Page 12 of The White Dragon Revealed

“I suppose I should feel grateful that this violence is not solely coming from my own territory, but that just makes dealing with the situation that much more difficult,” he told her.

She slid her legs off of the couch and rested her elbows on her knees, chewing on the end of the stylus. “If this violence were about Shifter rule then Serai is the most unlikely of adherents. Humans First then may not be behind this after all.”

“Landry’s brothers have been implicated though. And on the contrary, the fact that she was still in the Faith means that she still has a great affinity with humanity,” he disagreed. “I wouldn’t put it past Jasper Hawes to have sleeper cells in the Faith to snag people just like Serai who feel some injustice keenly.”

“An injustice that would be served by a bomb? By the deaths of innocents?” She threw her hands up. “Acts like these are normally used to create terror. Do what we want or another bomb. But that’s not happening here. No one has claimed it.”

“Because it went wrong,” Valerius theorized. “Instead of people dying, the ninth Dragon Shifter entered the world.”

“Unless that was intended.” Chione was frowning.

“No one could have known that would happen.” Valerius shook his head. “Not even I knew there were other Dragon Spirits out there. And even if someone knew that there was the possibility of another such spirit, they could not have known that the Spirit would bond with anyone. Caden was there by chance.”

“But the Spirit wasn’t,” Chione stated. “We have always theorized that Spirits watch us before they bond. They pick someone. You’ve told me so yourself about Raziel. So if somehow they knew where the Spirit was--”

“That’s too--”

But their argument was cut short by a sharp knock on the door.

“Come in!” Valerius called as he saw it was Simi at the door on the tablet.

Simi came in, red-faced and sweating, as if he had been running. “Forgive this interruption, King Valerius, Chione, but that robot Queen Mei brought you? It’s gone insane!”

SPOILS OF WAR

There was a wild whoosh of air that flattened Caden’s hair and nearly sent the toast flying. A huge Green Dragon’s head was suddenly level with the balcony. Green smoke billowed around its jaws. Caden’s lungs tightened and he knocked over his chair, striving to get away from the noxious fumes. Esme continued to sit at the table, sipping her tea, and staring straight ahead as if Illarion had not just gassed their breakfast.

Holding his throat and drawing in wheezing gasps, Caden was almost flattened by another burst of powerful wind as Illarion rose up in the air so that his clawed toes were hanging two dozen feet above them. Then Illarion transformed and he gracefully dropped to the balcony into what Caden thought of as a “superhero pose”.

Caden was still hacking up a lung as Illarion got to his feet and grinned at Esme. He didn’t spare one look at Caden, but Caden’s heart was in his throat… as well as poison gas. But, evidently, being a Shifter meant he wouldn’t be killed by it. But, as he leaned over and hacked some more, he thought he might drop a lung or two on the ground.

Iolaire covered its nose with its front claws and closed its eyes tightly. That was when Caden realized his eyes were stinging as if acidwas flung in them. He let out a cry and dug his palms into his eyes. Finally, when the stinging eased, he drew his hands off his eyes and stared blearily at Illarion.

Totally nude and completely unashamed of it, Illarion strutted over to the seat that had been Caden’s, righted the chair, and sat down in it. Still grinning, Illarion ate Caden’s bacon, which just added insult to injury.

“Esme! What a glorious morning!” Illarion inhaled another piece of his bacon.

Esme continued to sip tea even as the green poisonous mist swirled around her before disappearing altogether. It was only then that Caden realized that Illarion was here with him. The Green Dragon King would realize at any second who Caden must be! Panic had him taking a step backwards. Could he somehow retreat before Illarion noticed him?

Illarion’s hand shot out with the unused coffee cup that had been set out but Caden had not used it. He was not a coffee person. He thought of it as water gone wrong. He froze at Illarion’s movement and was prepared for the Green Dragon King to crow at finding the elusive Iolaire!

Illarion waggled the coffee cup at him. “Fill this.” He didn’t even look at Caden as he moved the cup towards him. “Must I repeat myself? Fill this.”

He doesn’t know who I am. He thinks I’m a servant or something!

Caden tried not to feel offended. This was a good thing after all! Yet it just proved all the more that Illarion did not care about Iolaire.

Caden met Esme’s eyes. She nodded her head almost imperceptibly. He trusted her judgment so he took Illarion’s cup and went over to the buffet where there was a silver coffee urn.

“Two sugars and a splash--just a splash--of cream,” Illarion ordered over his shoulder. “Your staff, Esme, is horrible. Though, I suppose, compared to dear Serai, this one must be a treasure!”

Caden gritted his teeth. But he looked over at Esme again. She gave him a meaningful look.

“My people servemevery well,” Esme murmured.

Illarion’s brow beetled. “How a person treats their guests must not be important in your territory then.”

“Guests are treated exceptionally well. You, however, arenota guest,” she remarked.

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