Page 29 of The White Dragon Revealed

Love…

Raziel started to snore.

Are you in love with Iolaire?Valerius asked the sleeping Spirit.Did you just tell me that Iolaire is your mate and then start snoring?

Raziel continued to snore.

“You want to make the world a better place for Caden.” Kaila’s sad smile remained. He was about to shout at her that this wasn’t the case when she added, “That’s very commendable. I wish my heart was so full that I wanted to try and change the world… well, you get my point.”

“We guide the world, Kaila. I think we’re quite capable of moving things, if just a little,” Esme said almost coldly.

She had reason to believe she could guide things. She’d guided many kingdoms for a long time. She’d madehistorywhat it was some would say.

“Oh, Esme, dearest, I didn’t mean to say that we--or maybeyou--couldn’t change this, but some things are inevitable no matter how much we nibble around the edges!” Kaila hovered over behind the Blue Dragon Shifter and put her hands on Esme’s shoulders. “Because, in the end, controlling this is like trying to control the ocean itself. You can make waves here and smooth seas there, but in the end… the water flows as it will.”

Valerius understood her position. In his most dour, people-doubting moments, he and Raziel wanted to just fly up to the tallest mountain peaks and never come down. People were awful. People were often monstrous. People often deserved to die. But, then again, there were so many who were wonderful and angelic and deserved a life worth living. Maybe he did view things differently with Caden here. Maybe she wasn’t altogether wrong about that.

“Caden has had an effect on me,” Valerius finally said. He reached up and drew his fingers through Caden’s curls. Caden immediatelyturned and smiled at him. “He’s made me realize that we need to not have a world where nihilism reigns. I do want a world that he will love and continue to love.”

Caden kissed his cheek. “Just knowing you want to try is huge.”

Valerius kissed his temple. Tez’s chin was resting in his hands as he gazed at them.

“You make me believe in true love again,” Tez sighed. “To think that we all came here to court Caden!”

“Speak for yourself. I came for friendship.” Esme put a hand on her chest. “I knew Valerius would never let Iolaire go when it appeared in his territory first.”

Caden stared at her. “You really thought that?”

“Oh yes, from the moment he complained about you, I knew what the end result would be,” Esme said.

“So then I don’t have to worry about you all courting me? I mean, it’s clear that Illarion is out,” Caden said.

“Oh, but courting you would be fun!” Kaila protested. Before Valerius could growl anything, she added, “But I like girls like Illarion likes girls so it would be like courting you as afriend. A very good friend.”

Caden frowned, but then his expression cleared. “You have my friendship, Kaila. But I would like to get to know you one on one. I’d like to get to know all of you that way. And together.”

“Yes, we must do that.” Tez rubbed his hands together as if he couldn’t wait to get started.

A faint alarm bloomed in Valerius’ chest, but he immediately squashed it. Because he knew that Caden wanted to be with him. And the young Shifter should take advantage of befriending the other Dragon Shifters while they were here. Now. Because he wasn’t going to let Caden go to any other territory any time soon. And he would never let Caden go by himself.

“So I would like to have some time with you now, Caden. Can we do something now?” Kaila pleaded.

At that moment, there was a buzz and Caden fumbled in hispockets to get his phone. “Sorry, guys, but this is a special phone so I need to answer. It has to be important.”

Valerius leaned towards Caden as he brought out the phone, wondering what disaster had befallen his territory now. He saw that it was Rose calling. He thought of Rose as a moderating influence on Caden’s innocence. She had been through the hard knocks of life. She knew the world could be cruel. So he wasn’t worried just by seeing her name on the screen.

Caden answered the phone, “Hey, Rose, what’s up?”

When he saw all of the Dragon Shifters staring at him, he shifted a little. Then Esme turned her head, pretending not to listen, as she studied the city down below. Tez found the remnants of his omelet fascinating. Kaila was already genuinely bored and looking for something to do.

Valerius’ hearing though was locked on Rose’s tone, which washigherthan usual, “Hey, Caden, uhm… slight problem.”

“What? What’s wrong? Something up at Wally’s?” Caden lowered his voice as he asked, “Did he get buried in an avalanche of plushies again?”

“What?” Rose laughed. “No, no, Wally’sfine. But… uhm, I did something stupid.”

Caden sat up straight. “Are you okay? Do you need help?”

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