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red dragons started the endless war.
Thousands of my children died. Hundreds of thousands of mortals did so, as well, the First
Dragon said.
I don t quite understand how, Aisling said, looking warily at the First Dragon.
My stomach twisted with grief and rage and regret. The red dragons killed Maerwyn, Baltic s
mother, which triggered the separation between silver and black dragons.
So Chuan Ren really did start the war, Aisling said softly with a little whistle of amazement. I
knew it. I just knew she had to be behind it.
The black dragons were all but destroyed.
As were the silver dragons, Constantine said, only faintly visible. We suffered gravely because
of Baltic s actions.
My gaze returned to the First Dragon. You hold Baltic responsible for the deaths of all of those
dragons? Everyone who has died since the onset of Endless War?
The deaths of the innocent weigh heavily on his soul, he said, a typical dragon non-answer. You
were to redeem that sin.
The flesh of your flesh, I said softly, fighting the pain so I could think. I knew that everything I
was and would be depended on getting this right. He was supposed to bring strength to the weyr I
stopped, once again insight striking me with an almost palpable blow. You want him back in the
weyr. You want our sept to join the weyr. But why? Baltic doesn t care anything about the weyr.
Man, what is it with you humans? Jim asked, shaking its head. You guys fall off the obvious
wagon when you re young or something?
Jim, hush, Aisling said quickly, turning to apologize.
I looked at Jim. It winked at me. Obvious? What was I missing that was so obvious?
You had wanted Baltic to take Chuan Ren as his mate. The words came out slowly, as my brain
once again frantically squirreled around trying to piece things together. But Baltic didn t care about
that, didn t care that his actions would enrage the red dragons. He didn t care to the extent that he was
booted out of this sept, until Alexei accepted him back as heir when Constantine s treachery was
exposed.
Constantine s treachery? Gabriel frowned. What treachery is this?
Nothing! There was no treachery, Constantine said quickly, then glanced at the First Dragon and
immediately disappeared. I m& er& low on power. I ll claim you as my mate later, Ysolde, when
everyone is gone.
I waved a dismissive hand, not willing to be distracted. It s old history, Gabriel. I ll tell you
later. I met the First Dragon s gaze again. You wanted Baltic to bring strength to the weyr. He was
your only living child, and you wanted him to bring stability to a weyr that was imploding upon
itself.
My children have always been fractious, he said with the barest hint of a smile. The dragon fire
that burns within us manifests itself in many ways.
But Baltic didn t do that. He didn t care about bringing the weyr together. He cared about the
black dragons, instead. He
He cared about you, the First Dragon interrupted.
At that moment the penny dropped. Memory after memory tumbled in my mind Baltic telling me
five hundred years ago that the weyr could go about its business so long as it left him alone; Baltic not
three weeks ago telling me the same thing. You want him to care about dragonkin.
Oooh, Aisling said on a long breath.
He must pay for the deaths of the innocent, the First Dragon said in that enigmatic way he had.
You re really irritating, do you know that? I squared off as if about to fight him. You couldn t
just say that you had to make me jump through five million hoops? I ve wanted him to rejoin the
weyr all along.
But you have not accomplished that task.
What more do you want from me? I yelled, slapping my hands on my legs. I ve tried and tried
and tried, and I swear that I ll continue to move heaven and earth to make you happy. I swear I ll
redeem Baltic s soul. I swear I ll do anything, anything at all. Just bring him back!
Mate, do not grovel.
The First Dragon s lips tightened, as if he d heard it all before.
I can t offer to do anything more than that! I grabbed the First Dragon s arm and shook it. I love
him. Do you understand that? Our love goes beyond death. It s& It s& It s everything to me.
Always you must make dramatic scenes. He enjoys them; you do know that, yes?
Baltic is the beginning, and the end, and& and& I stopped, my heart beating wildly as a warm,
familiar presence made the skin of my back tingle.
My heart, my soul, the very essence of who I was, came to life once again. I staggered a step to the
side with the overwhelming surge of emotion. When? I asked the First Dragon.
He knew exactly what I was asking. When I felt his loss.
You bastard! I swore, slapping my hand on his chest. You let me go through all that when he
was already alive? You heartless bastard! You cruel, manipulative
Chérie, do not finish that sentence, Baltic rumbled behind me, his arms sliding around me. I
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