Light Dragons 03 - Sparks Fly

belonging to us. As for your attempt to break into the sepulcher-”
    “We didn’t break into it,” Aisling said quickly, batting her eyelashes.
    “No, we didn’t,” May added just as quickly, an innocent expression on her face.
    “That’s right. Thala blew it up. If you want to go after anyone, you can nail her,” I said with a smile so sweet, it could have been mistaken for honey.
    “Someone stole the light blade,” Dr. Kostich insisted, his eyes on Aisling. “The green dragons are, I believe, noted for their ability to take things that belong to others.”
    She smiled. “Did you see Drake with it?”
    “No. But I saw Tully with it.”
    I shrugged. “Thala blew up the sepulcher to get the light blade. We all heard her say that. I must have picked it up when the boys jumped her.”
    The other ladies murmured agreements. Baltic rolled his eyes and moved off a bit to search the ground. Gabriel nodded, his dimples obviously fighting to come out. Magoth hit on Aisling until Jim lifted its leg in response.
    “Bah. Between the wyvern and the doppelganger thief”-May shot Dr. Kostich a bright smile at that slur-“it’s obvious that you’re trying to pull something over on me. I won’t have it.”
    “Get it from Thala,” Aisling said. “Unless big bad you are afraid of her, as well.”
    “I think Dr. Kostich has every right to approach her with caution,” I said slowly while he sputtered in anger.
    Aisling turned to me. “All right, what am I missing? Jim, don’t you dare speak. Yes, it’s an order. Ysolde?”
    My gaze dropped to the object I held in my hands, my fingers tracing the intricate design on the flat, golden disk. “ Thala is not the danger,” I said carefully.
    Baltic glanced over to me. My fingers closed around the disk. He held my gaze for a minute before nodding. “I believe you are correct, mate.”
    “Then what’s the big deal with her?” May asked. “I’m just as confused as Aisling.”
    “As am I,” Gabriel added.
    I bit my lower lip, watching Dr. Kostich as I said, “I asked you once what happens to a mage when she diminishes. You said she goes into the beyond and remains there, unable to return to the mortal world.”
    “It is the way of our kind,” he allowed.
    “It’s impossible for the mage to ever return?”
    “For a mage? Yes.”
    “And an archimage?”
    Gabriel looked thoughtful, his eyes on Baltic, who had returned to searching the ground for his talisman.
    Dr. Kostich took longer to answer the question. “It is not impossible, but very unlikely. The archimage would have to find a willing vessel into which he would place his consciousness-”
    “Holy cow!” Aisling gasped. “You mean that Thala ... that she’s ... ”
    “She’s Antonia von Endres.”
    “Really,” Magoth said thoughtfully. “I do love a woman of power. I wonder if she has a spectral whip.”
    Baltic’s black eyes were almost as full of mystery as his father’s eyes. “Antonia always resented the act of diminishing. I’m surprised it took her so long to finally convince Thala to allow her access to this world.”
    “You don’t think she was Antonia all along, do you?” I asked him.
    He shook his head. “I believe the last we saw of Thala was in Spain, when she raised the dead. Antonia would have no more need of her after that, and she would be content to take over Thala’s body in order to reclaim her sword.”
    Dr. Kostich was oddly quiet at this, no doubt chewing over the ramifications of one of the most notorious mages in history having gone rogue. “This is a matter with the gravest of consequences to the Magisters’ Guild. I will have to consult both them and the committee to see what steps should be taken.”
    His phone jangled a little Mozart tune. He gave us all his somber consideration for a few seconds, then said, “I will return to Paris. If you locate this individual, inform me at once.”
    “Nice seeing you again, too,” Aisling said sotto voce as he strode off into the forest.
    “Glad we could help save your daughter from impending death!” I bellowed after him.
    May giggled.
    “What a pain in the behind,” I grumbled before eyeing Baltic. “You can stop looking for it. I have it.”
    His usual frown was in place as he walked over to me, his hand out. “You found my talisman where Thala dropped it?”
    “Yes.” I held it up by the chain, allowing the disk to shine in the lamplight.
    “Ah. Good.”
    I looked at him for a long, long minute,