Page 44 of The Arrival of the Dragons

“What were you doing with that shirt?”

“Uhm.”

“Caden.”

“Uhm.”

“Caden!”

Caden burst out laughing again. “I can feel your hard stare all the way here in the warehouse!”

“It is mymasterfulstare,” Valerius corrected him, a sensual smile wreathing his lips.

“Masterful?” Caden held the laughter back.

“If you truly could see it, you would tell meimmediatelywhat you were doing with that shirt. Do you feel my stare, Caden? Are you going to deny me… or submit?” his voice dropped to a low growl.

He knew Caden was frisking then. He felt it as much as heard the young man walking about. “God! Do you know that I have a hard on and I’m supposed to go back out and help people buy red plushies?!”

Valerius grinned triumphantly. “How many red plushies?”

“Don’t worry, your majesty, not as many as the black plushies. And certainly not as many as the white plushies,” Caden added under his breath.

“What? Is the White Dragon selling more than me?” Valerius pretended mock outrage. Caden made a humming sound. “It is only because it isnew.” Caden hummed again with a note of laughter. “Millions have already gotten my plushie!”

“Let’s not go that far! Though Wally would love it if it was true,” Caden told him. “I miss you.”

“So you said.”

“Well, I would say it a million times. I really miss you,” Caden’s voice dropped low.

Valerius lowered his head. “I know that you feel very alone right now, but I am… I am right here. I am with you. We must just get through this and then… then it will be just us again.”

“I can’t wait. Oh, speaking of those other Dragons, Wally told me a story about Mei,” Caden began.

“Tell me.”

And Caden did. He told Valerius both stories.

“So which is true, do you think? Rose is positive that Mei was the bandit, but I sort of hoped maybe not?” Caden’s voice rose slightly at the end.

“I am sorry to disappoint you, but she was the bandit,” Valerius told him gently.

“Oh, man, Rose was right!”

“Rose is a good judge of character, or rather, I should say that she has been disappointed by people enough that it is easier for her to believe something bad about someone instead of something good,” Valerius explained.

“Yeah, I guess.” There was a pause and then Caden added, “So those soldiers--”

“Undoubtedly, hide some secret or are to distract us from what she is really doing,” Valerius finished for him. “I threatened her within an inch of her life. She may have actually believed me, but I do not know if that will stop her if she has planned something.”

“Do I have to meet her?” Caden’s outrage cracked his voice.

“No, you do not.”

There was a long sigh. “Yes, I do. Because she won’t leave if I don’t. So I have to.”

Valerius smiled. Caden understood that there were some things one might be duty bound to do. “The last three Dragons will be here within two days.”

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