Page 37 of The White Dragon Revealed

“If you are Valerius’ mate then you must show you are his equal!” Kaila stomped her foot.

“Uhm, how would I do that?” Caden tilted his head to the side, knowing already that Kaila got into trouble even more than he did.

“By having your time with the people! We will go now!” Kaila grabbed Caden’s right wrist and Rose’s left wrist and started to dragthem towards the front doors of Esme’s suite. “We will convince Valerius that you can do as you like!”

The moment Esme’s guards opened the door they were unable to go forward, because Illarion was standing there. He wore a tailored blue serge suit with an icy white shirt flared open at the collar. His hands were slid negligently into his pants pockets and he looked freshly showered. Illarion’s eyes narrowed as he took in Rose. They narrowed more as he took in Kaila.

“I thought I smelledfishearlier,” Illarion said to Kaila.

“And I thought I smelleddung,” Kaila answered.

“What are you doing here, Illarion?” Caden found himself asking. “I thought for sure you’d have packed your things and headed home by now.”

Rose cast a nervous glance at him. Her eyes were slightly wide as she realized who this was: Dragon King Illarion, the Green Dragon, the Poisoner. And here Caden was treating him like he was no one important.

Illarion took a moment too long to answer to show Caden’s words had affected him, but he then smoothly asked, “Why would I do that?”

“I’m not a girl, remember?” Caden’s voice was tart.

Rose’s head jerked between them. “He thought you were a girl? Why?”

“Evidently, Iolaire is too comely and graceful to be a boy,” Caden said without his gaze leaving Illarion’s face.

“You’re kidding, right?” Rose asked, her voice low as if Illarion couldn’t hear her.

“Unfortunately, no,” Caden answered her. “So why are you still here, Illarion? There’s nothing for you here. There would be nothing for you even if I were a girl by the way.”

“But we hardly know one another!” Illarion said. “You have only heard others’ opinions of me.”

“Yeah, but what I hear is universally bad,” Caden retorted. “And the first time I met you, you were flying in Valerius’ territory without permission. We had to take you down.”

Again, there was that stiffness in Illarion’s form, which told Cadenthat he was angry at Caden’s words, but pretending not to be. He finally broke that stillness by chuckling uncomfortably. Illarion’s smile was more of a rictus.

“Yes, well, I was just trying to remind Valerius that he is not above us,” Illarion said.

“Funny, as everyone else was just telling me that he is above all of you. The king of kings. The first among equals.” Caden crossed his arms over his chest.

Illarion let out a bark of laughter. “Of course, they do! They are sheep! I am not. And I do not think…” Illarion’s eyes narrowed, “I do not think you are either, Caden. So I amnotleaving. I amstayingto get to know you better.”

Illarion moved to take Caden’s arm and lead him back into Esme’s rooms. She had appeared in the threshold of the balcony doors with Tez following after her.

“Well,weare leaving,” Kaila informed Illarion, having remained silent, but fuming as Illarion had talked. “So you need to get out of the way.”

Kaila was as tall as Illarion and the two of them were practically pressed nose to nose at that moment.

Illarion’s nostrils flared. “You are in my way, Kaila. There is nothing that you could want Caden for that is more important than I do. There are nofishhere for you to speak to.”

Kaila’s nose wrinkled as if Illarion smelled bad. “I think Caden would better like to speak to fish than toyou.”

Rose tugged his hand. “Maybe we should get out of here while the getting’s good.”

Kaila and Illarion had started to circle one another. For a moment, Caden imagined the Green Dragon and the Turquoise Dragon in their places. Wings would be flapping angrily. Massive mouths open to expose teeth. Poisonous smoke billowing from Illarion’s jaws. The power of the sea reflected in Kaila’s eyes.

“You might have the right idea,” Caden said as he took a step back towards the open doors.

“I thought you would want to step in and bring peace,” Roseremarked as they both turned and hustled out the door, leaving Tez and Esme actually urging Kaila and Illarion to fight.

“Uhm, no, no, not really. I figure the more times that Illarion is trounced, the better things are in the world,” Caden admitted as they hustled down the hallway.

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