Page 6 of The Arrival of the Dragons

Caden looked at Valerius for an okay to let the Green Dragon Shifter down. Valerius gave a brief nod. This caused Illarion to squawk even louder about how he would not be treated this way and how dare Valerius and this runt White Dragon do this to him and he’d see them drown in a sea of poison and on and on it went.

Despite his threats and calumnies, Caden set Illarion down gently on the courtyard. The Green Dragon Shifter stumbled back. Valerius rather thought he was stumblingawayon purpose so as to get distance between himself and the White Dragon without making it obvious he was running away. Better to be thought clumsy than afraid in Illarion’s mind. Valerius often thought the same thing.

“Illarion does not take well to fear,” Chione murmured. “I do not think he will forgive Iolaire for this.”

“No, likely not, but now at least he knows that Iolaire, though small, is mighty,” Valerius said.

Iolaire made Green Dragon afraid! Raziel laughed.Little White Dragon caused him to crash from the sky!

Valerius was glad to just hear amusement in his Spirit’s voice rather than anger. Raziel was in the best of moods. It wasproudof the little White Dragon that could.

But neither Caden nor Iolaire should have had to intervene at all. Illarion should have respected me, but he did not. I will have to fix that.

At that moment, part of Valerius wanted to go over and grab Illarion by the scruff of the neck before threatening him within an inch of his life. But like Caden had said, that would be giving Illarion attention. And any attention--good or bad--would be treated as a victory by the Green Dragon Shifter. So he stood there, arms crossed, looking at Illarion as one might an uninteresting bug. For his part, Illarion was not looking at Valerius.

“Our fears about Iolaire being all but defenseless are seemingly unwarranted,” Chione murmured.

“We do not know the limits of this gift yet,” Valerius murmured.

“What do we know about it?” she asked quietly.

“It lasts a minimum of 24 hours unless Iolaire releases the Shifter and allows them to transform.”

Chione’s eyebrows rose. “Twenty-four hours? Illarion will be a madman before that if he is not allowed to shift.”

“True.” Valerius smiled. It was not a nice smile. “But he did break the rules of civility so I am not inclined to ask Iolaire to release him early.”

The two of them watched as the Green Dragon Shifter stared daggers at Iolaire, his threats having dried up for some reason. Maybe simply being released had stopped the flow of words. Iolaire merely cleaned its wings and moved the tip of its tail up and down, rather cat-like, with seeming no concern at all for Illarion’s ill temper. Illarion scowled harder.

Your nonchalance is annoying Illarion, Caden, Valerius chuckled.

I know. He’s really mad. Did you see him hopping up and down before? That was funny,Caden answered.

Yes, well, you have made an enemy of him, I think. You must be very careful,Valerius cautioned. He didn’t want Caden to get cocky.

I guess I have. Though really it’s bullshit for him to be mad at me considering everything. He was the one to go on television and say I was his mate! Not to mention he was endangering people!Caden sounded affronted to have gained an enemy for “unfair” reasons.

Valerius shook his head.Illarion is not logical. He is a bully. He is used to being the strongest. My existence is nearly intolerable to him because I am stronger than him. Yours now… he did not expect you to be able to best him.

Guess he doesn’t want me as a mate anymore! Thank God!Caden sounded relieved.

Valerius knew that contrary to Caden’s belief, Illarion would likely want Cadenmorethan before. He would want to possess and lord over Iolaire. That was likely the only way he saw getting his face back.

“Why don’t you shift?” Illarion suddenly shouted at Iolaire. “Let us see you in the flesh! Let us see how tough you are in your human form!”

“He did not just say that!” Chione let out a disbelieving laugh. “What does he think he’s going to do? Have a fistfight with the White Dragon Shifter?”

Valerius’ hands curled into fists. “He will never touch Caden.”

Iolaire continued with its cleaning, ignoring Illarion entirely.

“We’re not going to see Iolaire in its human flesh, dear Illarion! Iolaire’s human side is going to remain a mystery!” Esme’s voice drifted out of the double doors. The Claw came to attention as she strode out wearing an icy blue dress that flowed around her like mist.

“Esme!” Chione called gaily and the woman greeted each other with air kisses.

“It is so good to see you, Chione! It’s been too long!” Esme smiled genuinely at the Sphinx Shifter.

“It has. You’ve come at the perfect time though.” Chione looked over at Iolaire.

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