Page 63 of The Dragon Shifters' Enemy
Caden frowned deeply. He wasn’t sure if Iolaire was truly answering him or just giving him its impression of the Behemoth.He did not press.Not now, at least.The wall and its raw emotional pain was still too present.
“How can I know if these people are good or evil?”his mother was asking the others.“How can I advise Caden to meet withanyof them when one of them or more of them could believe as those bombers did?”
“There must be some connection between these people,” his father said with a half-growl.
His father was ever practical.Caden could easily see him working with Esme to discover some faint trace of a network.A single thread that connected them all.Was there such a thing?
“Likely they work in independent cells,” Wally said.“They aren’t like a criminal organization.They’re terrorists.So what they want are true believers all over the place who act when they are told to.Not before.They need to appear normal and the last people on Earth one would expect.”
“So if anyone appears too normal, I should suspect them, Wally?”Despite the still raw worry in his mother’s voice, there was amusement there too.
“Well… that actually could work!”Caden could imagine the little Rat Shifter’s shoulders lifting.“They wouldn’t want someone who stood out.”
“But Caden will have to meet with one or more of them at some point, and they can’t all be weirdos though...”Rose said carefully. “Most of the Faith are a little different.Excluding you, Ellen!”
His mother chuckled.“Not a fan of the Faith, Rose?”
“They aren’t really a fan ofme.Swarm Shifter, remember?They think that certain Shifters mean a person is bad,” Rose reminded his mother.
His mother sighed.“Yes, some do think that.It’s an ugly side of the Faith and if I must lead, I will go after that part. Though… perhaps we should just dismantle the Faith altogether.Perhaps it is doing more harm than good, feeding these fever dreams of Spirits joining with every human being.”
“Ellen.”Caden pictured his father putting one hand over his mother’s.“There are good people in the Faith.Far more than any of these--these misguided individuals.”
Caden was surprised that his father didn’t agree with the “burn it all down” sentiment his mother was showing.His father had never liked the Faith.He tolerated her enjoyment of it.But now when his father had a chance to, at least, rid himself of it from his life, his father wasn’t encouraging that.
“People will always want to believe in something.The Spirits are… well, they stand for good things,” his father continued.“And even if the Faith could be outlawed--which it really couldn’t legally anyways--something else would spring up to take its place.Something likely unsanctioned, too, and even more radicalized.Not to mention the people who believe that blowing people up is necessary for some upcoming war will continue to believe that regardless of the Faith’s existence or not.”
His mother sighed heavily.“I know.But I don’t know if I could live with myself if I introduced Caden to someone who might hurt him.”
“We live in a world with criminals everywhere, Ellen,” Wally said solemnly.Considering he had been a criminal kingpin before hanging up his crown for that of a legit businessman, Wally would know all about that.“But we still make friends with people.We still fall in love.We still get married.We don’t lock our doors and never interact with anyone.Life is aboutrisk. Because the good people and the good moments make it all worth it.”
His mother’s voice sounded a little teary-eyed as she said, “Thank you, Wally.That was beautiful.I don’t know why this has hit me so hard.”
“Because our son is now at the center of some kind of international conspiracy?”Grant responded dryly.His mother must have poked him as he let out an “oomph” before amending, “Because your membership in the Faith was something that gave you peace and happiness.Now it doesn’t.It seems more fraught than anything else.”
“Those I’ve spoken to want me to take a leadership role.We’ve talked about the fact that I should.But I need to get my head on straight before I do that,” his mother said.“I need to make peace somehow with the fact that there are those in and outside the Faith that want to take advantage of Caden.I have to be savvy enough to help him avoid those people.He’ll trust my judgment.At least a little bit.”
Caden went a little rigid.Iolaire’s ears flickered.He thought that his father would agree and then Wally and Rose would stick up for him being more “adult” than his parents thought.But that was not how it went.
His mother continued, “Caden has shown such grace through all of this really.His good heart looks for reasons to give people second-chances and I think that inspires a whole lot of people.”
“The way he’s really come into his own so quickly has been amazing to see,” his father agreed.“Now that I can look at him a little more objectively, I can see what a remarkable job he’s doing at it.”
He could hear the smile in Rose’s voice as she said, “Caden’s a natural.I was so jaded when he and I first met.I’m still jaded, but I used to believe that there was no goodness in the world.Now I see that there issomeanyway.Caden keeps showing me it.”
“Oh, Rose, you’ll add to that goodness and it’ll follow you wherever you go,” his mother said and he imagined her reaching across the table to take Rose’s hand.
“I’m so glad I met all of you,” Rose now sounded a little teary-eyed.
Iolaire let out a purr.Caden grinned.
Time to join them, I think, Iolaire.
Iolaire hooted.
He took a deep breath and went through the foyer and living room out onto the balcony.
His mother caught sight of him first and smiled broadly.“Caden, you’re back!”
