Light Dragons 02 - The Unbearable Lightness of Dragons

not have Fodor say you participated in the death of a wyvern. Baltic is my responsibility.”
    “He is your curse, you mean,” Drake said, his face impassive as Kostya carried me down the hallway, calling after him. “If you do not end it now, I will do so myself.”
    Drake’s head snapped back, the sound of flesh striking flesh jerking us all out of the vision. “I . . . haven’t . . . forgotten,” I told him, rubbing my bruised fingers.
    “OK, that’s going too far,” Aisling said, shoving me aside. “No one hits Drake! I know that some stuff went on in the past that no one is proud of, but that’s no reason to hit him now! Are you all right, sweetie?”
    Baltic shook his head as he pulled me gently into his arms. “Always you were one to think with your heart and not your head. Ysolde, Ysolde . . . and people say I am violent beyond reason.”
    “He had it coming,” I said, nursing my fingers for a moment before sanity returned. “I apologize for punching you in the eye, Drake. I was caught up in the emotion of the moment, and that wasn’t well done of me. However, I don’t appreciate you making up lies about Baltic.”
    Drake stiffened under Aisling’s ministrations, gently moving her to his side as he glared at me, one eye slightly swollen and turning dark. “I do not lie!”
    “Baltic didn’t let Fiat out!” I said loudly.
    “His lieutenant did.”
    “He couldn’t have, because he wasn’t even in Italy. He’s been in Riga, and then here,” I told them all.
    “It’s true, mate.”
    “And I’m just sick and tired of you guys believing the worst of Baltic! What is it with you people that you can’t, just once, believe what we’re saying? Why can’t you—” I stopped and turned to glance up at Baltic. “What?”
    “Thala released Fiat.”
    I think my jaw dropped at that. I’m not absolutely certain, but I have a nasty feeling that I stood there for a good five seconds staring at him in openmouthed surprise. “She did?”
    “Yes.”
    I prodded his arm when he said nothing more. “Why did she do that?”
    “Did you ask her to free Fiat?” Aisling asked at the same time.
    “If I had wanted Fiat free, I would have seen to it myself,” Baltic told her with grandiose hauteur.
    “Then why did Thala set him free?” I repeated.
    “I don’t know. She has become secretive of late. She said only that it would help achieve our goals.”
    “You didn’t stop her,” Gabriel said, his body language showing just how angry he was, despite his placid expression. “Do you expect us to believe that you will not benefit from Fiat being at your beck and call?”
    Baltic sighed. “No, I do not expect you to believe that, but that is because you delight in attributing to me the most heinous of motives. And yet the truth is that Fiat threatened to kill Ysolde and Brom. I was delighted that he was in the custody of the blue dragons, and I did not want him released.”
    “He threatened to kill us?” My voice was downright squeaky with surprise. “Why?”
    Baltic maintained a stony expression.
    “Why?” I asked again, nudging his arm.
    His brows pulled together. “I will tell you later, when we are alone.”
    “That sort of attitude is just going to make everyone suspicious. Why would Fiat want Brom and me dead?”
    “There are times,” Baltic answered, breathing heavily, “when I long for the days with my old Ysolde.”
    “Oh, I would have pestered you without mercy until you answered me back then, too.”
    He grinned, taking me by surprise. “Yes, you would have. You would have me bare my soul before other wyverns without the slightest regard for my consequence or tradition, just as you do now.”
    “I’m here to keep you humble,” I agreed, and waited.
    He flicked a glance at the other men, all of whom wore expressions of sympathy. “Fiat blamed me for his current situation. He knew the worst thing he could do to me was to take you from me, so he was plotting with a group of his followers to have you and Brom captured and killed.”
    My blood felt like ice in my veins. “Why didn’t you tell me this?”
    “What good would it have done to do so? I would never allow anyone to harm you or my son, so it was of no concern to you. He was safely held by the blue dragons, and I knew his influence would not reach to you.”
    I slapped my hand on his chest, drumming my fingers with more force than was absolutely necessary. “We are going to have a little talk later about