Page 19 of The White Dragon Revealed

“I think I programmed him too well.” She gave a rueful smile.

“Adama, take us to this place,” Valerius ordered.

The mechanical man led them out of the dungeon still carrying the other robot carcass. Valerius took one final glance over his shoulder. He grimaced. Mei was not the only one who had work to restore what was lost today. Adama did not take them very far. In fact, they went only so far as the sculpture garden. The robot pointed to a place right behind a bush cut to look like a Dragon’s head roaring at the sky.

“Fitting,” Mei remarked sourly. “There appears to be nothing here.”

“It would be a little too much to ask that they leave a clue,” Chione though sounded downfallen that they hadn’t. “Adama, do you see anything we do not?”

The robot though had no further information. “The device they used has been shut off."

“They have given us one clue. They were able to get into High Reach,” Valerius growled.

“I’ll immediately have the Claw stop anyone from leaving High Reach and go over the footage,” Chione said as she brought up her tablet.

“I doubt they are still here or that they left by the main gate oranywhere else there is video coverage,” Valerius muttered. “Let us go back to the castle.”

As the four of them walked back into the castle’s entrance, Mei said, “Are you seeing the pattern of these attacks as I am?”

“What are you seeing?”

“That Serai was associated with Esme and that the soldiers were associated with me,” Mei pointed out.

“Someone is trying to cause a war between the Dragons,” Valerius suddenly said.

Mei nodded. “Who is behind this? While Illarion is eager for war, he is… well, this is a bit beyond him.”

Valerius quirked a smile. “Yes, I tend to agree. Unless he has been hiding his light under a basket this whole time, I think he is out as the mastermind.”

They were not able to speak further at that moment as Simi, a phalanx of Claw, followed quickly by Esme, Illarion, Tez and Caden were rushing out of the castle’s front doors. Simi and the Claw had known what was happening with the robot war--and Simi looked alarmed at Adama with them--but the others must have sensed his use of hellfire.

“What happened?” Esme cried as she took in Adama carrying a broken robot, Mei in a slip and Valerius naked. Chione looked as put together as always yet it was clear something had happened.

“You used hellfire!” Illarion’s eyes were bright with the lust for battle. His head jerked around as he looked for enemies. “I can smell it in the air! But I did not hear Raziel’s roar!”

Mei’s eyes slid to Valerius. “He used it without shifting.”

“Bah, that’s impossible!” Illarion waved a hand through the air.

“She is not lying,” Esme stated as she stared hard at Valerius. “I did not think it was possible either to use our higher powers when we are not in our Dragon forms, but clearly, I was mistaken.”

Valerius said nothing. All of them kept secrets about their powers: what they were, the extent of them, what could and couldn’t be used outside of the Dragon form. He had revealed something of himself to them, but he was pleased with the result. Illarion looked stumped.Tez was suddenly stepping back from him. Esme appeared impressed, but also a little put out. Her use of the Dragon abilities in her human form was legendary. He had never talked about any of his.

At that moment, Caden snaked his way through the crowd to him. Valerius held himself very still. He knew that Caden had revealed himself to Esme, and Mei had seen him in the mirror--though she, too, held herself still--he did not want to reveal Caden’s identity to the others if they did not already know. But then Caden threw his arms around Valerius’ neck.

“Are you okay? Why did you have to use fire on anybody?” Caden asked.

Valerius wrapped his arms around Caden and ran a hand up and down the boy’s back. “I am fine. The robots are not. Adama and I took care of them.”

Adama lifted the corpse of the robot it still carried as if it were an exhibit. Caden let out a gasp and looked over at Mei with suspicion. He had texted Valerius the other day about her suspected perfidy.

“Mei is not behind this,” Valerius said.

“How can you be so sure?” Esme was now staring at Mei just like Caden was.

“Reasons we will all discuss later,” Valerius answered simply.

Illarion gave out an ugly laugh. “So it looks like your mechanical men have a fatal flaw, Mei. Perhaps we should go back to the negotiating table about that land of yours I desire.”

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