Page 50 of The White Dragon's Dilemma

Valerius, Chione and Marban had talked at length about the risks the night before at dinner.Chione thought that it would deeply offend Anwar if they cancelled any sort of welcome because the other Dragon Shifters had gotten one.Especially sinceMeihad gotten one.

“Anwar likes a spectacle more than anyone. Considering the fact ofthat,” Chione had said as she had pointed to the helix with her fork, “he’ll be more touchy than ever.”

“As if I care,” Valerius had grunted and drunk more wine.

“I’m more worried about the people’s safety than his offense,” Caden had said carefully.“Maybe if we just explain to him--”

“He does not listen to explanations.Not at first.He merely feels the offense and blocks out everything else,” Chione answered with a sad smile.

“I want all the Dragon Shifters here to discuss a way forward, but if he has such thin skin then maybe it’s best if he doesn’t come!”Caden stated as he gripped his wine glass so hard he snapped the stem.Everyone had looked down at that.Caden flushed.“Sorry.Sorry.Just the Dragon Shifters are supposed to be the adults in the room, right?And some of them are acting like--like kids!”

Chione smiled.“There was a reason why the ancient Greeks described their gods as they did with those characteristics.I’m afraid that the nature of all beings who hold great power can become rather ridiculous if not carefully reminded of their fallibility.”

“Do not bother trying to call off the parade.People will come out to see King Anwar no matter what,” Marban said as he patted his lips.“And the Faith will use his arrival in any case if they wish to.If not to harm people along the parade route then they will set off one of their bombs in an old people’s home or by a nursery school.”

Valerius narrowed his eyes.“Meaning that we can do nothing to stop them?”

Marban sighed.“Wecan, but they will just adapt to all we do.Of course, bring out your Claw and the police and spies and observe every inch of that route.But if they wish to harm someone… they will.We are going to lose people no matter what.But if we lose our way of life… then wetrulylose.”

Caden thought of that now.Marban was right.The Faith, Humans First or whoever else wanted to harm people would.They would stop some of the attacks but not all.Somehow they had to win over as many hearts and minds as they could.That was the only way to truly stop the attacks.

And I have no idea how we are going to do that, Iolaire, Caden said to his Spirit.Maybe King Anwar will have an idea or two.I hope so.

They had swung around and were now going back up the parade route.They’d seen all of it so maybe now they both hoped they would notice some more clustering of Spirits. But no matter where they looked, it always seemed like the thickest clustering of Spirits was just ahead.And worse, as they flew over, the crowd grew more excited as did the Spirits who seemed to adore Iolaire.So many Spirits were rising up to greet them that it was getting very hard to see.There were simply too many of the bouncing balls of light.

Iolaire, this isn’t working! I’m not seeing more Spirits in one place than another!I can hardly see with all these Spirits around us!

Iolaire flapped their wings, but the powerful burst of air did nothing to the glowing globes of light.They weren’treal, or rather, they weren’t on this plane so they couldn’t be pushed away.

Panic flooded Caden.It was one thing to talk about the inevitability of people being hurt.How one couldn’t save everyone.How hearts and minds needed to be changed.How Marban’s people would get into these groups and rot them from the inside out in time.Time they simply did not have right now.He had told Valerius not to come out, but now, he was wondering if he had made the biggest mistake ever thinking that he and Iolaire could do this on their own.

We need to--

But Caden was cut off by the sound of silver horns from the entrance to Reach.Iolaire whipped their head around.The road outside of Reach had appeared deserted, which was strange on such a beautiful, sunny day when a Dragon Shifter was to arrive.Caden had simply hoped that King Anwar was late.But in that moment as Iolaire twisted them around to see a massive line of vehicles on the road.They were all black Mercedes except for the first one, which was a silver color the exact same shade as King Anwar’s Dragon, Evren, and was at the front of the line.

How did he just appear there, Iolaire?!Caden asked his Spirit in mystification until he remembered.Oh, God!Of course!He can distort light.Make himself--and others evidently--invisible.As well as weaponize it.

There was a large sunroof on King Anwar’s car and the king himself popped out of it, standing on his seat so that he could see and wave to the crowd.His short, dark brown hair was combed back.A full, but neatly trimmed beard covered his strong jaw.He wore long purple robes with a deep fuschia wrap over one shoulder.

King Anwar reached down into the cab of the vehicle and emerged with a heavy sack that he held up for all to see.He said something that had the already cheering crowd cheering louder.He dipped a hand into the sack and threw a handful of something to the people who immediately got down to pick up whatever it was.And King Anwar wasn’t the only one sending these little golden disks to the crowd.Every vehicle’s doors opened and a shower of--gold coins!Real gold coins!--dazzled the crowd.

It was at this moment that King Anwar looked directly up at them.He was smiling broadly as he spread his arms wide, spraying coins everywhere, as if to say, “See how generous and wealthy I am?You could have had all of this!You could have had me throwing everything you’ve ever wanted at you and your family and friends!”

But Caden knew in his heart that he only really wanted Valerius.His gruff, grumpy Dragon King.Irritable, short-tempered, generous, brave, wonderful Valerius.And that was when he saw the clustering of Spirits by a two-story shop just around the next bend of the road, not 100-feet from the front of King Anwar’s car.

Iolaire!There! Land there!

His directions had been unnecessary as the White Dragon Spirit had seen the same thing he had.Iolaire speared them towards the ground right outside of that building.People let out cries of alarm as they landed with a thunderous boom.People had scattered out of the way, but they were all looking at the White Dragon with shock. This was not the playful, gentle White Dragon they had come to know and love.

Iolaire immediately had them swinging around to face the front of the shop. There were plate glass windows along the front of the first floor and bow windows on the second.It was likely one of those stores where the owners lived above the premises. Caden had no idea whether the owners were innocent victims of the Humans First plot or co-conspirators in it.He would not hurt people if he could help it, but he needed to find that bomb.

Iolaire lowered their head so that they could see through the plate glass windows, but the glare kept them from seeing anything.Iolaire thrust one of their claws against the glass.It shattered so easily that Caden didn’t even feel it.There were rows upon rows of aisles filled with chips, pop, cookies and candy.It was a convenience store.When they drew in a deep breath to smell for the bomb, all they got was nostrils full of chip bags, which they snorted out.Iolaire tried to reach into the shop and feel around, but Caden knew that wouldn’t work.

Iolaire, we’re bomb-proof even in our human form, right?

The White Dragon Spirit paused in what it was doing and answered in the affirmative.

I know that this wasn’t how we planned on revealing ourselves, but now is the time,Caden told his Spirit.

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