‘‘I gathered my guard together, and called up aid from allies. Drake came, along with a small group of green dragons who disobeyed an order from their wyvern. The blue dragons also sent members, although they were fewer. We met to reason with Baltic, but he . . .’’ Kostya paused, his voice suddenly hoarse. ‘‘He was mad. It was evident to all there that he would rather destroy the sept than give up his grandiose plan of domination of the weyr. I had no choice but to kill him. But it was too late—the silver dragons had chosen that same moment to strike, slaughtering all but a handful of black dragons.’’

‘‘We did not attack unprovoked,’’ Gabriel said through gritted teeth.

I put a hand on his arm, giving it a squeeze to remind him now was not the time to start another argument.

A look of sadness tinged Kostya’s dark eyes for a moment before dissipating into his normally hostile, arrogant expression. ‘‘For my attempt to save my own sept, I was almost destroyed by the man for whom I was named, a traitor who set himself above the rule of the wyvern.’’

‘‘Constantine Norka was a savior, not a traitor,’’ Gabriel yelled, leaping to his feet. I leaped with him, pushing myself between him and Kostya. ‘‘He begged Baltic to end the foolish plan of dominating the weyr, but for his trouble Baltic named him ouroboros and cast him from the sept, claiming Ysolde as his.’’

‘‘Ysolde?’’ Aisling asked Drake in a low voice.

‘‘Constantine Norka’s mate.’’

I looked up at Gabriel’s face, touching his cheek. His eyes, burning with fury, bore into my own. ‘‘You can steal another dragon’s mate?’’ I asked.

‘‘It’s possible, although not done frequently.’’ His gaze shifted to Aisling for a moment. ‘‘It never used to be, that is.’’

‘‘Ysolde was intended to be Baltic’s mate. He had chosen her and she indicated she would accept him. But before she could, Norka stole her and made her his own mate, an underhanded trick I am not surprised you wish to keep from Mei Ling,’’ Kostya answered with a sneer as he turned away.

‘‘Baltic abused Ysolde!’’ Gabriel shouted. ‘‘She hated her life with him, and begged Constantine to take her away—’’

‘‘So you say. But we all know how much truth can be found in the words of a traitor,’’ Kostya answered, a distinct baiting note in his voice.

‘‘Before you boys get into another fight, why doesn’t everyone sit down?’’ Aisling suggested.

‘‘Sound advice,’’ I said, nudging Gabriel back toward our couch. He gave way reluctantly. I was about to retake the seat beside him but thought better of it, plopping myself down on his lap instead. ‘‘To keep you from doing anything imprudent,’’ I said with a kiss to his chin.