Page 22 of The White Dragon Revealed

“So not only is being a Shifter--a Dragon Shifter, no less--new to you, but the world is!” Tez looked rather stunned at the thought of it. He shook himself. “It is good that we are all here then.”

“Good?” Valerius had that dry tone again. “I thought you were here to woo him, Tez?”

Tez smiled at Valerius and waved a hand as if any such thought was foolish. “I was here to meet him above all. But now, I see that we must all work together to help him. To teach him. It is so exciting! I have always wished to have another Dragon to train!”

“Caden isn’t a pet, Tez,” Esme reminded him gently.

“Y-yes, I know.” Tez’s quick glance at Caden told Caden that he was thinking of him a little bit as a pet.

“Though Iolaire is adorable,” Esme added.

“Yes!” Tez was jubilant again.

“But not as pretty as Eldoron?” Valerius was actively suppressing a smile as he said this.

Tez shrugged. “No other Dragon is.”

“Eldoron is beautiful,” Caden said kindly.

“Oh, Eldoron is so pleased! Eldoron thinks that Iolaire and it should fly together. Gold and white! Such a pair! The people of Reach would have never seen such beauty.” Tez stretched a hand out to the sky as if he could imagine it right then and there.

“Uhm, that would be great, but you did see how hard it was for me to land last night, right? I’m still learning,” Caden reminded him. “Valerius makes sure that I don’t squash anybody or anything.”

Valerius tightened his hand around Caden’s. “And Valerius would be a part of any flying.”

Caden grinned up at him. He really only wanted to fly with Valerius anyways.

“Talking about yourself in the third person now, Valerius?” Esme teased.

“If I must to get my point across.” Valerius rubbed a thumb along the back of their linked hands.

“I don’t know if black goes so well with white and gold,” Tez sighed. “But if it must be, it must be.”

“It must,” Valerius said simply.

They’d reached the top of an impressive set of stone steps that curved downwards into the side of High Reach. There were torch holders on either side of the stairs. Caden thought that if there were lit torches it would look quite like the entrance to a medieval dungeon. But the thick metal door that lay sprawled below them, like a fallen soldier, the illusion was broken. Caden released Valerius’ hand and clattered down the steps. He knelt down and touched the metal. The hinges were wrenched off. He couldn’t imagine the force it took to cause the door to be like this.

“The robots did this?” Caden looked up at Valerius.

The Black Dragon King’s hands were slid into the robe’s pockets. He moved with his usual predatory grace. A faint smile was on his lips that was almost embarrassed.

“No, I did,” Valerius answered, stopping a step above him.

“Seriously?” Caden’s voice was hardly above a whisper as he looked back down at the door that likely weighed half a ton.

“Dragon Shifters are very strong,” Tez told him helpfully.

“I know, but…” Caden shook his head as he slowly got to his feet. “I just didn’t think… I don’t know. I guess seeing is believing.”

“And doing is even better,” Esme said. “Why don’t you try to lift it, dear?”

Caden’s eyes widened and he wiped his hands on his jeans. “Oh, I couldn’t do that! I--”

“You are a Dragon Shifter! Of course, you can!” Tez enthused.

Caden’s gaze slid to Valerius. Surely, the Black Dragon King would put an end to this silliness! He was a Dragon Shifter sure! But he was a little Dragon Shifter. And he wasn’t in his Dragon form now!

“Go ahead. Lift it,” Valerius said with a tip of his head. When Caden gave him a “you’re crazy look” he added, “One-handed.”

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