Page 9 of The Dragon Shifters' Enemy
His family was walking behind them. They were all to have dinner with the other Dragon Shifters.
His mom and Rose had been talking and laughing, which Caden was grateful for, because the questions his mom had gotten during the interview had been tough and she’d been unsure of herself. Religion had always been a relatively quiet thing for his mother--absent the dancing and singing--but now she was going to be asked loads of questions about what she thought about the Faith and where it should go.
They had all been warned about this before the interviews, but somehow hearing the questions and having to put forward the answers on the spot had really driven home his mother’s new prominence in her religion.Caden wondered if she wanted such responsibility. But she was the mother of the Ninth Dragon Shifter so unless she left the Faith entirely--and wouldn’tthatcause headlines!--she was stuck with it. And now, she was touching on something that was rather crucial. How much should Shifters get into the weeds of human affairs?
But it’s not just humans!It’s Shifters versus humans and Shifters versus Shifters and humans versus humans.
“You’ve been around more Shifters now, Ellen,” Rose said gently.“You can’t still really believe that we’re some kind of enlightened beings, can you? We’re just ashumanand fallible as anyone.”
His mother’s forehead furrowed.“I don’t know. I would say--and don’t be mad--but I’ve always believed the human side of the Shifter got in the way!”
Caden snorted.“I guess that’s one way of putting it.I admit, Iolaire might have better ideas than I do, but it just doesn’t always express them. Raziel is so much more vocal.”
“Raziel used to just mutter about doing away with anyone that annoyed us, but it has been quite a bit more talkative lately in a positive tone.But still, Raziel wants to simply go to a mountain peak with Iolaire and ignore everyone.I suppose ignoring is better than roasting,” Valerius stated.
“They truly are in love?”his mother asked. “Your Dragons, that is?
“Oh, yeah,” Caden told her with an infectious grin.Even now he felt the love between the Black and White Dragons without checking in on where they were. “They are cuddled around one another, though they’re stirring a bit with hunger. But they do things like stare into each other’s eyes.Admire each other’s prowess.And Raziel has spouted some very good lines recently about moonlight and starlight captured in Iolaire’s scales.”
His mother’s own eyes widened even as her lips parted in awe.“Really?That’s so--so romantic!”
“Raziel is quite the wordsmith of love,” Valerius snorted a little as he said this.“A warrior-poet, it appears.”
“Iolaire expresses itself more in images than words.I wonder if it will get better with speaking overtime,” Caden said.
“I’m so jealous of how you guys get to talk to your Spirits and they talk back,” Rose said with a faint frown.“Though I’ve been trying to listen to mine to see if maybe I’ve just been thinking so loud that I haven’t heard it.”
“And? Have you heard anything?”his mother asked, eyes wide.
Rose actually looked a little shy.“Well… yeah.”
Caden’s eyebrows rose.“Really?What’s it saying?”
“Like Iolaire, it doesn’t really speak in words, but more images,” Rose explained almost tentatively, but then added, “There are times when I think I hear the rustle of winds through plants when there’s no wind. Or smell flowers when there are none nearby.Or feel the sun on my face when I’m in the Below and there’s no light to be had.I’ve thought in those moments that my Spirit has been trying to show me that I am connected to the world around me, not separated and apart like most people see Swarm Shifters.”
“That’s lovely, Rose.” His mother kissed Rose’s cheek.
Rose blushed and ducked her head.“I don’t know.Maybe that’s just what Iwishmy Spirit was saying. But then again, maybe I’m right!”
“You’re not alone, kid!”Wally chirruped from where he and Tilly were walking just beside them.“I’ve thought I’ve heard Old Raticus telling me a few things in my day.”
“Old Raticus?”Tilly’s eyebrows lifted.
“That’s the name of my Spirit!”Wally lifted his chin.When silence fell, he sighed and said, “Well, that’s whatIcall my Spirit since it hasn’t properly introduced itself like yours has, Caden and Valerius.”
“Fair enough.And it does fit,” Caden said with a smirk.
He was imagining a rat with the same bald pate and round body as Wally squeaking its words of wisdom.He had to bite his inner cheek to stop from laughing.
“Anyway, back in the day when I was deep in my life of crime, I would get these Sixth Sense moments where I would justknowsomething was up.My whiskers would quiver and my tail would lift.”
There was a moment wheneveryonewas, undoubtedly, imagining a lifting tail as Caden saw plenty of suppressed laughter and smiles on people’s faces.
Seemingly unaware of the amusement, Wally rolled on, “A whole shudder would go through my body from the tip of my nose to the end of my tail and I would get the hell out of there! That was Raticus telling me that things weren’t right.And I can tell you that my Spirit never got it wrong.I would hear later that the Claw had raided just that area moments after I escaped.Not to mention I avoided alliances with those who would have stabbed me in the back.Nowadays, I get those feelings when a manufacturer is trying to upcharge me too high on merch!”
“Sounds like Raticus is helpful.”Caden couldn’t help his grin.
“Do you think Raticus likes to be on the side of law and order?”his father asked Wally.
