The silence grew thick with suspicion and animosity.

“Kostya—” Drake started to say wearily, but his brother cut him off with a gesture.

“Regardless, I will explain my presence in Paris, because I wish to further goodwill between the black and silver septs.”

Maata snorted. I had to admit I didn’t quite buy his altruism.

“My men had been watching a house in Paris that we believed Baltic was using. I was alerted that there had been unusual activity, and went to see for myself if it was anything while on my way back from Riga.”

Gabriel waited, his posture relaxed, but I knew better. I could feel the tension thrumming through him.

“There was activity, as my man had reported, but it was Fiat, not Baltic. I had no idea of what Fiat was up to, or I would have stopped him.” His gaze moved to touch on everyone in the room. “I returned to England shortly after verifying that Baltic was not present. I did not hear about the massacres until later.”

I watched Gabriel, feeling the depth of emotion in him, but not sure what he was thinking. Would he believe Kostya? I did. Truth rang out in his voice. He might not be forthcoming with everything, but I did not believe he had participated in the wholesale murder of all those innocent people.

Kostya must have felt Gabriel’s unwillingness to accept his explanation, because he made a quick, frustrated gesture and added in a voice rife with irritation, “For Christ’s sake, Gabriel—have I harmed anyone since I was released from the aerie? Have I attacked any of the silver dragons? Have I harmed your sept in any way? Whatever else you may think of me, I’ve never given you grounds to claim I’m a psychopath!”

Gabriel was still silent, obviously weighing Kostya’s words.

“Gabriel?” Chuan Ren prodded him with an impatient word. “How say you about the black sept?”

All eyes were on us.

“I accept your explanation,” Gabriel said finally. “And I retract my statement of your guilt in that matter.”

Kostya inclined his head in acknowledgment of the apology. Cyrene beamed at us and hugged his arm.

“Our history with the black dragons is known to all here,” Gabriel said slowly, his voice once again rich and smooth. “It cannot be denied that we have long sought autonomy from them, and yet, they were once our friends, our family. They were a part of us. And while we do not pursue either justice or revenge against them for acts done in the past, we are not so quick to lay our ghosts.”

Kostya stiffened in his chair, his brows lowering.

“Too many lives have been lost to the black dragons.” Gabriel was silent for a moment, anguish deep within him. “Too many families were destroyed for us to simply forget those who sacrificed, or were sacrificed. We honor their memories now as we always will.”

I held my breath. I knew that under normal circumstances Gabriel was too honorable to go back on his word to Kostya. But what if he felt he was justified? What would the weyr do if the black and the silver dragons were once again battling with each other? There had been war recently in the weyr, one that had been forced to an end, much to Chuan Ren’s disgust. Would another one be the result of the day’s actions?

“Nor can we forget the price that those of us who survived have paid. It was only by a miracle of the most profound nature that I have found a mate, the other half of my being, but the other silver dragons must bear the punishment a black dragon placed upon them.”

Kostya shifted in his chair, but said nothing. Cyrene’s smile had faded during Gabriel’s speech until she looked lost, her gaze moving between Kostya, Gabriel, and me. I felt Gabriel’s sorrow even as I was warmed by his declaration, but it drove home the fact that even if the black dragons rejoined the weyr, they could not remove the curse.

Only Baltic could do that.

Gabriel’s silky voice rang out strong and clear in the silence of the room. “But even as we have acknowledged that pain, we have sought this moment, the day when old wounds could at last heal. The silver dragons welcome our long-lost brothers to the weyr with open hearts.”

Tears burned briefly at the backs of my eyes as Gabriel sat down beside me, taking my hand in his. I rubbed my thumb against his, trying to tell him without words how proud I was of him, how much I loved him.

“Well-done, Gabriel,” Aisling said softly.

Cyrene gave a moist sniffle and dug through her purse for a tissue. There was an echo of a sniffle from the side of the room, where Jim sat. I glanced at it, but it was licking its front leg.

Kostya stared at Gabriel for a long, long time, then nodded his head again, and turned expectantly to Chuan Ren.

“I am in agreement with the other wyverns,” she said crisply. “The sept of the black dragons is herewith recognized as a member of the weyr, as Konstantin Fekete is recognized as wyvern. The sárkány has thus been fulfilled and is at an end. Fetch Fiat!”

Chapter Seventeen

“So, are there going to be snacks for the dragon-heart thing? Because I missed lunch, being Cyrene’s decoy, and that gyro she bought me isn’t going to last until dinner. Hey, Fiat, long time no kidnap. Massacre anyone lately?”

“Jim, so help me god, one more word out of you, and you’re going to be visiting Magoth,” Aisling snapped.

I hurried over to where the demon sat, watching Drake’s two men bring Fiat into the room, filled with contrition. “I’m sorry, Aisling. I should have been watching it. Jim—”

“There’s no need for you to yell at me, too,” it said with an injured sniff as it plopped itself down in front of the fireplace. “Ash already chewed my ass off. Man. Grumpy much?”

“I’ve just had it with you,” Aisling said, moving uncomfortably in her chair. I was about to rejoin Gabriel, but I stopped next to her.

“Are you all right? Did the sárkány tire you out?” I asked.

“Yes, I’m fine.”

I examined her face. She looked tired, black smudges under her eyes.

She waved a hand toward her belly. “It’s just the baby. I wish she would make up her mind to come. Drake actually told the midwife she has to move in with us tonight. He wants her to do a C-section, but she doesn’t think there’s a need for that yet.”

I patted her on her shoulder. “I’m sorry that I’ve been so distracted I haven’t been watching Jim like I should.”