He could hardly hide his smile. “On the contrary, Chione, this is only your second time with more than two of us in a room. Brawling is the least of what is expected.”

Chione sighed. “You just want to see their noses bloodied for flying above Reach.”

“You think that's unwarranted?” He lifted an eyebrow at her.

Chione’s arms were crossed over her chest. “No, no, of course not. But there has been so much violence in the past few days. More of it feels… wrong.”

Valerius sighed. He thought how this would look through Caden’s eyes. The young man would likely be unnerved, especially as they were ostensibly fighting overhim. But the truth was that these were old arguments between the Green and Gold Dragons.

“Do you really think if I interfere between them that this willlowerthe aggression in that room?” He gestured with his wine cup towards the throne room.

Chione pursed her lips, but then she lowered her head. “You are correct. It won’t.”

“You are distressed.” He put an arm around her shoulders. “What is it?”

She shook herself. “I do not know. I just have feelings of foreboding.”

Whether it was one of her true visions of the future or just all the unrest was unclear to him. He did not like to see his normally feisty and lively Councillor look so dour and dire. That was his role.

“I will tell you what, you can… give them plushies,” Valerius said.

Chione immediately whirled towards him, eyes wide, and lips parted. “You mean… I can give each of them a plushie of their own color?”

“Yes.”

And maybe Caden can come with Wally to High Reach.I need to see him in person.

“You look like you’re sucking on a lemon!” she laughed. But then leaned in and kissed his cheek. “But you are so sweet for worrying about me.”

“We have to keep our spirits up, Chione. We are going to need every last ounce of patience,” he warned her.

She smiled at him even as she was pulling out her phone, undoubtedly to speak to Wally about the plushies. He sighed and moved off just as he heard her say, “Wally? It is Chione! I--oh, Marban? You’ve been having a day, have you? I see. Well, no, you mustn’t kill him. I realize--oh, he didthat? My, that would be distressing.”

Her voice trailed off as he strode over to Esme. She was tapping the edge of her cup against her lower lip as she regarded the two other Dragon Shifters. Her blue eyes sparkled speculatively. She welcomed him with a smile, but her eyes flickered back to Illarion and Tezcacoatl as they shouted in each other’s faces, circling the room, noses practically pressed together, looking as if they were about to grapple with one another and start rolling around on the floor.

“Did you ever see the old gladiator games?” Esme asked.

“I did. I would love to see a deathmatch between them,” Valerius said.

“YoulikeTez. He annoys you, but youlikehim. Illarion…” She let her voice drift off. Looking at the Green Dragon she let out a sigh. “He’s always been a bully and had more cunning than actual intelligence, but he seems more out of control than usual.”

Valerius looked at how Illarion’s face was practically purple with rage. His hands were clenched at his sides at Tezcacoatl’s taunting.

“They haven’t been in each other’s presence for thirty years,” he reminded her.

“Yes, yes, that’s true. But there’s more to it than that. I think Illarion is on edge,” Esme murmured.

He turned to look down at her face. “About what?”

“Mei has been pressing against his flank,” she said. “He doesn’t trust anyone else to fight with him while she is working with whatever she has.”

“Or they are allies as they have been in the past and this is a ruse… though for what reason I cannot think. And Illarion is hardly an actor,” Valerius pointed out.

“Things feel off-balance, Valerius,” she said and shook her head, clearly not pleased with her own words.

“Because of Iolaire?” She had seemed nothing but charmed with Iolaire, but she, unlike Illarion, was a consummate actor.

She smiled up at him. “No, no, I am very fond of your little White Dragon.”