[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
sword has been moved to a safer location, and now it is beyond our reach.
Not beyond it. More difficult to obtain, perhaps, but not out of the question.
Where exactly is this My phone ringing had me pausing in the middle of the question. Oh. I . . .
uh . . . I have to take this call. It s about that business we just discussed, I added with meaning to
Baltic, who simply shot me a warning look and allowed himself to be urged away by Thala.
She and I are definitely going to have it out one of these days, I said softly as I went out to the
kitchen garden. Hello?
Good afternoon. I am Maura Lo, and I m told you wish to hire me for a summoning?
Hello, Maura. Yes, I do. I d love to talk to you in person about what I d like you to do for me are
you near London, by any chance?
Er . . . no. Her voice had a kind of husky quality that reminded me of Lauren Bacall at her most
seductive. Actually, I m in Estonia at the moment. Which is one of the reasons I was calling I m
afraid my schedule is a bit hectic, so I won t be able to undertake any new projects for a while.
I just bet she was busy. Busy with things like orchestrating the theft of objects from the L au-dela
vaults and keeping dragons imprisoned in their own residences. That will never do. I m afraid my
job is quite urgent.
I d be happy to recommend another Summoner since you have such a great need
I interrupted her offer with ruthless disregard. I was told that you are the only Summoner in Europe
who is capable of bringing back the ghost of a dragon.
You want a dragon s spirit summoned? she asked cautiously. Which dragon?
The former wyvern of the silver dragons, Constantine Norka.
She sucked in her breath. Why?
I blinked at the tidy rows of fresh basil and mint that Pavel often teased me were cosseted. I beg your
pardon?
I asked why you want Constantine Norka s spirit summoned?
It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her that was none of her business, but I reminded myself that a
little honey went a long way. The First Dragon has charged me with a task that involves Constantine.
I ve decided the best way to accomplish that task is to speak with Constantine directly.
Silence followed that statement. I see. Well, I won t deny that the challenge is an intriguing one, but
I m very sorry, Miss . . . er . . . I m afraid I didn t catch your name from the message left for me.
It s Ysolde.
The silence that met my ears was one filled with surprise. Ysolde de Bouchier?
Yes.
Oh . . . I thought you were dead.
I was. Temporarily.
All right. Er . . . one moment, please. A hushed conversation followed. Listening carefully, I thought
I could detect two other voices, both male. Just what was she doing in Estonia?
Ysolde? I m sorry, but I ve just consulted my schedule again, and I really won t be able to take your
job for at least three months.
Are you engaged in another summoning job?
No, but I am terribly busy with . . . er . . . a little side project.
I see. I hadn t anticipated that she d turn me down flat. Now what? I glanced along the edge of the
house, catching a quick glimpse of Baltic as he moved to his desk in the study, Thala right next to him,
her hands gesturing wildly as she spoke. Take a leaf from Baltic s book, I thought to myself with a
little smile. I straightened my shoulders and adopted a cold, imperious tone. That is not acceptable.
I m sorry, but
No. I cut off her excuses with determination. Your little side projects do not interest me, Maura
Lo.
I heard a small gasp as I invoked her full name, embellishing it with a little flash of arcane magic that
must have been tangible even given the distance.
I have hired you to do a job, and if you refuse to do it, you will leave me with no other alternative
but to notify the Akashic League of your denial. I m sure they will have a thing or two to say to a
Summoner who refuses to honor her contract with them. I haven t had many dealings with them, but I
remember someone telling me that the Akashic League takes its contracts with members very
seriously, and the penalty for breaching them is very inventive . . . and quite irreversible.
I . . . that s . . . you . . . Anger was evident in her voice, but she bit it back. If you can hold for a
minute, I ll speak with my colleagues and see if we can t work something out.
Of course, I agreed, absently plucking a weed from the lemon balm and noting that the dill needed
to be cut back. More murmuring was audible in the background, a full three minutes worth before
Maura spoke to me. Ysolde? I m happy to say that my colleagues understand the importance of
attending to League business over our own projects, so I will be available to summon the spirit of
Constantine Norka for you after all. I will need a few particulars first, however. First and most
important, where did Norka die?
You don t know? I asked, somewhat surprised, since she recognized his name . . . and mine.
No. Should I?
I suppose not. I just assumed that all dragons knew where Constantine died.
Ah. I see someone told you about my father. The faint thread of humor in her voice had more than a
hint of irony to it. I m afraid that I don t have much to do with the weyr.
Isn t your father a red dragon?
He was, yes, she said cautiously. He was thrown out of the sept when he displeased the wyvern.
That was before she killed him, naturally.
I m sorry, I had no idea Chuan Ren would do that to her own people. Well, my memory is a bit
faulty, but based on my discussions with the First Dragon, I believe Constantine died in Latvia.
Outside of Riga, in fact.
Riga? Do you mean Dauva? Of course you do; what am I saying? You were Baltic s mate, weren t
you?
I still am.
The silence that met that statement was profound. I see, she said slowly. I think the best thing is to
meet you at Dauva. We can search for the spirit there. Would it be possible to meet you in . . . The
muffled voices indicated a short conversation. How about we meet in two days in that little suburb
of Riga. What s the name . . . Ziema?
Ziema will be fine. I ll let you know if I m unable to make it.
She murmured something polite, and gave me information about a hotel she said was on the fringe of
the town, near the forest that had consumed Dauva s crumbled remains.
I hung up a few minutes later, staring blindly at the herb section of the kitchen garden, not really
seeing anything but my own murky suspicions.
Is something wrong?
I gave a mental shake and glanced at Pavel. Sorry?
I asked if something was wrong. You have the oddest look on your face.
Ah. I thought for a moment more, then asked him, If you were the person who captured and
imprisoned Kostya in his own house, why would you be interested in me?
He didn t even blink at the bizarre question. The common link between the two of you is Baltic, so I
assume that would be my focus.
Yes, I said slowly, turning my gaze back to the herbs. That s what I thought, too.
Who is interested in you, if you don t mind me asking?
A half-dragon Summoner who may or may not be the leader of a notorious band of ouroboros
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]