Light Dragons 02 - The Unbearable Lightness of Dragons

backward now to make me happy because . . . well, to be honest, because he’s so grateful we found each other again. But he’s still rather hard to persuade about some things, and the weyr is definitely one of them. But . . . hmm . . . if we add meeting the wyverns to the conditions for freeing Thala, in addition to lifting the curse, it might be possible to get him there.”
    “Are you sure?” May asked somewhat skeptically. “That seems like a lot of concessions for him to make, and even since you showed up, he doesn’t strike me as the sort of man who makes concessions easily.”
    “No, he isn’t, but really, does he have a choice?” I set down my fork and ticked off items on my fingers. “You won’t help free Thala unless he lifts the curse on the silver dragons. I won’t rally you both into helping with Thala unless he agrees to meet with the weyr. And Gabriel won’t agree to a weyr meeting to end all this ridiculousness unless the curse is lifted. Therefore, in order to free Thala, he’s going to have to agree to meet with the weyr and to lift the curse. It’s just that simple.”
    Aisling laughed. “I doubt he’s going to see it that way.”
    I had my doubts as well, but I kept them to myself.
    “So how are we going to get Thala out, assuming all goes according to plan?” May asked. “There’s no way you’re going to convince the weyr to release her just because he lifts the silver curse. No one really cares about that but us.”
    “I care,” Aisling pointed out. “Ysolde cares.”
    “That’s because you’re two sane women, and not stubborn wyverns.” May gave a little grimace. “Drake would probably agree to her release because he and Gabriel are friends, but Bastian and Jian have no reason to want Thala loose, and I doubt if even Kostya would sanction letting her go.”
    “We’re simply going to have to get her out ourselves,” Aisling said with a cheerful smile.
    “Oh, man, not another one of your plans from Abaddon?” Jim grumbled, perusing the menu again. “We gettin’ dessert? I could go for some tiramisu right about now.”
    “Hush, demonic annoyance. I’m not a professional Guardian for nothing, you know. I got Drake and Kostya out of that aerie prison, so there’ll be no trouble getting Thala out.”
    May looked as doubtful as I felt.
    “Yeah, you and your professional Guardian skills did . . . and Gabriel and Maata and Tipene and me, but we’re just little bits of squashed egg beneath your august toes, huh?”
    Aisling shot it a narrow-eyed look.
    I considered the matter for a moment, then said, “I’m simply going to have to use some magic. With my magic, and Aisling’s Guardian skills, and May’s . . . er . . .”
    “She’s a master thief,” Aisling said with a smile at May. “She’s even better than Drake.”
    “You can imagine how thrilled I am with that praise,” May answered with a grimace. “But Aisling’s right—I can get into places unseen, and given the agreement we have been discussing, I would be happy to do whatever I can to free Thala.”
    “But your magic is kind of odd because of the interdict,” Aisling pointed out.
    I sighed. “Yes, it is, which means I’m going to have to go see Dr. Kostich and insist that he lift the interdict. I haven’t really pushed him about it before, but I think it’s time to strip off the kid gloves and make him do it.”
    “Oooh,” Jim said, its lips an O. “Can I watch when he melts you into a puddle of goo?”
    “Ignore it,” Aisling said, throwing her napkin at the demon. “I have faith in you, Ysolde.”
    Silence fell for a few minutes as we all considered what had to be done.
    “There’s no sense in delaying,” Aisling said abruptly. “The sooner we get this done, the better for everyone. I’ll talk to Drake tonight about a big sárkány with Fiat and Thala, and you and Baltic.”
    “And I’ll explain it all to Gabriel,” May agreed.
    “I’ll tackle Baltic tonight as well.”
    “Yeah, but are you going to talk to him, too?” Jim asked with a lascivious wink. “Or will you have time to talk with all that tackling going on?”
    “Honest to Pete, I can’t take you anywhere. Stop being such a rude demon.” Aisling smiled at us both. “So, we’re agreed?”
    “Agreed,” I said, nodding.
    “Me, too,” May said.
    “Excellent. Mmm, this roast pork is really outstanding. Would anyone like a bite?”
    Jim lifted up its head hopefully. “Yeah, I—”
    “Anyone human