Edwin could say with a certainty that now that Sebastian was not attempting to trick him, he was a much more pleasant company. The red head joked good naturally every so often, and he would train Edwin in the arts of dagger wilding in the evening.
Which was fine because people, vampires in particular, would expect Edwin to be active at night. The shadow had come back a day ago with the news that there was an oasis with a travelling caravan stationed near the water.
It had been a two-day-long mad dash, following the shadow, but when they got there the people were still there. They were regarded coolly, but, with a coin purse exchanging hands with the caravan leader, they were welcomed to share the oasis.
The desert in the Surian Theocracy, the same that spawned in the Alanqian empire, was a cold one. There was no sand near the water, but soil and tall fir trees. Even here, where the water was plentiful, the trees conserved it.
Around the fire, Sebastian was endeavoring to talk some caravanners into selling their blood, with no success. One of them had his hand in a sling and, when Edwin asked why that was, he uncovered it to show acid marks on the flesh.
There was no ointment for something like this. And, had Edwin’s mana been normal, he would have done a three-hour-long operation to fix the nerves underneath the skin, at least. Alas…
“So, there is nothing you can do?” The man was covering his arm as Edwin was looking at Sebastian. He had used Hadrian’s mana plenty of times. And Sebastian’s flow was now fixed. He even had a heartbeat. Perhaps it would work.
“Sebastian, come here, please,” Edwin could have commanded, but he felt that it was better to avoid alienating the vampire.
“Yes? Is he a willing donor?” Sebastian pointed at the man who scoffed.
“I’d like to use your mana for a three-hour-long operation. It is a delicate one, so, if you feel like not helping, I’ll understand,” Edwin felt that it was important to give the vampire a chance to say no. He was not Hadrian, who actually cared about the life of those around him.
“Sure, if he gives blood afterwards. I am starving,” they had their last pig blood sludge a day ago. A meager meal that didn’t fill their bellies.
“He can’t,” disagreed Edwin. “He will need his rest after the operation, but…”
“Then, I am not doing it. Eddy, you have to stop with the charity cases,” Sebastian made to leave when a young woman came to them. She must not have been older than fifteen. But she rolled up her sleeves and offered her wrists.
“Please heal my father. You can have my blood,” she also had strange bumps on her skin. Edwin could wager his healer license that she had cancer.
“I don’t drink from the sick,” Sebastian turned around, but Edwin got up and followed him.
“We can’t leave them!” Snapped Edwin, a hand reaching out to grab Sebastian’s shoulder. Sebastian brushed him off, but turned around.
“And why not? They are leaving us to starve! Non-vampires would rather we all died. And you want to play healer with them?” Edwin was surprised at the bitterness in Sebastian’s voice.
“We can’t leave them,” he repeated firmly. “I’d rather you help out of your goodwill, but…”
There was a dagger pressed on Edwin’s throat. The healer hadn’t even seen Sebastian taking it out. Edwin gulped, and the motion pressed his adam’s apple closer to the blade.
“Careful now, Eddy. I am fickle. You can go to sleep one night and not wake up. I enjoy your company, but if you overstep, I will end you,” and the dagger was removed. Edwin spoke before Sebastian had the chance to turn around.
“These people deserve a second chance at life, and you have to repent for all that you have done,” Sebastian chuckled at that.
“Are you going to sing to me about morality or my lack of it next, healer?” Edwin decided against it. He simply laid a hand-over Sebastian’s shoulder, and he felt the heartbeat of the vampire’s now living heart.
“You still haven’t paid me for fixing your mana problem,” tried his last trump card, Edwin. Sebastian cocked his head to the side.
“You were attempting to kill me back then, if my memory serves correctly,” Edwin shook his head.
“If I wanted you dead, I would have hit you with at least five lightnings. And then buried your charred remains in the sand,” Sebastian raised an eyebrow, as if setting out to tell him that it wouldn’t have been enough, but Edwin continued. “You don’t seem to like charity, which is surprising, since you are a charity case.”
Sebastian frowned at him and placed a hand around Edwin’s wrist. A finger pressing where he could snap it in seconds.
“Do repeat that,” Sebastian’s voice was dangerously low, but Edwin gave him a leveled look and did so.
“You are a charity case, Sebastian Black. Your life is a mercy granted by me. Your new mana circulation was my doing too. Would you like to remain like that?” Edwin gave Sebastian a smirk that made the vampire press on the spot even more.
“You know what? Fine. Let's heal them all from fleas even, if they have them. But you better talk some of them into giving us blood because if I begin to starve for real, I am pouncing on you,” and the red head released Edwin’s wrist. Then patted the healer’s shoulder, and Edwin returned the gesture with a light squeeze of Sebastian’s shoulder.
“So glad we can come to an agreement,” Edwin’s words were met with a snort, and they returned to their patients.
“We will heal you,” said Edwin with a smile that infected the two with good cheer.
“Are you a healer for true, then?” Asked the girl. Edwin sighed.
“Would you like to see my license?” Both father and daughter nodded and Sebastian began to laugh and Edwin pulled his license out of his pant pocket with a bowed head.
