Page 13 of The Dragon Shifters’ Enemy (Dragon’s Reign #7)
Sheep
C aden opened his eyes. Morning light was pouring into the tower from the many windows.
He stretched out a hand for Valerius, but he found only cool, empty sheets.
The Black Dragon King was not there. Frowning, Caden attempted to ask Iolaire where he was, but the White Dragon Spirit was still fast asleep, curled into a ball with its head hidden behind its tail.
Well, you’re no use! Caden said, but softly so as not to wake the Spirit.
Caden popped up in bed and looked around.
The place where Valerius should have been--had been last night when they’d exhaustedly fallen into bed together--was neatly made.
Well, as neatly as it could be made with Caden still in the bed.
This indicated though that Valerius hadn’t just gotten up to go to the bathroom or get a glass of water.
Caden scratched his head and grimaced. His hair was sticking up in multiple directions.
He likely looked like a sleepy hedgehog.
He tried flattening it, but it refused to lay down.
So he just scruffed it with both hands so that it was sticking up all over again.
Maybe Valerius would think that he meant to look that way.
Caden slipped out of bed and quickly grabbed a pair of dark blue drawstring pants that were hanging over the back of a chair and drew them on.
He left his chest bare. Cool air caused his nipples to peak and the floor was cold beneath the soles of his feet.
The balcony doors must be open. Perhaps Valerius was out there, enjoying the morning sun and calming himself for what lay ahead.
Not that they exactly had a plan to get to the Behemoth.
He knew that Valerius was deeply disturbed by the Behemoth.
The very idea of this Hydra poisoning people’s minds and spreading vile unease throughout the Earth was an anathema to the Black Dragon King.
After Jahara had made her pronouncement about maybe the bound Dragon Spirits being their mates, there had been intense discussion if that could be true.
“Bah! That sounds like someone’s wishful thinking. Lonely, Jahara?” Illarion had scoffed. “And who would want such a mate that is bound to our enemy?”
Jahara had lifted sculpted eyebrows at him and said coolly, “Coming from the one who proclaimed Caden his mate, sight unseen, there is a good deal of transference in that thought, Illarion.”
Illarion scowled and crossed his arms over his chest. “Two Dragons in a territory are better than one! Especially if the other is subservient! Like Caden!”
Valerius pinched the top of his nose even as Caden whirled around on Illarion. Iolaire, who was still standing atop the ice wall--and who had stopped Raziel and Mephous from fighting--was glaring at Illarion too. Mephous merely glowered.
“Subservient?” Caden’s eyes narrowed. “Why you son of a--”
“Caden, we’re here to talk , remember?” Valerius had put a hand on his right shoulder.
“But Illarion--”
“Says obnoxious things to get a rise out of people,” Esme was the one to speak then.
“Not this time! I’m just speaking the truth,” Illarion said with a shrug. “You’re a little Dragon--”
“So am I.” Anwar stepped in. “And I am subservient to no one. Unlike you, Illarion. For you are at everyone’s mercy as you fear that if you do not puff yourself up that no one will notice you. You need others more than they will ever need you.”
Caden had laughed at that. Because it was so true.
“If we kill the Behemoth will those Dragon Spirits die too?” Kaila asked, looking troubled at the idea.
Iolaire was not destroyed. But freed, Raziel pointed out as it looked lovingly up at its mate.
“Why weren't the others freed then?” Mei asked. “Why did they go back to the Behemoth? Was Iolaire simply stronger than all the rest?”
“We do not know what being possessed by the Behemoth means, what it does to the other Dragon Spirits,” Valerius told them.
“They could have been so weakened that they had no choice. Iolaire’s nature could have saved it from that fate.
It seems to me that this time we do not let those poor Dragon Spirits be left alone after the fight.
We find a way to help them after we defeat the Behemoth. ”
Caden had looked at his lover with such happiness then. Valerius was always impressive because of his strength, but now he was showing more than that. He was demonstrating leadership and valor, just like his name.
“I suppose, if we must,” Illarion snorted. “We cannot let them succor our enemy, that is for sure.”
“It is a sacred duty that we help others of our kind,” Anwar answered as he straightened up, looking noble and valorous too.
“While I agree that the Behemoth must be bested and the Dragon Spirits saved,” Esme said, “we must also deal with the inequalities that have led us here. The Behemoth took advantage of what we’ve let fester.”
“People are either weak or strong! They are adaptable or not! We cannot help them be what is not in their nature.” Illarion shook his head. “You merely set up discontent for those who have earned their places versus those who have been given them because they are too inept to live.”
“Far be it from me to agree with Illarion, but I do not think lifting up the weak is the way to go.” Mei’s voice though was milder than it had been about this subject.
“Not everyone who isn’t on top is weak, Mei,” Caden said.
“You will argue that they had great obstacles to overcome. Anyone of us could tell you of obstacles, Caden.” Mei gestured to the assembled group.
“Every single woman in here rose up during a time when women were thought no more than chattel. We certainly weren’t looked at as leaders, warriors, scholars, or advisors.
And none of the men here was a noble. They were peasants’ sons who became sell swords in order to have a few coins in their pockets and wineskins filled to the brim to drink a plenty.
We were nothing and no one until we made ourselves into something more. ”
“In a way though when prejudice was in the open it was easier to attack it,” Esme pointed out. “Now, most people espouse the right things, but they don’t necessarily feel them.”
“Getting a job, a loan, an education… there are many more unseen barriers that push people back who don’t have privilege,” Jahara agreed.
“But what are we talking about here? Jobs, loans and schools?” Mei shook her head. “In the past, it was whether one would live or not. The people of this age are spoiled . They do not know what true hardship is.”
Jahara lifted her eyebrows. “The walls before could just be seen . Now they are invisible, but they are just as strong as they ever have been, Mei. We should be glad that life is not so brutal that it is kill or be killed, but with that richness and depth comes a danger of some people being left out whether it be because of their sex, race, religion, orientation… whatever it is. To single people out this way for less in life is arbitrary and ridiculous. It also breeds despair and rage.”
“In the past, at least, we could simply kill people and put their heads on spikes if they foolishly looked down upon us,” Illarion muttered. “That stopped the prejudice.”
Tez laughed. “You still do that, Illarion! And it’s not working!”
“People need to have hope,” Caden said simply and his forehead creased. He thought of Rose and Landry and all of the angry people who joined Humans First or the Faith. “I know that sounds all crunchy granola, but it's true.”
“I think it’s true as well,” Tez agreed with him with a nod. “You hold people down, they’re going to rise up.”
Caden bit his inner cheek as he tried to explain what he meant, “If you think that nothing you do will improve things, if you look around and all you see is injustice and no way to address it…” He lifted his shoulders.
“People who fall into that kind of despair feel they have nothing to lose. Why try to improve society when it doesn’t want you, doesn’t value you, doesn’t see you, even?
When it treats you like you’re nothing?”
“Is it that bad, Caden?” Kaila asked.
Jahara was watching him closely.
“Not for me. Even before all this, I had a family who supported me and I wasn’t accosted for going down the street.
I was pretty lucky even if I didn’t feel like I had many prospects,” Caden admitted.
“But for other people? For a lot of people? Yeah, I think it is like that. We want to show them they matter. Humans and Shifters. That every person is needed. That we can move forward. That we understand that change must come.”
Illarion rolled his eyes. “You sound like a bleeding heart! People have to learn if they want something they have to take it! And if they are not strong enough to do that, then their lot in life is what it is! The meek will not inherit the Earth! Nor should they. If there is a God or a Great Spirit as the Faith says then there is a reason some people are stronger than others.”
“Yeah, but maybe that reason is for them to protect others who aren’t as strong,” Caden pointed out.
Illarion looked amused in a dark way. “All right, King Caden, you can be the leader of the weak. Their protector! See how long you last that way. See how much they care about you back.”
“The oppressed are always eager oppressors, Caden.” Mei shrugged. “I wish it were not true, but if you’ve ever seen a revolution--ever seen people who finally got a taste of power--then you’d know. There are no virtuous victims.”
“That is so sad , Mei!” Kaila’s expression was scrunched. “To see the world like that. Most people just want to be happy. Shouldn’t we try to help them reach that goal?”
“While these arguments have merit, we still do not have any idea where to find the Behemoth or its bonded human,” Valerius said as he slung an arm around Caden’s shoulders. “And while I agree we must do something to improve society, until Behemoth is gone our actions will be muted in the extreme.”