Light Dragons 02 - The Unbearable Lightness of Dragons

to meet with her in person and assess the situation. I have no idea what I’ll tell Dr. Kostich if it turns out she’s leading the band of dragons that’s plaguing him.”
    “Yes, that might do very well,” Aisling said slowly, lost in thought. “Resurrecting a dragon is a good excuse, because it’s such an involved act, and it takes time to prepare, which would give you some space to figure out what Maura’s role is in the whole shebang.”
    “What dragon?” Jim asked, plopping itself down on the couch next to Aisling.
    “I don’t know. Does it matter?” I asked.
    “Sure it does. A little itty-bitty dragon wouldn’t be much trouble. What you want is a big dragon, someone important, someone who is going to give this Maura chick some trouble. Someone like Constantine.”
    I stared at Jim. “Constantine? Why him?”
    The demon clicked its tongue at me. “Ash says the First Dragon wants you to restore Connie’s honor, but you don’t know how to do that, right? So you ask the man himself.”
    “Resurrect Constantine?” Aisling asked.
    “Sainted Mary,” I said, picturing what Baltic would have to say about that. “I don’t think resurrecting Constantine is going to be a good thing.”
    “Not good at all,” May said quickly, a frown between her brows. “Gabriel is wyvern of the silver dragons. If Constantine were brought back to life, he would want the sept, and Gabriel would never give it up. It wouldn’t work out well at all, no matter how much Gabriel respects him.”
    “It’s a moot point, I think,” Aisling said. “Maura can’t resurrect, can she?”
    “Not rez, no. But she can bring Connie up as a shade,” Jim answered. “That’s what Summoners do.”
    I thought about that for a moment. “Ghosts can’t challenge anyone for a sept, can they?”
    Aisling looked thoughtful. “I can’t imagine how they could. They’re, you know, ghosts .”
    I nodded. “If a ghost couldn’t try to challenge Gabriel for his sept, then that would be all right. And it would certainly help if Constantine could give me some pointers on how I go about clearing his honor of my death, but . . . but how do you go about raising a dragon’s spirit? I can’t imagine it’s an easy thing, and Maura is bound to want some help doing it if I ask her. Where would we even start?”
    Jim shrugged. “You got me. Kostich’s grandkid is bound to know.”
    “Hmm.” I mused on the best way to achieve two goals with one effort. “If I had Maura raise Constantine’s spirit, I could conduct a public ceremony of forgiveness, or whatever it would take to restore his honor, and also spend enough time with Maura to figure out what’s going on with her. Brilliant idea, Jim. I owe you a dinner.”
    The demon looked smug. “I’m there, babe.”
    We discussed the issue for another half hour, before Maata returned to inform us that our presences were desired.
    As I entered the sitting room, my eyes went straight to where Baltic stood at a window with his back to the rest of the company. His body language read annoyance and impatience, but not the fury that would have boded ill for everyone.
    “So? Have you guys worked everything out so that you can cancel the war and they can rejoin the weyr?” Aisling asked, going straight to Drake’s side.
    “Not as such.” Drake considered me for a few seconds. “Bastian is mounting a search for Fiat. Chuan Ren’s heir appears to have disappeared. Until we can talk to both of them, we are at an impasse.”
    “That doesn’t sound good,” I murmured under my breath, moving over to stand next to Baltic. He didn’t take his gaze from the window, but did put his arm around me when I leaned into him. “At least Bastian didn’t claim Baltic is behind it all.”
    “Actually, it’s the opposite of that,” Gabriel said, smiling at May. She smiled back, and I thought for a second he was going to kiss her in front of everyone, but he remembered in time where he was. “Evidently Fiat came back to his prison and slaughtered a half dozen of his attendants and guards before Bastian could get to him.”
    “Oh, those poor dragons. Bastian must be beside himself,” Aisling said.
    “Don’t tell me that Thala was there helping him,” I said, my stomach in my feet.
    “No,” Baltic answered before Drake could.
    I eyed the man who filled my soul with so much joy. “How do you know that?”
    Baltic said nothing.
    I poked his arm. “You watched him, didn’t you? Fiat, I