Page 17 of The White Dragon's Dilemma

“And I’m sorry.But you’re my family and that means your lives have to change as well,” Caden told her.

His throat felt tight.He had been thinking only of himself since this thing had begun.He had not thought of his family.Not fully.

“I agree with you and Valerius, Caden, that we should stay here,” his father said.

His mother gasped and clutched at the top of her blouse.“Grant!”

His father grasped her hands in his and brought them up to his mouth.He kissed the back of both of her hands.“Ellen, we almost lost you today.You are worth more than a home, a career, or anything.”

“Grant…” His mother blinked.Tears filled her eyes and hung upon her lashes. They slowly dropped down to her lap, pattering against her skirt.“I don’t…”

“What about you, Till?”Caden asked his sister.

There were tears in his sister’s eyes too, but she quickly blinked them back and wiped the one that wouldn’t be tamed by her dark lashes.“I always wanted to live in a castle.So knock one thing off my bucket list!”

“Not to mention meeting all the Dragon Shifters.King Anwar will be here soon,” Caden told her.

She nodded, swiping away tears, making sure that they didn’t drop but a few millimeters from her eyes.“That’ll be cool. I’ll have so much to tell my friends.They’ll be so jealous.They’ll be allowed to come here and hang out, right?”

“Of course,” Caden told her, and that was undoubtedly true, but only after the Claw did background checks on them and their families and everyone related to them six ways to Sunday.But he didn’t want to upset her anymore.Tilly likely knew this anyway. She had always been smart about things.

“What will we do?”their mother asked, her voice small and lost.

“Mom, there are so many things you can do,” Caden told her.“You’re--”

“The mother of the White Dragon Shifter,” his father said.

“I was going to saysmart, but what you said is true as well.”Caden found himself blushing. His mother’s importance shouldn’t be dependent upon him.

“I… I… yes, but…” His mother blinked.

“Like everything you say is going to be uber important, Mother of Dragons,” his sister said with a twitch of her lips.

That had his mother blinking even more.“Do you suppose that I might meet with the High Sister?”

“Dear, I think she’ll be the one wanting to meet withyou,” his father said with a faint smile as well.

“What about me?”Tilly asked brightly.“I’m important too, right?I’m the one and only sister to a Dragon!”

Iolaire tossed back its head and trilled with happiness at the thought of people knowing that Tilly was its sister.

“Iolaire thinks that’s a very important role.”Caden grinned at her.“But, in all seriousness--”

“I was serious!”Tilly lifted her chin.“I’m royalty.”

Caden guffawed a little.“Okay, I guess since I am a king that you arePrincessTilly.”

“Darn straight!” Tilly did look serious then.“I won’t be able to go back to school, will I?”

Smart.She’s so damned smart.

“I don’t know,” Caden admitted.“But I don’t think so.”

“What about her education, Caden?!”His mother sounded scandalized.

“Mom, I’m pretty sure that the smartest people will be brought in to teach her,” Caden said dryly.“Private tutors with the heads of their fields.The best teachers around.”

“Chione!”Tilly cried the Sphinx Shifter’s name as if it was a prayer.“Do you think she would teach me? I would love to be Caden’s Councillor!”

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