Page 22 of The Dragon Shifters' Enemy
Would never let the Behemoth hurt Caden!Iolaire was standing tall, wings outstretched, blue eyes crackling with might.
“I know, Iolaire,” Valerius stated.
Nor would I, Raziel added, rising above the White Dragon Spirit like a mountain.
But he did not know--and he didn’t think the Dragon Spirits knew either--what the Behemoth could do no matter what Iolaire wanted.Did the Hydra have access to Caden in some way?He’d said no.He believed that.And yet, his soul felt sick and wanted to shrivel away at the idea.But he could not.Danger was here.He would face it head on.
“Those moments when we weren’t able to shift, Iolaire,” Caden said suddenly, “could that have had something to do with the Behemoth? Like maybe it was in this world and so shifting was hard?Or maybe it didn’t want to shift… I don’t know!”
Iolaire hooted that it did not think so.It sensed nothing of the Behemoth in Caden.
“Those are likely just nerves, Caden, nothing more,” Valerius stated as he smoothed his hands up and down his lover’s arms.
Caden though did not look so certain.“You didn’t have such nerves!”
“I was in the middle of battle when Raziel and I joined.Hatred and rage has a way of blasting through one’s doubts,” Valerius reminded him.
“Yet we don’t really know!”Caden cried and wrapped his arms around himself.
He cupped Caden’s face.“I know.There is nothing in you of that thing, Caden.”
Caden nodded, but still appeared miserable.
Valerius firmly looked at the two Dragon Spirits as he stated, “I do not know whether it was our failure to not ask more of you and your history, or if you were hiding what you did not see as important.But we cannot allow such secrets between us.Mates and the Behemoth.These things are crucial for us to all understand, but you kept them from us.As Caden stated, we are in this together.”
The White and Black Dragon Spirits exchanged looks and then turned back to him and Caden.They both nodded.
“And it is not just the four of us either,” Valerius said.“All the Dragon Shifters must know.I will--”
Before Valerius could say more the doors to the throne room were thrown open and Esme appeared followed by the other Dragon Shifters.
“Scylla told me about--about the Behemoth.And not just Scylla,” Esme said, looking pale and uncertain in the dim light. “The Behemoth isreal. They fought it.They thought they destroyed it.”
Scylla appeared in the mirror beside Raziel and Iolaire.Scylla flapped its wings tentatively, asking to draw near and be accepted.Iolaire hooted eagerly, but Raziel kept the White Dragon Spirit well within its powerful arms but nodded for Scylla to lean in and touch foreheads with Iolaire.
“Oh!Esme, Scylla and Iolaire are so cute together!Lana wants some cuddles too!”Kaila cried.
Lana appeared in the mirror.Her turquoise scales reminded Valerius of a Bahamian sea.Unlike Scylla who had requested to be let near, Lana--like her human--simply busted its way in.Scylla lifted an eyebrow.Raziel’s eyes narrowed.But Iolaire let out barks of laughter, showering them all with snow.Lana appeared to love the snow, snaking its tongue out to taste it.Iolaire opened its mouth and caused a huge mountain of snow to appear.Lana made a very undignified squeal of delight and tossed itself into the snow.Snow flew up everywhere, coating all of the Dragons. Caden snorted.
“Aw, Caden, can’t you make snow here?”Kaila asked, her hands balled into anxious fists.“I want to do that too!”
“Dear, we have to speak about somethingimportant.Making snow angels can wait,” Esme countered.
“I do my best thinking about bad things while I make snow angels!”Kaila pouted.
“Your territory doesn’t get cold enough for snow,” Mei stated as she glided into the room.
Her Dragon Spirit, Xipil, appeared in the mirror with its delicate branch-like horns.Its golden mane moved as if there were a constant wind.Elegant and deadly, Xipil did not join Lana in the snow bank.In fact, it put one clawed toe into a nearby clump of snow.There was a hiss as the snow melted, turning to water and then almost instantly to steam.Iolaire hooted at Xipil who regarded the White Dragon Spirit out of narrowed red-gold eyes.Iolaire attempted to go over to Xipil, but Raziel put a firm arm around Iolaire’s waist to keep it where it was. But Iolaire somehow slithered out of the restraining arm and went over to Xipil anyways.
Caden glanced at Mei.Neither of them had moved.But her eyebrows were lifted as were Xipil’s.Both were not large Dragons, more like evenly matched in terms of size. But Xipil, like its human, was not trustworthy.Valerius stiffened as Iolaire delicately sniffed at Xipil’s throat.The Red Dragon Spirit’s eyes widened and magma dripped from its jaws and plopped down on the ground, glowing redly.Iolaire was not deterred.It breathed icy breath at the glowing magma that was lifted into the air and transformed.
“Whoa!”Caden breathed and leaned forward.“Did Iolaire just…”
“Create a sculpture out of Xipil’s magma with its breath?Yes, dear, Iolaire did,” Esme stated with a delighted laugh.
The sculpture looked to be an infinity symbol made of dark, glassy rock.Iolaire nosed it towards Xipil and hooted.
“A gift,” Mei whispered, blinking rapidly.“For me?Forus?”
