlin groaned. "I remember a rather tasty little concoction called a kamikaze, and I have a rather dim

memory of dancing and then getting into a fight with someone . . . after that, it's all a blank."

"Drinking and fighting. You're supposed to be a responsible adult," said Wyrdrune sourly.

"I'm supposed to bedead ," said Merlin. "I certainlyfeel like I'm dying. I had no idea an astral spirit could

have a hangover."

"Broom!" shouted Wyrdrune. "Get some aspirin!"

"Please! Don'tshout ."

"You don't remember anything after you left the bar?"

"No," said Merlin. "But I do seem to have a sense of being insufferably pleased with myself. I only wish I

could remember why. I swear, I will never,ever , drink those vile things again!"

"I was hoping you'd be a good influence on Billy," Wyrdrune said. "Instead, he's being a bad influence

on you. A man your age, you oughtta be ashamed of yourself."

"Mea culpa," Merlin said, raising his hand weakly. "I will consider myself properly chastised. Now

where's that aspirin?"

Broom came out of the kitchen with a glass of water and two aspirin tablets.

"Out a little late last night, were we?" it said archly.

"Outis the operative word," said Merlin. He gratefully accepted the pills. "I'm going to get even with that

young delinquent for this, as soon as my head stops throbbing."

"Better make it soon," said Wyrdrune. "Mona called."

"Mona?" Merlin asked sharply. "When?"

"This morning. There's been a case of necromancy reported in Santa Fe, New Mexico. They've sent out

an urgent request for a Bureau field agent."

"Santa Fe?" said Merlin. "One of my old students is teaching in Santa Fe. Paul Ramirez. He's also the

Bureau agent there."

"Then the report must have come from him," said Wyrdrune. "Archimedes just printed out a copy of it."

He picked up the printout and scanned it quickly. "Yes, that's right. Agent Paul Ramirez filed the report.

How long has it been since you've seen him?"

"About twenty years or so," said Merlin. "He was a student of mine, and then one of my teaching