Page 21 of The White Dragon Revealed

He really should get his own bacon. Chione had more important things to do, but she was already talking to someone in the kitchen so it was a done deal.

“Not at all! I know Valerius will enjoy showing you his handiwork,” Chione said.

Iolaire’s tongue lolled out at the thought of bacon. Caden’s stomach rumbled. He’d hardly had a chance to eat before Illarion had spoiled things. At that moment, a Claw appeared with a red silk robefor Valerius. The Black Dragon King shrugged it negligently on. Caden immediately mourned the loss of that beautiful form. Valerius didn’t seem to notice Caden’s discrete ogling, but said instead, “You must be curious about this then to give up bacon immediately!”

“It is worth seeing,” Mei remarked. “As you will find out… I want to call you Iolaire but--”

“Caden. My name is Caden,” he corrected her gently.

She nodded. “Caden. As you will find, being able to use your Dragon gifts in your human form is rare. Being able to use one’s greater Dragon powers in your human form is unheard of.”

“Until now,” Esme said with a lifted eyebrow at Valerius.

“Hellfire--it is called hellfire, right?--is a greater power?” Caden asked Valerius.

“Hellfire is impressive,” Valerius answered, but it wasn’t really an answer.

More raised eyebrows from Esme. “Are you suggesting, Valerius, that hellfire is not one of your greater powers? That it is just ordinary?”

Valerius smirked. “I must have some secrets, Esme.”

“If I ever considered you an open book I will now eat those words,” Esme laughed not unkindly.

“So! Show me this destruction?” Caden pressed, bobbing up and down on his heels.

“Of course.” Valerius looked a little pleased.

Iolaire was wide-eyed in Caden’s chest, clearly excited and a little nervous to see evidence of just how powerful Valerius and Raziel were.

“I look forward to speaking to you later, Caden, Valerius. I will tell you what I find about my robots.” Mei then swept out of the room following a clanking Adama and a straight-backed Captain Simi.

“You cannot leave us now, Caden!” Tez’s lower lip wibbled. “We have just found you! And look at Illarion’s face! He is so desperate to be around you as well!”

That had a smile appearing on Tez’s own mouth for just a moment. Illarion, however, did not smile. In fact, his eyes narrowed and hisexpression darkened. He turned on his heel and stalked off, not saying a word.

“I guess he doesn’t want to be mates with me anymore,” Caden remarked dryly.

“What a shame,” Valerius’ tone was even drier.

Caden grinned up at him. “And here I was worried about revealing who I was to everybody. This is going great!”

Valerius embraced him and kissed the top of his head. When they broke apart--though Valerius kept one hand firmly on Caden’s lower back--Caden looked over at Tez and Esme. Tez’s hands were clasped in front of his chest and he was beaming at them with suspiciously moist eyes. Esme was smiling like a proud grandmother. Caden pinked.

“Ah, do you guys want to see the destruction, too?” Caden asked them.

To his surprise and delight, both of them nodded eagerly. Valerius led the four of them out of the castle and into the courtyard towards a set of broad, wide steps around the corner. Caden and Valerius held hands while Tez gentlemanly offered his arm to Esme. As they walked, Tez peppered Caden with questions and statements.

“You are so young!” Tez remarked. When Caden smiled uncertainly, Tez continued, “It is not a criticism. I mean how can one be criticized for one’s age? It is chosen for us and our concept of time continues it for us. It’s a conceit really. But what I meant is that I am so used to Shifters looking young, but not reallybeingyoung. Do you understand? And for a Dragon Shifter to be so--so--”

“Innocent?” Valerius’ lips twitched.

“No! Fresh! That is the word I was looking for,” Tez said with a “bah” at Valerius.

“Innocent. Inexperienced. Very new. Fresh, I guess works, too,” Caden admitted.

“You’re bold to be so open with us, Caden. Most Shifters try to be cagey,” Esme remarked, but she was smiling gently at him. It wasn’t a criticism, or maybe it wasn’t a criticism about talking to them this way, but maybe not to others.

“I think if I were to describe myself as anything else, it would be hard to believe anything I said,” Caden explained.

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