Light Dragons 03 - Sparks Fly

because his father was the First Dragon.”
    Pavel nodded. “All of the First Dragon’s first generation children founded septs, including Baltic. They were able to do so because they bore the talisman.”
    A little chill ran down my spine. “It has that much power?”
    “Not power so much as it is an artifact recognized by the weyr. If the bearer is a dragon, he or she can form a sept and no one in the weyr can deny its existence. Have you never wondered why ouroboros dragons did not form their own septs rather than tribes?”
    “They didn’t have a talisman,” I said slowly.
    “Hence they can only form tribes,” he agreed.
    “But ... ” I bit my lip in thought. “But Constantine formed his own sept, and he didn’t have a talisman.”
    “Didn’t he?”
    I narrowed my eyes at Pavel. “He isn’t one of Baltic’s brothers, if that’s what you’re implying. Baltic said all his siblings were dead, and besides, Constantine told me his father had died many centuries ago.”
    “No, no, I did not mean that he formed the silver sept because he was the child of the First Dragon. I meant simply that he did possess a talisman in order to create the sept.”
    A flash of insight struck me. “He stole Baltic’s talisman, too? Or did he take one from some other dragon? Are the talismans handed down to wyverns, like the dragon heart shards are?”
    “I do not know-I am not privy to the intimate details of other septs.”
    “Baltic must have gotten it back from Constantine,” I mused, wondering if the day would come that my memory would ever return to me. Then again, perhaps Baltic-not the most forthcoming of individuals when it concerned private things-had never told me about the theft of his talisman. “Did I know about this before I was killed?”
    He shrugged. “You would have to ask Baltic that.”
    “Fat lot of good that’ll do me.” I made a face at the wall. “He hates answering questions about the past.”
    “What were the other two things you wanted to speak to me about?” Pavel glanced toward the door behind him. “I was about to put the rib of beef into the oven, and I wished to put a rub on it first.”
    “Oh, I wanted to ask you ... Rib of beef? How are you cooking it?”
    “Just roasting it with thyme, potatoes, and some root vegetables.”
    “Thyme? What an excellent idea. Would you like me to make a salad?”
    “If you wish to, although I’d planned on grilling some courgette, and tossing it with feta, mint, and pine nuts as the salad.”
    I started salivating at the thought. “No, no, you go ahead with that. Um. What was it I wanted to ask ... oh, Baltic said when we came here that he was having someone in England try to locate where Gareth and Ruth went when they left the castillo . Did you happen to find out if they’ve been tracked?”
    “I did, and they haven’t.” He made a little gesture. “I’m sorry, Ysolde. I told Baltic yesterday that the tracker reported they disappeared after going to Geneva.”
    “Damn. That matches what Savian said.” I let myself dwell with much satisfaction on what I wanted to do to Gareth once we did find him again.
    “And the third thing? I really must baste the vegetables before they are put in with the beef.”
    With an effort, I pulled my attention back from thoughts of a cattle prod being applied to Gareth. “Hmm? Oh, this.” I held out the bag. “I bought these in London the day Brom was taken, and I meant to give them to you to use with Holland, but things went to hell in a handbasket that night, and they got shoved into the wardrobe with my things.”
    Pavel pulled out the toys I’d purchased for him, his eyes widening at the sight of the bed restraint system. “The cuffs alone would have been enough,” he said, then blinked as he pulled out the C-shaped item. “Christos.”
    “I didn’t know whether you like that sort of thing or not, so I got a couple of different ones,” I said, pulling out a stimulator. “This one is ribbed. I assume that’s good, although I wouldn’t want ... never mind. And this wand can be used by two people at the same time, which I thought was pretty handy. Now, the electric jobby is brand-new, and Dido, the lady at the sex store, says it’s a huge hit with gentlemen, although you have to be sure to attach both electrodes before turning it on. Oh, and she said because of the shape, there’s a special way to ... er ... use it. She said you need to lie on your side-”
    “Thank you,”