Light Dragons 01 - Love in the Time of Dragons

in his eyes slowly fading as he shook his head. “I don’t know what to believe anymore. It seems inconceivable that the First Dragon would tolerate someone who would murder his descendants, and yet, the evidence is there—Baltic was with Fiat.”
    I slid a look up at Baltic. “You’re tired of denying it, too, huh?”
    “Extremely so.”
    “I will agree with the other wyverns,” Bastian finally said, looking at Jian.
    “Chuan Ren welcomes the opportunity to war,” he said.
    “And you?” I couldn’t help but ask.
    He inclined his head slightly, his expression unreadable. “I am my mother’s son.”
    “Typical dragon answer,” Aisling said, snorting to herself.
    “Then we are in concurrence,” Drake said.
    Gabriel’s face was somber as he said, “Ysolde de Bouchier, born into the silver dragons, it is with deep regret and no little amount of sorrow that I pronounce you ouroboros.”
    Something inside me gave at his words, some intangible little connection to him and May and the other silver dragons. It was as if tiny little silken cords were suddenly severed.
    “Ysolde de Bouchier,” Kostya’s deep voice said. I looked at him, tears filling my eyes. “Once mated to a black dragon, I pronounce you ouroboros.”
    I reeled backwards into Baltic. He righted me, his face dark with anger as he glared at the wyverns.
    “You are henceforth named ouroboros and outside of the weyr,” Drake said, his face impassive, but his eyes glittering with emotion. “From this moment, a state of war exists between us. Should you seek mediation with regards to this, you may request a parlay with any wyvern recognized by the weyr. Safe conduct will be granted to and from the parlay.”
    I bit back a sob. Everything was going wrong again. “I don’t want any more deaths,” I told Baltic, clinging to him shamelessly.
    “There won’t be,” he said, looking over my head at the other wyverns. “So long as they leave us alone.”
    Gabriel looked like he was going to say something, but just shook his head instead, and with his arm around May, walked away.
    “Ysolde—” Aisling reached out to touch me, but Drake took her hand, pulling her after him as they, too, left. “Please send Jim back tonight. I imagine you’re getting pretty tired of it by now.”
    Bastian and Jian, with an exchange of looks, murmured something and followed them.
    “Ah. Looks like the watch has arrived at last,” Dr. Kostich said, glancing toward the drive. A black van was parked behind the wyverns’ cars. He slid a glance toward us, hesitating for a few moments. “I believe in light of the day’s experience, I would be willing to drop the charges of assault against me on the condition that you give into my keeping the light sword of Antonia von Endres.”
    “You are mad,” Baltic said.
    “On the contrary, I’m quite sane. I am also very serious that Tully will pay for your abuse of me on the occasion of your attack on the silver wyvern’s house, as well as today.” He lifted his hand, and a couple of men emerged from the van, jogging across the field toward us.
    I clutched Baltic’s hand, panic swamping me. “You are not taking me to the Akasha!”
    “No, he is not,” Baltic said calmly.
    “It’s your decision,” Kostich said, looking only mildly interested in the whole affair. “The sword or your mate. Or do you intend to be in a state of war with the L’audela, as well as the weyr?”
    “So help me god, if I didn’t have this interdict on me, I would turn you into a fruit salad,” I told him.
    His eyebrows rose. “I never knew you had such a temper. I would never have engaged you had I known. It will matter little to you in the Akasha, however. Bryce, Dermott, please take Tully Sullivan into custody. We will return to Suffrage House in Paris where a formal trial will be held tomorrow—”
    Baltic snarled an invective, jerking his hand out to the side, the motes of air gathering around it until a long, shining blue-white sword formed. “The day will come, mage, when I will claim this sword again.”
    “Indeed?” Dr. Kostich caught the sword as Baltic hurled it at him. “You may try, dragon, you may try. I will accept this in lieu of punishment for your mate. Tully . . .” His mouth tightened as he looked at me.
    I lifted my chin and gave him a look that let him see Baltic’s dragon fire raging inside me.
    “The sorbet was excellent. My compliments.”
    He strode off with two puzzled- looking members of