It's All Greek to Me (32 page)
Read It's All Greek to Me Online
Authors: Katie MacAlister
Turn the page for an excerpt from Katie MacAlister’s next Novel of the Light Dragons,
Sparks Fly
Coming from Signet in May 2012
“T
he lady is here to see you.”
he lady is here to see you.”
Baltic turned at the voice, obviously startled to hear it, since he had been alone in the upstairs corridor.
“What foolishness is this?”
“What foolishness is this?”
The heavily varnished paneling that ran the length of the upper floor of the three-hundred-year-old pub melted into a dirt yard dotted with odd wooden figures.
Baltic glared first at the figures, then at the man who approached him.
“Ysolde!
Why have you drawn me into one of your visions of the past?
And why must you include that murderous bastard in it?”
“Ysolde!
Why have you drawn me into one of your visions of the past?
And why must you include that murderous bastard in it?”
“Don’t blame me; blame my inner dragon.”
I sighed to myself and folded my arms over the couple of shirts I had been about to hang in the wardrobe, which, like the corridor outside our bedroom, had faded into the scene before us.
“Although I have to say, if it’s going to make me watch episodes from your past, you might as well be here, too.
Who is that?
.
.
.
Oh, Constantine.
And look—it’s Baltic version one-point-oh, all sexy and shirtless and hacking away at something with a sword.”
I sighed to myself and folded my arms over the couple of shirts I had been about to hang in the wardrobe, which, like the corridor outside our bedroom, had faded into the scene before us.
“Although I have to say, if it’s going to make me watch episodes from your past, you might as well be here, too.
Who is that?
.
.
.
Oh, Constantine.
And look—it’s Baltic version one-point-oh, all sexy and shirtless and hacking away at something with a sword.”
“I have better things to do than relive unimportant events,” my Baltic, the Baltic of the present day, growled, transferring his glare from Constantine, the former silver wyvern—and once his friend, later his most hated enemy—to me.
“Make the vision stop.”
“Make the vision stop.”
“I would if I could, but they never do until they’re good and ready.
.
.
.
Hey, where are you going?”
.
.
.
Hey, where are you going?”
Baltic, with a rude word, turned on his heel and marched away.
“I have spent the past twelve days chasing Thala across all of Europe and half of Asia.
I have work to do, mate.
You may indulge yourself with this vanity, but I will not.”
“I have spent the past twelve days chasing Thala across all of Europe and half of Asia.
I have work to do, mate.
You may indulge yourself with this vanity, but I will not.”
“Vanity!
I like that!
It’s not vanity.
And you can’t just leave my vision like that!”
I yelled after him, watching with a growing sense of injustice as he disappeared around the side of a building.
“They’re valuable sources of information!
Kaawa says we’re supposed to learn from them, to glean facts about what is important to us now.
Baltic?
Well, dammit!
He left!
That rotter.”
I like that!
It’s not vanity.
And you can’t just leave my vision like that!”
I yelled after him, watching with a growing sense of injustice as he disappeared around the side of a building.
“They’re valuable sources of information!
Kaawa says we’re supposed to learn from them, to glean facts about what is important to us now.
Baltic?
Well, dammit!
He left!
That rotter.”
I slapped my hands on my legs and spun around as the vision of Constantine approached the other man, who stood in a cluster of quintains and man-sized targets.
“Well, I’m not going to be so obstinate that I don’t learn whatever it is that my inner dragon is trying to tell me.
Let’s see—what do we have here .
.
.
?
Obviously we’re in some sort of training yard, and since Baltic isn’t frothing at the mouth at the sight of Constantine, evidently this vision is from a time when they were still friends.
Hello, my love.
I don’t suppose you can hear me, let alone see me?”
Let’s see—what do we have here .
.
.
?
Obviously we’re in some sort of training yard, and since Baltic isn’t frothing at the mouth at the sight of Constantine, evidently this vision is from a time when they were still friends.
Hello, my love.
I don’t suppose you can hear me, let alone see me?”
The vision Baltic didn’t react, not that I expected him to.
The people in the visions that my inner dragon self— long dormant and only recently starting to wake up—provided were just that: visions of events in the past that I could watch and listen to, but not interact with.
The people in the visions that my inner dragon self— long dormant and only recently starting to wake up—provided were just that: visions of events in the past that I could watch and listen to, but not interact with.
Constantine, clad in wool leggings and a tunic bearing a gold-embroidered dragon on a field of black, strode past the empty sword-fighting targets to the occupied one, his attitude cocky, while his face was arranged in an expression implying sympathy.
“Did you hear me?”
he asked as he stopped at the side of the man who was diligently hacking away with an extremely big sword at a straw and wood target.
“Did you hear me?”
he asked as he stopped at the side of the man who was diligently hacking away with an extremely big sword at a straw and wood target.
“I heard.
It is of no matter to me.”
It is of no matter to me.”
I spent a few moments in admiration at the interplay of his muscles as Baltic continued to swing and thrust his sword into the target, his bare back shining with sweat.
“It always did make my knees weak to see you wield a sword,” I told the vision Baltic, moving around to see the front of him.
His face was different yet familiar to me, his hair dark ebony then, his chin more blunted.
“I like your hair the dark chocolate color it is now.
And your chin, as well, although you were certainly incredibly sexy before Thala resurrected you.
And your chest .
.
.
Oh my.”
I fanned myself with a bit of one of the shirts I was holding.
His face was different yet familiar to me, his hair dark ebony then, his chin more blunted.
“I like your hair the dark chocolate color it is now.
And your chin, as well, although you were certainly incredibly sexy before Thala resurrected you.
And your chest .
.
.
Oh my.”
I fanned myself with a bit of one of the shirts I was holding.
“Alexei says you have no choice.
He says it is the command of your father.”
Constantine cocked one eyebrow at Baltic, moving swiftly to the side when Baltic swung wide.
He says it is the command of your father.”
Constantine cocked one eyebrow at Baltic, moving swiftly to the side when Baltic swung wide.
“You look the same,” I informed Constantine.
“Evidently being brought back as a shade didn’t affect your appearance, whereas resurrection does.
Interesting.
I’ll have to talk to Kaawa about that the next time I see her.
Still, you were handsome then, Constantine.
But you didn’t hold a candle to Baltic.”
“Evidently being brought back as a shade didn’t affect your appearance, whereas resurrection does.
Interesting.
I’ll have to talk to Kaawa about that the next time I see her.
Still, you were handsome then, Constantine.
But you didn’t hold a candle to Baltic.”
“My father does not control my life,” Baltic snapped, his breath ragged now as he continued to swing at the vaguely human-shaped target.
“Nor does Alexei.”
“Nor does Alexei.”
I settled back against one of the targets, prepared to watch and learn what I could from the vision.
“He is our wyvern.
You owe him your fealty,” Constantine said, stiffening.
“You must do as he says.
You
must
meet the lady.”
You owe him your fealty,” Constantine said, stiffening.
“You must do as he says.
You
must
meet the lady.”
“Do not lecture me, Constantine,” Baltic snarled, turning on him.
Sweat beaded on his brow and matted the dark hair on his chest.
Constantine took a step back when Baltic gestured toward him with the sword.
“You are Alexei’s heir,
not
the wyvern himself, and I do not take well to being ordered about.”
Sweat beaded on his brow and matted the dark hair on his chest.
Constantine took a step back when Baltic gestured toward him with the sword.
“You are Alexei’s heir,
not
the wyvern himself, and I do not take well to being ordered about.”
“Pax!”
Constantine said, throwing his hands up in the air in a gesture of defeat.
“I did not come to argue with you, old friend.
I wanted simply to warn you that the lady had arrived, and Alexei is expecting you to do your duty and claim her as mate.”
Constantine said, throwing his hands up in the air in a gesture of defeat.
“I did not come to argue with you, old friend.
I wanted simply to warn you that the lady had arrived, and Alexei is expecting you to do your duty and claim her as mate.”
I had been idly wondering to myself when exactly this moment had taken place—judging by the comments, it predated not only my birth, but even the time when Baltic had been wyvern of the black dragon sept.
But as the two men argued, I had a sudden insight.
But as the two men argued, I had a sudden insight.
“This is about the First Dragon’s demand that I redeem you, isn’t it?”
I asked the past Baltic.
“This has something to do with whatever it is I’m supposed to accomplish to erase the stain on your soul.
But that was due to the death of the innocent, and this .
.
.
a mate
?”
I asked the past Baltic.
“This has something to do with whatever it is I’m supposed to accomplish to erase the stain on your soul.
But that was due to the death of the innocent, and this .
.
.
a mate
?”
It took a minute before Constantine’s words sank into my brain, but when they did, the hairs on the back of my neck rose.
I stalked forward to the two men, glaring at the former image of the love of my life, uncaring that this was only a vision.
“You were supposed to take someone else as a mate?
Who?”
I stalked forward to the two men, glaring at the former image of the love of my life, uncaring that this was only a vision.
“You were supposed to take someone else as a mate?
Who?”
“I’ve told Alexei of my decision,” Baltic said, snatching up his discarded tunic and wiping his face with it before sheathing his sword.
“I have not changed my mind.”
“I have not changed my mind.”
He turned and started up the hill of what was obviously the outer bailey of an early stone castle, stopping when Constantine called after him, “And what of the First Dragon?
Will you defy him as well as Alexei?
You are his only living son, Baltic.”
Will you defy him as well as Alexei?
You are his only living son, Baltic.”
“I know what I am,” Baltic snarled, and continued walking.
“The lady wants you.
The First Dragon is reported to desire you to take her as mate.
Alexei has commanded it in order to avoid a war.
Do you really think you have a choice in the matter?”
The First Dragon is reported to desire you to take her as mate.
Alexei has commanded it in order to avoid a war.
Do you really think you have a choice in the matter?”
The word that Baltic uttered was archaic but quite, quite rude and, ironically, one his present-day self had spoken just a few minutes before.
I watched his tall, handsome figure as he disappeared into crowds of dragons going about their daily business, my eyes narrowing as Constantine suddenly smiled.
I watched his tall, handsome figure as he disappeared into crowds of dragons going about their daily business, my eyes narrowing as Constantine suddenly smiled.
“Why do I have the feeling that you know something?”
I asked him.
I asked him.
He didn’t answer, of course.
He just continued to smile for a few seconds, and then he, too, strolled off toward the upper bailey, leaving me alone in the practice yard.
He just continued to smile for a few seconds, and then he, too, strolled off toward the upper bailey, leaving me alone in the practice yard.
“Who was she?”
I bellowed after them, achieving nothing but the venting of my spleen.
“Who the hell was she?”
I bellowed after them, achieving nothing but the venting of my spleen.
“Who the hell was she?”
“Who was what?”
a voice asked from behind me.
I spun around, staggering slightly when the world spun with me for a few moments, finally resolving itself into a familiar, if uninspiring, bedroom atop the old pub.
“Are you all right?
You look funny, like you smell cabbage cooking.”
a voice asked from behind me.
I spun around, staggering slightly when the world spun with me for a few moments, finally resolving itself into a familiar, if uninspiring, bedroom atop the old pub.
“Are you all right?
You look funny, like you smell cabbage cooking.”
“I’m fine, lovey.”
I smiled at the brown-haired boy watching me with eyes that always seemed to be far too old for their nine years.
“And there’s nothing wrong with cabbage, despite your stepfather’s insistence that it was put on this earth only to try his patience.
That stir-fried cabbage with peanut sauce that Pavel made last night was to die for, which you’d know if you had tried it.”
I smiled at the brown-haired boy watching me with eyes that always seemed to be far too old for their nine years.
“And there’s nothing wrong with cabbage, despite your stepfather’s insistence that it was put on this earth only to try his patience.
That stir-fried cabbage with peanut sauce that Pavel made last night was to die for, which you’d know if you had tried it.”
Brom wrinkled up his nose.
Always a placid child, if a tad bit eccentric, in the month that had passed since our house had been destroyed, he seemed to have adopted Baltic as a hero figure.
I’d caught him more than once watching Baltic closely, as if fascinated with the way a wyvern acted, but I think it went deeper than mere curiosity about the dragons with whom we now found ourselves living.
He’d started parroting Baltic’s likes and dislikes, even going as far as to spurn food I knew he didn’t really mind.
Always a placid child, if a tad bit eccentric, in the month that had passed since our house had been destroyed, he seemed to have adopted Baltic as a hero figure.
I’d caught him more than once watching Baltic closely, as if fascinated with the way a wyvern acted, but I think it went deeper than mere curiosity about the dragons with whom we now found ourselves living.
He’d started parroting Baltic’s likes and dislikes, even going as far as to spurn food I knew he didn’t really mind.
“Are you going into London today?”
“Nice change of subject, and, yes, I am.”
I shook off the last few dregs of anger over the idea that the First Dragon had tried to force Baltic into taking a mate, and finished putting away the shirts I’d bought in a local shop.
“Where is Nico taking you today?”
I shook off the last few dregs of anger over the idea that the First Dragon had tried to force Baltic into taking a mate, and finished putting away the shirts I’d bought in a local shop.
“Where is Nico taking you today?”
“He wants to go see a history museum.”
Brom looked thoughtful.
“It has ships and stuff, but no bodies, although Nico says there might be some surgeon’s tools.
When are we going to get our own house so I can set up my lab again?
You said you’d start looking right away, and it’s been forever.”
Brom looked thoughtful.
“It has ships and stuff, but no bodies, although Nico says there might be some surgeon’s tools.
When are we going to get our own house so I can set up my lab again?
You said you’d start looking right away, and it’s been forever.”
“Four weeks is hardly forever.”
I smiled and gave him one of the three daily hugs he allowed.
“But I’ll ask Baltic again about a house.
Would you mind if we lived outside England?
He’s likely to want to be near Dauva in order to oversee the rebuilding, and I hate to make him travel between here and Riga all the time.”
I smiled and gave him one of the three daily hugs he allowed.
“But I’ll ask Baltic again about a house.
Would you mind if we lived outside England?
He’s likely to want to be near Dauva in order to oversee the rebuilding, and I hate to make him travel between here and Riga all the time.”
“Are there mummies in .
.
.”
His face screwed up in thought.
.
.”
His face screwed up in thought.
“Latvia?”
I finished.
“I have no idea, although it is close enough to visit St.
Petersburg, which I know has some fine museums.
Whether or not they have mummies is beyond me.
You can ask Nico, though.
Perhaps he’ll know.”
I finished.
“I have no idea, although it is close enough to visit St.
Petersburg, which I know has some fine museums.
Whether or not they have mummies is beyond me.
You can ask Nico, though.
Perhaps he’ll know.”
“OK.
Will he come with us?
Because he’s a green dragon, and not in Baltic’s sept, I mean?”
Will he come with us?
Because he’s a green dragon, and not in Baltic’s sept, I mean?”
“I’m sure Drake will give him permission, since he’s agreed to let Nico tutor you for a year.
Oh, you probably want your allowance, don’t you?
Let me get my purse.”
Oh, you probably want your allowance, don’t you?
Let me get my purse.”
Brom’s expression turned painful for a few seconds before his shoulders sagged, and he said with obvious reluctance, “Baltic gave it to me this morning when he got home from Nepal.
But if you wanted to give me more, that would be OK.”
But if you wanted to give me more, that would be OK.”
I laughed and gave his shoulder a little pat.
“I’m sorry to have burst your bubble, but you really don’t need more than
one
weekly allowance.”
“I’m sorry to have burst your bubble, but you really don’t need more than
one
weekly allowance.”
“How am I going to buy supplies when we get a house?”
he asked as I herded him before me back into the narrow hallway.
The floor and walls were wooden and uneven, and made me feel like I was walking at an angle.
I didn’t complain, though; I found the small pub run by some human friends of Pavel, Baltic’s second-in-command, charming and quaint in its Elizabethan Englishness.
Baltic insisted we would be safe there should Thala, his former lieutenant, decide to try to kill us again.
I had no doubt that he would keep us safe no matter where we were located, but, like Brom, I was growing tired of such a transient lifestyle, and yearned for my own home, where we could settle down once and for all.
he asked as I herded him before me back into the narrow hallway.
The floor and walls were wooden and uneven, and made me feel like I was walking at an angle.
I didn’t complain, though; I found the small pub run by some human friends of Pavel, Baltic’s second-in-command, charming and quaint in its Elizabethan Englishness.
Baltic insisted we would be safe there should Thala, his former lieutenant, decide to try to kill us again.
I had no doubt that he would keep us safe no matter where we were located, but, like Brom, I was growing tired of such a transient lifestyle, and yearned for my own home, where we could settle down once and for all.
“When we have room for you to set up another mummification lab, I’ll buy you some supplies.
Although, really, Brom, couldn’t you find some hobby other than mummifying animals?”
Although, really, Brom, couldn’t you find some hobby other than mummifying animals?”
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