Light Dragons 03 - Sparks Fly

minute before was just the merest coincidence-while Maura and Savian brought up the rear, the latter in a drunken stagger that owed its existence to a severe loss of blood.
    “It’s clear,” Baltic said once he and Pavel returned from reconnoitering the entrance of the bolt-hole. “She has raised only a half-dozen liches thus far. Ysolde, would you-”
    “No,” I told him, taking his arm. “I know you want to take her while she’s so close to us, but”-I glanced toward Brom-“she wouldn’t bat an eyelash over the idea of using him against us.”
    He hesitated, torn between the need to take care of the threat Thala posed us and the acknowledgment that Brom was in danger by being so close to her. She was absolutely unscrupulous, and I didn’t doubt for a second that she would use him mercilessly to harm us.
    “You are right, I know, but ... ” He snapped off the word, his jaw tightening until a muscle twitched. “You are right. We will go. There will be other opportunities to find her-ones that do not pose such hazard.”
    “If I weren’t already head over heels in love with you, I would be now,” I told him as we hurried through the rocks and scrubby plants to the area where we’d left our cars, praying as we did so that we could get Brom away safely.

Chapter Nine
    “I ’ve never truly felt like a red shirt before, but I sure do now.” Holland sucked in his breath and winced when I dabbed antiseptic liquid over the six-inch slash across the right side of his chest.
    “Sorry,” I murmured. “I know it stings, but it’s the best I can do until we get you to a healer.”
    “Red shirt?” Baltic asked, stalking into the portal company’s waiting room, his hand held out to me. “Are you done with my phone?”
    “Yes, I just had to make one call. Here it is.”
    He accepted the phone, immediately punching in a text message.
    “It’s a Star Trek reference,” Maura answered Baltic in a resigned voice. “It means the disposable guy who gets killed. Which is basically what I’m going to be unless you let me go.”
    “My mate wishes for you to remain with us,” Baltic said with a dismissive glance at her, still texting.
    “Well, it’s not so much that as Savian can’t get the handcuff off you until we get home. Besides, I know your mother and grandfather are worried sick about you, Maura, and would welcome the chance to talk with you.” I wrapped a length of gauze around Holland’s chest before tying it off. “Not that I owe Dr. Kostich anything, but still, I’m sure he’s worried. And you’re far from a red shirt, Holland. We very much appreciate your helping us. Are you absolutely sure your arm isn’t hurting you?”
    We both looked down to where I had, with Baltic’s assistance, bound Holland’s severed arm to his shoulder, trying our best to line it up properly.
    “Not since Pavel found that morphine, no,” he answered, his voice slower now. “With luck, the flesh will start regenerating by the time we get to England.”
    “I’m afraid your ear is going to suffer for the experience, though,” I said, giving the healing remains of his ear a sorrowful glance. “I’m so sorry about that, Holland.”
    Baltic turned his back to us, speaking softly into the phone.
    “It’s all right,” Holland said with a weak smile. “It was an adventure. Wouldn’t have missed it for anything.”
    His eyes closed as he spoke. I looked across him as Brom returned from visiting the portalling company’s bathroom, Pavel dogging his heels. “I feel just terrible about everything, Pavel. I hope you can forgive us for putting your friend in so much danger, and for letting the negrets chomp on him.”
    Pavel looked surprised. “You did not put us in danger, Ysolde. Thala did that. Or those under her command. We do not hold you to blame for anything.”
    “Nonetheless, I feel terrible about it.”
    “Are we going home now, or is Baltic going to draw and quarter Gareth?” Brom asked, tugging at my sleeve.
    “No one is going to draw and quarter anyone. Besides, Gareth and Ruth hightailed it out of there after calling up all those wretched negrets.”
    “Yeah, but he said he was going to kill them just as soon as he was done killing the dragons.”
    “He what?” I took a deep breath and pulled Brom aside. He obviously needed a little reassurance. “Brom, I know this has been a horrible day for you, what with Gareth and Ruth, and the ouroboros dragons, and then the negrets attacking