Page 46 of The White Dragon Revealed

“You are very lucky, Kaila.” Valerius put his arm around Caden’s shoulders and rubbed them. “Are you all right, Caden?”

“You mean besides the fact that there are thousands of people here waiting to see me? Or that Marban is running the show? Or that I have my usual performance anxiety?” The panic bubbled in his belly again. Always, he feared not being able to shift on command no matter how many times he’d done it, which, in all honesty, wasn’t that many.

Iolaire chirruped at him. It was saying everything would be fine

So long as you are in charge, Iolaire, then it will. Just don’t let me get carried away,Caden said.

Iolaire lifted its chin proudly while at the same time assuring Caden that he was wonderful too.

Valerius squeezed him and leaned down to whisper in his ear, “Remember the moonlight and thepiercing.”

Caden let out a bark of laughter that was loud enough that people in the noisy crowd just beyond the stall’s hanging carpets that separated them heard him. Caden slammed a hand on his own mouth to silence himself. He then glared at Valerius for making him laugh that loud and hard. Valerius smirked, completely unrepentant.

“Oh! Oh! I think something is happening! Yes, yes, I think it’s time!” Kaila jumped up and down on her hoverboard.

There was a crackle and a thumping noise as Marban checked his microphone. “Hello, everyone!”

The crowd roared a hello back.

“Thank you so much for joining us today.” Marban gave that monk’s smile of benevolence. “We have something very exciting planned for you. The White Dragon Shifter has requested to make an appearance in the Below today!”

There were cries of joy. Caden, though, wasnotjoyful. All of this “we” business without mentioning Rose at all! She was just standing there quietly, head down, while Marban took all of the credit. It had nothing to do with him at all. Not to mention, Marban was acting as if Caden had to gethispermission to appear anywhere in Valerius’ city! One glance at Valerius’ deepening scowl told Caden that the Black Dragon King was not pleased.

“I’m going out there,” Caden said as he prepared to slip through the crowd and into the roped off walkway.

“But he hasn’t announced you yet,” Kaila pointed out, though she looked as dubious about Marban’s speech as the rest of them.

“No, he hasn’t. But this isn’t about him. And it’s about time he got that message,” Caden said with a tight smile.

Valerius cupped his face. There was a look of pride as he gazed down at Caden. “Your father fears you don’t have the necessary strength to stand up for yourself and others against the most powerful Shifters.”

Caden lifted his chin much like Iolaire had earlier. “He’s wrong about that.”

“I know.” Valerius then kissed him. “I cannot wait to see what you do next.”

Dazed and yet strengthened by the kiss. Caden staggered out from behind the stall and onto the walkway. He could do this. He would do this. Valerius and Kaila were going to watch from behind the stall. This was his and Rose’s show. There would be no one and nothing else to take away from that.

And Caden felt confident.

Even as the too long cloak almost had him tripping and falling on his face. Even as he began to sweat in it. But he couldn’t take it off or hoist it up or even adjust the hood so he could see better. He was going to shift while wearing the robe so as to keep his identity a secret for a little while longer. Not to mention that he wasn’t going to give Marban that scoop, too. But also, they needed to plan things out for his family. So the cloak and hood stayed on.

But the moment that people started to notice him, the cloak and hood felt completely insufficient. They were going to see him! They were going to know! And what if he couldn’t shift?

He heard Marban droning on, but no one was paying attention. Rose’s head shot up and she was looking at Caden’s ungainly walk towards her. A smile twitched on her lips. The crowd’s growing verbal excitement had even Marban stopping speaking as he realized no one cared what he had to say.

Awed chants of “Iolaire! Iolaire!” filled the Below. His Spirit’s name echoed all around them. Caden suddenly smiled. All doubt fell away. He strode forward confidently and instead of waiting until he was fully in the circle, Caden shifted.

There were screams of delight and amazement as the White Dragon appeared and the cloak and hood were shredded. Iolaire gracefully kept their wings and tail away from the crowd as they moved into the circle and went directly for Rose. They lowered their head and let out a puff of frost. This was all Iolaire’s idea. The frost caused what looked to be a crown to appear over Rose’s head. There were gasps. Rose reached up and grasped their head with no fear and kissed their nose.

Caden grinned.We’ve got this!

MIS-JUDGMENT

Valerius tugged his hood up as he stepped out from behind the stall and into the crowd to watch Caden, Iolaire and Rose’s triumph. Kaila followed after him. She was huffing and fussing with the matching hood and cloak she wore and mourning her hoverboard. He’d made her leave it behind.

“This cloak smells musty!” she hissed.

“It’s leather. It’s meant to smell that way,” Valerius said, nettled despite his happiness that things seemed to be going well for Caden and the others. “You did not have to wear one. In fact, I believe I told you that two tall hooded figures--”

---