Page 34 of The Arrival of the Dragons

“Those are things that you must settle with them,” Valerius simply agreed.

There was a surprised silence. “You--you guessed these were problems?”

“From the moment your father hired lawyers and made plans on your behalf without talking to you… yes. You took it well enough because you are good-natured, but even you have a breaking point,” Valerius answered as he stretched out on his bed. He looked over at the empty side of it and realized he was acting as if Caden was lying there. He forced himself to stretch across the whole bed like usual.

Another silence. “Do you--do you think I’m naive? That’s what Mom and Dad think. They don’t believe I can really understand the power I have, let alone use it appropriately.”

Valerius pinched the top of his nose. This was a difficult question to answer, because Caden’s unjaded outlook was both a strength and a weakness. “I think you are… idealistic. That can fall into the naive category at times, but other times it can inspire. Inspiration is the greatest of powers, Caden. It can move things that force cannot, that fear cannot.”

Caden let out a low chuckle, evidently not offended at all. “You know that’s one of the nicest things you could say about me.”

“The thing is that people like your father--and even, likeme--see the world quite differently. Where you see light, we see dark. On the one hand, we want to protect you so that you can keep seeing the world in that idealistic light. On the other hand, we find it frustrating that you do not see what we do and court danger for yourself and those that follow you,” Valerius said, and almost felt exhausted by it. He talked more with Caden than with anyone. And he knew that this talk they were having was crucial to help Caden.

“When you describe it that way it makes sense. You want to do everything you can to keep me as I am, but as I am, I get myself into messes because you’re protecting me?”

“Yes.”

“I do need Dad’s help,” Caden said quietly. “He knows so much more than me. You… you know eons more than me. But I have to try some things on my own, even if they are mistakes. Maybeespeciallyif they are. If he doesn’t let me play a role in my own life…” Caden broke off with a sigh.

“There is a balance. Raziel understands it far better than I do,” Valerius admitted. “I wished to swoop in the moment that you were in the park, but…”

“I did okay. It was a bad situation. But I won’t hide from Humans First! And like I told my parents last night, Tilly and her friends fearlessly taunting the protestors took their power away,” Caden said. “On the news, they keep showing how dumb the Humans First people look for claiming to be worried that the kids were in danger. It was clear that they just hate Shifters.”

Valerius had seen that himself. In fact, Chione had been twittering to him about it excitedly. On his call with Marban, to check in on the status of the Shifter Council, the wily old criminal had thought it genius.

“But Caden might have been…” Valerius had broken off, realizing he was revealing too much of himself to the king of the underworld.

“I know it is hard to see the younglings take action on their own,” Marban had responded with actual sympathy. “They see only how far they canfly, while we see how far they canfall. But they can only learn one with the other. So we must learn to sit back and watch only.”

In that moment, Valerius had realized with a start that helikedandappreciatedthe Swarm Shifter on some level. Marban had something good to offer. It had been a rather stunning revelation. Even he, evidently, could learn something new.

Interpreting his silence as the end of the call, Marban had said, “Wally says hello.”

“Ah, that is right that you took Caden’s spot today at the shop, which I appreciate. But are you still there?” Valerius had frowned. It had been very late.

“No, no, Wally and I are having drinks at his place… with his cat,” Marban had said the last as if there was a sour taste in his mouth.

Valerius had let out a burble of laughter. “A Rat Shifter has acatfor a pet?”

“He adores them. Get off my lap!” Marban had hissed at the cat evidently. There had been hissing of the feline variety that had followed.

“I will let you go then. Enjoy your evening.” Valerius had hung up laughing.

But his call with Caden had not ended in laughter but rather simple longing.

“You will be coming as Iolaire to meet Mei today,” Valerius said.

“Oh, right, yeah,” Caden didn’t sound intrigued.

“She’s going to bring her toy soldiers.”

“Toy… oh, the droids?! That’s cool,” Caden warmed a little. “But what if she intends to use them for nefarious purposes? Marban thinks that the people behind the bombings and even Humans First might be from outside. What if Mei is behind it?”

“I have considered this, and this is partly why I am allowing her to bring the soldiers,” he stated.

“But… oh! You think she’ll use them, but you’ll have people like following them and checking them out!” Caden got it.

“Indeed.” Valerius smiled at Caden’s evident enthusiasm for spycraft.

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