Page 15 of The Arrival of the Dragons

One did not have to wonder if the newscaster hoped there would be. It was clear she did. He dropped the iPad and was pivoting towards the balcony, ready to shift and take off to the park to rescue his foolish—beloved—young man. But Chione caught his arm. He shot a look at her that would have probably killed another in her place.

“Chione,” he growled.

“You can’t go. No matter how much you want to. You must not go,” Chione told him, her eyes full of pleading.

“She’s right, you know. The Black Dragon King cannot fly into that park and torch those odious Humans First people,” Esme agreed, her hands tightening on the glasses of wine. “Even if warranted.”

“Why not?” he barked, even though he already knew on some level why not.

“They cannot hurt Iolaire,” Chione repeated a statement from earlier. “I’ve sent Simi and the Claw down there to observe and act if it is necessary. The police are also present. The biggest Werewolves they have are already infiltrating the park. Again, not that Iolaire needs their help. They cannot harm the White Dragon Shifter.”

“Not their body, no. But their soul…” Valerius’ lips flattened.

Shouldn’t hewantCaden and Iolaire to learn the lesson that not everyone was good? That not everyone should be trusted? That humans, especially, were a group of reactionary monkeys still on many levels?

“If you go down there to save the day, Valerius, you not only risk more violence against Shifters, you raise Humans First profile,” Chione explained carefully. “That will only give the group more influence, not less.”

“But they are threatening Iolaire!” he roared.

“They are insects thinking that their buzzing is going to threaten a mountain,” Esme laughed. “Iolaire’s hide is as thick as ours. They proved that by resisting your attack, Valerius, the day they arrived.”

That was true. If anyone could have truly hurt Caden and Iolaire, it would have been him and Raziel.

What do you think?Valerius asked Raziel as his gaze dipped to the iPad.

The scene now showed the White Dragon Shifter completely surrounded by the howling mob of Humans First. With a start, he recognized Tilly seated on Iolaire’s back. Beside her were two other children. The other two looked scared, but Tilly appeared furious. She was staring at the mob with her hands clenched over her thighs and her eyes practically sparking fire.

Now she would make a great Dragon Shifter,Raziel rumbled in amusement.

She would. But she’s human, Raziel. She can easily break. All the more reason for us to go there and assert our dominance,Valerius argued.

No,Raziel said after a long moment.

No?Valerius couldn’t hide his shock. He had fully expected his red-blooded Spirit to want to fly down there and bring order.But?—

Iolaire can protect them. We would undermine them if we went there. They must learn to assert their own dominance in their own way. We would crush their spirit if we constantly interfered,Raziel explained.

And as soon as Raziel said it, Valerius understood that his Spirit was right.But they are so young and inexperienced!

Yes, as we once were.

I do not recall us ever being so innocent,Valerius muttered.

Perhaps not. But we had to begin somewhere. This is their beginning,Raziel answered.

“I see that you are not going to fly down and attempt to save the day. What happened? Did our words reach you or oh my! Not Raziel! I believe the world must be ending if Raziel is advising restraint.” Esme offered him yet a third glass of wine. Evidently, she was intent on drinking both of the other glasses herself.

“You are correct. Raziel believes that Iolaire must handle this by themselves,” Valerius growled. He grabbed the glass of wine and took it over on the couch before settling down with the iPad. He would watch every moment of this. If things went south, he would go down there.

“Here, let me put it on the big screen,” Chione said and turned on the large screen that was almost invisible against the far wall.

She had on a different channel. This one had a handsome African-American reporter dressed in a smart suit with horn-rimmed glasses. His voice was low and melodic. It was the kind of voice that calmed everyone down.

He was saying, “… Humans First have surrounded the White Dragon Shifter and the three children it was playing with. Though Humans First have demanded the children be released, the children themselves have something very different to say about it.”

The camera then cut to Tilly shouting at the chanting Humans First members, “You’re all just a bunch of racist (BLEEP)! Go away! We don’t want to go with you! We’re staying with Iolaire! So get bent!”

Chione let out a burbling laugh. “Now she’s got some spunk, doesn’t she? Though her parents are probably going to say something to her about her choice of words.”

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