Light Dragons 03 - Sparks Fly

the key. “I know how wearing it’s been to be constantly together, day and night, every single moment, with no privacy, just the two of you. Especially since we haven’t seen much of you these last few days while you’ve been out doing ... What is it you’ve been out doing?”
    Maura shot me a startled look. “Savian has been doing some research for a job he says you hired him for, but he won’t let me see the computer screen while he’s doing it, so I have no idea what is going on other than I’ve been forced to forgo all of my plans and spend every day doing what he wants.”
    Savian grinned wickedly at her for a second, then cast a glance toward me, cleared his throat, and said, “In part, I’ve been trying to locate your ex-husband, but I lost his trail somewhere in Switzerland, and just haven’t had a lot of time to devote to that because you told me the other project was to take priority.”
    “It is the more important of the two, yes,” I said, watching them, hesitating to tell Maura that we, too, were searching for the location of the sepulcher. I had no idea with what Thala was blackmailing her, but I would never let the light sword go, not while I had such a desperate need for such a valuable object.
    “And then we ... got a bit ... distracted.” Maura fidgeted uncomfortably.
    Savian seemed to realize just how obvious she was being, for he murmured something noncommittal before using the key to unlock three different sections of the handcuff.
    It opened with a loud click, and a louder sigh of relief from Maura. She rubbed her wrist, and with an unreadable look at Savian, excused herself. “I’m going to take a shower by myself for a change.”
    My eyebrows rose. “Oh?”
    She blushed and stammered, “Not that Savian and I have taken a shower together.”
    “That’s not quite the truth, princess,” Savian said to her with a wink. “Just yesterday you were taking a shower with me.”
    “Not with you,” she said, a tad desperately, I thought. “It’s not like that at all, Ysolde. Savian was in the room with me, but not in the shower!”
    “I know that full well,” I said, taking pity on her face, which was now beet red. “I brought in some towels while you were having your shower.” My gaze slid to Savian. I’d caught him peeking in through the shower curtain, but decided their budding romance-if they were destined for one-would benefit from a blind eye turned once in a while.
    She shot Savian another look and ran up the stairs.
    I turned my attention to him.
    “There are no flies on you, are there?” he asked.
    “No. I’m very fond of her mother, though, and would not take kindly to anyone toying with Maura.”
    “Oh, but there’s so much to toy with.” He grinned unashamedly for a second.
    “I take it you haven’t found the sepulcher yet?” I asked.
    His grin faded. “Not yet, although I’m down to just four possible locations. I hope to narrow it down further tomorrow.”
    “The sooner, the better. I don’t know if Maura’s told you, but Thala is on the hunt for it, as well, and we need to get there before her.”
    He saluted. “Aye aye, mon capitaine.” His expression sobered as he rubbed his chin, saying thoughtfully, “My landlady, eh? I’ll have to see to her before-”
    I waited for him to finish, but he simply thanked me for the key, and, whistling to himself, slowly mounted the stairs.
    An hour later, I tracked down Pavel already at work in the kitchen, Holland at his side. “Can I see you for a minute?” I asked Pavel, gesturing toward a dark pantry that sat off the kitchen.
    He followed, giving me a curious glance as I clutched a plastic shopping bag to my chest.
    “I want to know three things, and I expect you to answer them, and not give me the usual dragon runaround.”
    “I will do my best,” he answered, looking as if he wanted to smile.
    “First of all, do you have any idea why Thala would want Baltic’s talisman? The one the First Dragon gave him?”
    “The talisman?” He rubbed his ear and looked thoughtful. “She is not a full-blooded dragon. If her mother had been a mortal human, then yes, I would understand. But Antonia von Endres was an archimage, and thus her daughter’s blood was not pure by dragon standards.”
    “Why would you understand if Antonia had been mortal?”
    “You remember about wyverns, yes?”
    “I know they have to have one human parent, if that’s what you mean. Except Baltic, of course, but that’s