Page 23 of The White Dragon's Dilemma

She studied him for long, silent moments before finally asking, “Solutions?”

“As to how to stop them,” Caden qualified.

“I do not think they can be stopped, Caden,” she answered.

Dismay filled him.If someone as smart and forward thinking as Jahara saw no way forward who could? He burst out, “What?No, that--”

“I did not mean I did not have a solution,” she interrupted gently.“I merely have no way ofstoppingpeople from believing something they wish to. The solution I do have is controversial and some will never agree with it.But I do not need everyone to agree.”

Caden frowned.“What is it?”

“It is actually aboutterritory.You did not want your own territory because you felt you would be standing on your own,” Jahara stated and he nodded.“The way things are now is that the Dragons are spread out.The Shifters are everywhere too.They are thelesseramount compared to humans so danger is greater.If we were to be inoneterritory, we could ensure far greater safety for everyone.”

Caden nearly gasped.This wasn’t anything he had expected to hear.How many times had he heard the old adage that Dragons were incredibly territorial?He’d seen Valerius’ growing annoyance with every incoming Dragon himself!

“Are you suggesting that everyone come to--”

“To my territory?To Africa?”She took in a breath as if she could not quite believe she was offering it either before finally answering, “Yes, that is exactly what I’m suggesting."

POINTS OF VIEW

“We must infiltrate the Faith,” Marban said as he paced from one end of Valerius’ main room to the other. “That is the best way to tackle this!The Faithful have no single nation, no standing army, nothing but a belief.”

Valerius sat at the head of his table and watched as Marban paced, paced, paced.The Swarm Shifter, once more, reminded the Black Dragon King of a monk in his robes, especially with the facade of the kindly, wise and religious grandfather persona securely in place. That was until he heard the cold and calculating tone in Marban’s voice, which blew that illusion away.

From where she stood, warming her hands over the fire pit, Esme lifted her eyebrows at Marban’s directness, but Valerius saw approval in her expression as well.This was the first time that his “new” Councillor had met with others officially.

“But not all of the Faithful are contaminated with this desire to kill others in order to bring more Shifters into the world,” Chione pointed out. She was perched on one of the sofas, tablet in hand, faint frown on her lips.Her stunning yellow-gold wrap dress sparkled in the firelight.“How will we find the right ones?Those captured today indicated that not all involved in this plot… belief… cause, whatever it is, even wear white robes or profess to be of the Faith.I am guessing that those people will be the ones in charge.”

“But some of the Faithfulareinfected and that is the best place to start. The only place really.”Mei sipped her wine on the opposite couch.“At least we will have a haystack to look for our needles.”

“Yet what kind of beliefs would our mole have to espouse exactly?”Chione asked.

“We have those two from the bombings today,” Marban said, his voice dipping into the arctic zone, before smiling brightly and adding, “If the Claw are having any difficulty getting them to talk, my people are always available, Valerius.”

“Getting them to talk is not the problem,” Chione answered, that frown deepening.“They wax poetic about their ideals, but I just can’t believe… It is so bizarre that they are willing to kill for this belief. It cannot have been around longer than 30 years, probably far less than that.And they have no proof it will work--”

“Hadno proof, you mean, dear.Caden is that proof,” Esme corrected her.

“Iolaire and Caden would have joined no matter what.We all know this.”Chione put a hand to her chest.“Our Spirits are meant for us.That Iolaire chose that moment was only because it was needed.”

“That almost proves their point more.”Esme pinched the top of her nose.

“Indeed! And can we really blame them for valuing the Spirits over humans?”Mei scoffed and shook her head.“Hardly surprising.I’m shocked at your innocent heart in this, Chione.I would have thought that would have been burned out of you long ago.”

Valerius knew she was upset over not discovering how her mechanical men were hacked.Caden had intimated to him that it was Illarion and not the Faith behind that.But he had not yet passed that information onto Mei.He did not need to see yet more of his castle turned to slag as the Red and Green Dragons squared off. But her mood was poor as she still could not figure out how it was done, let alone who had done it.

“I am aware of the power of belief.But it still shocks me even to this day,” Chione said and adjusted the shoulders of her dress.

“But you have used religion to control populaces before, haven’t you? Back in the day of the pharaohs and beyond?”Mei shook her head more violently.“Perhaps serving Valerius has made you soft.”

Chione’s delicate eyebrows rose.“Really?Do you think so? Simply expressing doubts and sadness over blind belief issoftness?”

“Prove to me otherwise.”Mei narrowed her eyes.“Do what Marban says.Send in people to infiltrate the Faith and then ruthlessly destroy anyone who espouses those poisonous beliefs that destabilize our world. If not, I say you are soft!”

“Chione is my Councillor, Mei,” Valerius said.His voice calm and cool, but it still had the Red Dragon Queen’s gaze flickering over to him to see how angry her words had made him.“She does what I want.So if you are doubting Chione’s ruthlessness then you are doubtingmine.Are you doubting me, Mei?”

Mei quickly looked away.“No, of course not, Valerius.I’m just–”

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