Blood Lines wotl-3
Page 37
Li Lei did not like the man who was secretary of state, but he. was said to be a good bargainer. There was little challenge in dealing with a poor one, so she accepted his presence in lieu of the president's with fair grace. Then she had to explain it to Sun Mzou. He did not like it, but he, too, understood that they might fear exposing their leader to him.
In the end, Li Lei stood with Li Qin on one side and Lily on the other. She was sorry her son had not arrived in time but could not find it in her to regret her daughter-in-law's absence. Beside Lily stood Rule Turner with Toby, who was not behaving well. Too much excitement will do that to little boys. Behind them were ranged the secretary of state, Ruben Brooks, and many other official persons she did not know.
They did not have long to wait. The lights were bright all round the White House, making the sky a dead, flat black, as if the stars had hidden themselves. Out of that darkness another black shape gradually formed. He looked small at first, for he was very high. But as he descended in a beautiful spiral, his size became obvious.
As did his shape. The official persons made shocked noises, as if they had not truly believed what their radar had told them until their eyes confirmed it.
"Oh, God," Lily whispered. "It really is him."
Slowly, as gracefully as if he managed only the weight of a butterfly on those huge wings, the black dragon, the oldest and most powerful of his kind, settled onto the South Lawn of the White House.
Li Lei's heart broke and sang, weeping joy through the pieces. She started forward, and somehow she forgot dignity, forgot her great age and all the official persons, and she ran to him.
She stopped near the huge head, which he'd lowered to greet her, his eyes glowing in a way she'd never forgotten. Though in those days, she'd been much larger… she rested her hand on the hard scales on his cheek. You have a poor sense of time. You said you'd return. I did not expect to wait so long.
You grew old.
Mortals do. Even one with dragon magic inside her.
For a long moment he said nothing, then: Did you ever regret your decision, Li Lei?
She felt his wistfullness, the echo of her own pain so many years ago… He'd wanted her to go with him, wanted it badly. She'd refused. Every day, she told him honestly. And yet never.
You had the child you craved.
Yes. The child she could not have had with him, for while he'd been able to give her much—even a form like his, for a time—he hadn't been able to give her that. You brought my granddaughter home to me.
She is strong and cunning. I like her. You bred well.
She swallowed and surreptitiously brushed the dampness from her eyes. Well. We shall have time, if we wish, to talk about the old days later. Now, I think, we had best begin bargaining. That is why you wanted me here.
That is only part of the reason, Li Lei, her first lover told her, amusement tinting the cool mental voice with rare warmth. As you know very well. But let us begin.
Lily turned to face the others: her family, those official persons, and the secretary of state. Pleasure suffused her.
This would be a bargaining session like no other. She would see that Sun and the others received everything they needed— gold, places to hunt, eyries of some sort. The usual things required by dragons. In return, the dragons would solve the world's crisis by doing what was as natural as breathing for them.
They would sop up magic.
That they needed the magic themselves to survive did not, in Li Lei's opinion, diminish their right to demand payment. "Mr. Secretary," she said in a clear voice, "if you will come forward, I would like to introduce you to Sun Mzao, whom some…" She couldn't resist a quick, undignified wink at her grandaughter and the man beside her. "… know as Sam."
[end]
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