Page 23 of The White Dragon Revealed

“What?!” Caden squawked. “You’re making this even more impossible!”

Valerius just smiled. “You can do this, Caden.”

Caden muttered, “Don’t laugh if I can’t do this. I might manage to nudge it maybe. Maybe.”

Iolaire twittered at him, blinking, and shuffling its wings happily. Caden didn’t know if Iolaire thought he could do this or was simply giving encouragement. Caden leaned over and put the fingers of his right hand underneath the door. He fully expected to have to strain to even make it wobble. So he put his all into it and the door flew upwards and then fell down again on the other side before sliding down a few more steps. Caden’s mouth opened in a gasp. Iolaire let out a triumphant coo.

“WHOA! Did you see that?” Caden whipped around to face Valerius.

The Black Dragon King was smiling. “I did.”

He looked at Esme and Tez. “You saw that, too, right? That was so cool!”

Both Dragon Shifters smiled encouragingly at him. Tez clapped.

“So fresh, you see! Everything is new again!” Tez stated. “It makes me feel like anything is possible once more! It makes me remember the gift that being a Shifter is.”

Caden caught sight of Valerius’ face out of the corner of his eye. There was a sudden understanding expression on the Black Dragon King’s face. He felt the same as Tez, and Caden was pretty sure that he felt some of Tez’s excitement at Caden experiencing this whole new world. There was a clattering sound as the door shifted and slid down a few more steps, all but blocking their path.

“Uhm…” Caden began. “Should I try to move that?”

“You’ve had enough fun with that door for today. Let me.” Valerius leaned over and with one hand lifted the door up and handed it to Esme. “Would you put that up above us, Esme?”

“Of course,” Esme answered.

She took the door with the same ease and lightly tossed it back up onto the courtyard. It landed with a clatter. Caden couldn’t help the gasp of awe he let out.

“Okay, I’m sorry, but that was so incredibly cool!” Caden laughed.

Esme curtseyed and let out a delighted, young girl’s giggle. Thefour of them shared a look then. There was a connection here. For the first time, Caden didn’t feel completely singular. The connection he had begun to have with Valerius grew even as he felt new connections--not as strong, but still there--with Esme and Tez.

“I’m really glad to have met you,” Caden suddenly said.

“Yes, dear, I am too,” Esme told him as she nodded.

“Most certainly! If, for nothing else, to see Illarion so humiliated!” Tez slapped his thigh with childish glee.

“I second that,” Valerius murmured even as he caressed Caden’s cheek with the back of one hand.

Caden’s gaze slid to the other two Dragon Shifters to see what they thought of this open display of affection. He had started it by running to Valerius and revealing himself, not caring about his secret or anything else, but after smelling that bitter, metal fire and feeling the earth tremble… he’d have done anything to make sure Valerius was okay. A knowing, fond look was on Esme’s face. Tez just seemed fascinated as if he were watching a bear playing the ukulele.

“So are we going to see the results of hellfire?” Caden asked even as his cheeks burned.

After witnessing what was possible with the door, Caden really wanted to see the destruction. Valerius linked their nearest hands together and led them down the stairs.

“Esme, I thought only you could use magic when you weren’t in Dragon form,” Caden said over his shoulder.

“Magic?” Esme let out a laugh. “Oh, well, I suppose our powers are that. But no, every Dragon can use some of their powers in human form.”

“But which ones and how many are kept secret from everyone!” Tez explained.

“Oh? But why--oh, my God,” Caden breathed the last as they stepped through the doorway and entered the dungeon.

The floor was covered in gleaming metal. It was no longer liquid anymore, but a solid two-inch thick layer over three-quarters of the stone floor. There were unrecognizable chunks of parts of the robots that hadn’t completely turned to slag.

“All those robots… oh, man, Mei must be pissed,” Caden laughed softly.

“More upset that someone got past her precious firewall protecting her control of them,” Valerius answered.

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