Light Dragons 02 - The Unbearable Lightness of Dragons

but I’m a bit worried about my magic. It was never very reliable, and I haven’t had a chance to try it out since Dr. Kostich gave me the Grace of the Magi. I used to suppose things went wrong because I lacked the skills to control the magic, but now I gather that’s because I’m not supposed to be able to use magic at all due to the dragon inside me. Did that shrub just move?”
    The three women turned to look where I pointed.
    “I don’t think so. Do shrubs move on their own?” Cyrene asked doubtfully.
    “No, of course they don’t,” May said calmly.
    “Not normally, but what if those aren’t ordinary shrubs?” I asked, watching one of the dark blobs with suspicion. “What if Drake did something to them?”
    “Man, someone’s going to give me the heebie-jeebies if she doesn’t stop with all the inanimate-objects-moving-on-their-own bit,” Jim muttered.
    Aisling snorted. “I assure you he hasn’t done anything other than make sure there’s round-the-clock security on the house, and let me just add that it wasn’t easy getting details on exactly who is here on guard duty, and when the shift change happens. I had to pretend I wanted to stay at this house in order to get the details, and even that wasn’t easy. We’re just lucky he had to go to Budapest for a couple of days to take care of some business concerns, because there is no way in Abaddon I could have slipped out without him knowing I was gone. Jim, stop leaning so hard on me. The bushes aren’t evil. Ysolde is just seeing things.”
    “I’m sure it’s just the moon going behind the clouds,” May said after giving the shrub in question a considering look.
    “Hmm.” I looked at my own watch. Twelve minutes to go. “Is Gabriel away from home, as well, May?”
    She smiled. “Home as in his house in Australia? No, we’re still here in London until a few things are taken care of.” She gave her twin an odd look, but Cyrene, sitting on the ground with her back to a tree, was too busy sending a text message to notice.
    “Actually, I meant is he gone from your London house, so that you could help me out with this project.”
    “Oh, no. He’s in England.”
    I raised my eyebrows. “Did you have to go into the shadow world to sneak out?”
    “I didn’t sneak out.” Her smile widened. “Gabriel’s here. Well, in Reevesbury, not out here with us, obviously.”
    Both Aisling and I gawked at her.
    “He’s right here?” Aisling asked.
    “That Gabe’s a deep one,” Jim said as it wandered over to Cyrene, where it peered across her shoulder to read what she was texting. “Whoa, you’re saying that to Neptune?”
    “Jim!” Cyrene shoved it aside, hastily tucking her phone into her pocket. “It’s illegal to read someone’s text messages!”
    “In town here, yes,” May repeated, dragging her gaze off her twin.
    “Is Brom with him?” I asked, worried that Brom might somehow get involved with my plans.
    “No, he’s still in London with Maata and Tipene. I believe they were going to have a mummy movie marathon tonight. We thought it was best he stay there until you pick him up tomorrow. You didn’t want Gabriel to bring him, did you?”
    “No. Not that I think there’s going to be any trouble, but I’m much more comfortable knowing he’s out of the blast zone, so to speak.”
    May took in our worried expressions. “Don’t worry that Gabriel’s going to do anything to interfere with our plans. He realizes that this is probably our best shot of getting Baltic to lift the curse. Plus he never really saw the reasoning in keeping Thala prisoner any longer.”
    “A sane voice in a crowd of maniacs,” I murmured.
    To my surprise, Aisling laughed. “If you knew how often I’ve thought that about dragons . . . But you gotta love them despite their archaic rules.”
    Aisling, May, and I smiled. I thought of Baltic, so infuriating at times that he made me want to pull out my hair, and yet so filled with love that just thinking about what he’d been through had the power to bring tears to my eyes.
    “Why don’t you try your magic now?” May suggested as Cyrene rejoined us, Jim following her. “We’ve still got nine minutes. It would be a good opportunity to see if this Grace Dr. Kostich gave you will help.”
    “Good idea.” I looked around for something upon which I could cast a spell.
    “Oooh, magic!” Cyrene said. “I love magic. Can you change Jim into something? Like a toad?”
    “Hey!” Jim