Page 14 of The Dragon Shifters’ Enemy (Dragon’s Reign #7)

“I am going to work with Marban and Chione,” Esme stated as she fussed with her dress. “I think between the three of us, we’ll be able to find out what the underworld knows. Maybe your friend, Landry, will be of some use in this.”

Caden’s heart lurched. “Landry… she’s with Humans First and they’re likely with the Behemoth!”

“Yes, and maybe she can tell us where they are,” Esme agreed. She gave him a sad smile. “I hope everything works out for that young woman.”

Caden could just nod. His throat felt too tight to get words out. Was Landry on their side? Would she survive? What if she was poisoned by the Behemoth too?

“Let’s go finish our dinner,” Valerius suggested. “Perhaps tomorrow we will have more ideas.”

And they had gone back into the formal dining room.

His parents, Tilly, Rose and Wally looked almost guilty and Caden wondered if they hadn’t eavesdropped through a bee or a rat, but both Rose and Wally were dressed.

As was Marban. He was looking speculatively at the ham as if wondering if he could fit the whole thing in his mouth.

While they’d still spoken of Behemoth, the Faith, Humans First and that first interview with Caden and his family, nothing concrete had been determined.

So he and Valerius had curled down in bed last night.

They hadn’t made love, just cuddled and held onto one another, but that had been perfect.

But now, Caden really wanted to feel Valerius’ lips on his and those big arms around his body.

He raced down the steps from platform to platform to the bottom, leaping off the bottom platform and landing in a superhero pose. Caden grinned. He really loved being a Shifter.

He turned towards the open balcony doors. The sunlight blinded him for a moment. He held up a hand to shield his eyes and then he saw the darker shape that was sitting cross legged on the balcony. Caden moved outside, blinking, until his eyes cleared and got used to the bright daylight.

Valerius was dressed only in a black silk robe that was loosely tied at his waist. His hands were palms up and his eyes were closed.

His long black hair blew back with the sweet wind that gushed over them.

Caden just stared at him for long moments, drinking in his beauty and this unexpected peacefulness.

“Join me,” Valerius said without opening his eyes.

Caden lowered himself down to the stone floor by Valerius and crossed his legs. The wind was cool, but the sun was hot. The combination was pleasant. He sat there quietly for a moment before starting to bop his left leg up and down.

“What are you doing?” Caden asked.

“I was restless. I did not wish to wake you.” Valerius reached over--again without opening his eyes--and stilled Caden’s leg.

“So you’re meditating?” Caden was surprised that Valerius of all people would meditate. The Black Dragon King did not seem to relish peacefulness.

A smile crossed Valerius’ lips. “ Trying to meditate may be the operative word with you speaking.”

“Oh, sorry.”

Valerius laughed. “I can already picture you all dejected even without looking.” Valerius opened his eyes and did look. “And there you are. Looking adorable.”

“I didn’t mean to disturb you,” Caden said. “I just woke up and you were gone and I missed you.”

Valerius squeezed his knee. “I have missed you, too. Part of me wanted to stay in bed just to be by your side but sleep is important for a new Shifter.”

“Being with you is more important. Especially if I can make you feel better,” Caden said. He would be exhausted if Valerius would be happy.

Valerius nodded. “But I must not be selfish. Though…”

“Though?” Caden’s eyebrows lifted in curiosity.

“Though I would like to be today,” Valerius told him.

“How so?”

The Black Dragon King sighed. “There will be many wanting our attention today from the other Dragon Shifters to our Councillors to your family. But I just want you. You alone.”

“That sounds incredible actually.” Caden’s heart beat a little harder at the thought of being alone with Valerius. “Why don’t we do it?”

“We should be planning what to do with the Behemoth.” Valerius’ lips curled at the name. “Your family will need help adjusting to the castle. Your Councillors will have reports .”

That word “reports” definitely caused a sour look to pass over the Black Dragon King’s face. Caden couldn’t help but grin.

“Well, since you have warned me of how deleterious reports are, I think I should avoid them at all costs. So want to leave the castle?” Caden asked.

Valerius blinked. “Leave the castle? Hmmm. We could go to the pond.”

Though Caden was very fond of that pond, he said, “What about a little farther? I bet that you and Raziel have some favorite places. I would love to see one of them. Iolaire would, too.”

Valerius’ lips parted. “Yes, yes, that would be good.” Then he grimaced. “But we should not. The others--”

“Do you have any ideas about how to find the Behemoth?” Caden asked him.

“Because I don’t. My head is empty of ideas.

Esme, Marban and Chione are all cooped up together working their contacts.

Illarion is probably calling home and wanting someone tortured who might give up the ghost. Mei is fixing Adama.

Kaila, Jahara and Tez are probably up to no good.

Anwar is likely resting after such a long flight.

I say we escape while we have the chance! ”

Valerius let out a rumble. “What about your family?”

“What can I do for them other than give a tour? Tilly and Rose would likely have a better time looking around themselves,” Caden said. “Mom is probably on the phone to her Faith people and Dad… Dad is likely working on something. That’s how he deals with stress. My point is--”

“Yes?” Valerius’ eyes twinkled.

“Hey, I am getting to the point, I’m just being thorough. Namely, no one needs us right this second. So let’s take off,” Caden said. “Maybe getting away will clear our heads.”

“Maybe.” Valerius stroked Caden’s hair meditatively. “Perhaps we can get away for a little while. We could fly together and then get back for lunch. I can show you a favorite spot.”

Caden immediately jumped to his feet and lifted Valerius to his. “Let’s go now? Please? Pretty please? With sugar on top?”

Valerius framed Caden’s face with his large hands. He drew his thumbs along Caden’s cheeks and then leaned in and kissed him.

“You don’t have to ask twice. Let us go,” Valerius said.

“We haven’t flown together in way too long!” Caden cried as he slipped out of his pants.

Valerius untied his robe and let it slide down his shoulders to puddle like a pool of ink on the stone floor.

“Raziel wants some sheep on the way,” Valerius said.

“Sheep?” Caden looked up and realized that Iolaire was awake and very eager for sheep. “Oh, no… hunting?”

“They are hungry and we don’t want to wait for breakfast before we go, do we?” Valerius waggled his eyebrows at him.

Caden responded with a weak smile. “Okay, sure. Who doesn’t want raw sheep in the morning? Uhm, by the way, I assume there aren't wild sheep in America so…”

“No, there are no wild sheep, Caden. We pay the farmers for their animals,” Valerius assured him. “You shift first.”

Caden still felt a touch of nervousness when he had to shift, but it would be better to go first than to have Raziel, flapping there, waiting impatiently for Iolaire.

“I would just jump off the ledge,” Valerius suggested with a tilt of his head towards the stone railing.

“Right!”

Caden went to the edge and got up onto the railing.

He then made the mistake of looking down.

There was nothing below the balcony except a sheer drop all the way down to the bottom of the mountain.

The ground was so far away that everything below them looked like it was a miniature.

He shut his eyes and wobbled there as the wind blew.

“Caden, what are you doing?” Valerius asked.

“Uhm, having an extreme fear of heights?”

“You made that sound like a question instead of a statement,” Valerius sounded amused and fond. “Would it make it better if I reminded you that even if you fell and did not transform you would be fine?”

“Oh, really? Even from this far up?” Caden cracked his eyelids open and looked towards Valerius who had joined him on the railing.

“Yes, even from here. You’d land on your feet rather like a cat. Want to try?” Valerius asked.

“NO! I mean… no, I’m good. I can do this. C’mon, Caden, do this. You want to fly with Raziel,” Caden murmured the last to himself.

“Let’s jump together,” Valerius suggested.

“No, no, you just dive after me if I don’t shift, okay?” Caden asked.

“All right, my love,” Valerius said, sounding quite convinced Caden would shift.

And the “my love” part had Caden leaping off of the railing. At first, nothing happened and he felt the parabolic arc he was about to make as he started towards the ground. Then he looked up at the sun and, in that moment, he felt his body just go .

And he was Iolaire or rather, he and Iolaire were in their Dragon form. He flapped happily and spun in a half circle to look back at Valerius, who still stood, naked and unafraid, on the railing, clapping for them.

Come on! We need to fly!

“And eat sheep!” Valerius called with a laugh. “Don’t forget that!”

Oh, damn… I hope you had!

Iolaire backed away from the tower so that Valerius and Raziel would have plenty of room.

Valerius then gracefully dove from the tower.

Caden’s heart was in his throat, even though he knew that Valerius would be fine .

It wasn’t suicide. It was flying. Valerius shifted in a moment and the massive Black Dragon flew up from below them.

Wow! I can’t get over how big you are, Raziel! Caden enthused.

Iolaire thought that Raziel’s size was quite the turn on.

Caden flushed at his Spirit’s admiration of Raziel’s wingspan.

Raziel lifted its massive head back and let out a jet of flames that lit up the sky.

Iolaire did the same except it let out a gout of ice and snow.

The helix that represented their joining was still there.

And somehow the snow and fire together made it glow more.

Caden was sure that there were people watching them from down below in Reach.

The White and Black Dragons were flying together. The mates were as one.

Come, my subservient one, Raziel rumbled with great amusement. We must get sheep!

I am not subservient! We are not subservient! Caden cried. Let’s show them, Iolaire! Let’s get the first sheep!

Iolaire took off like a shot towards a farm.

Caden only knew it was there because he could smell the faint scent of manure, which grew quite a bit more pungent as they approached.

He heard the whoosh of Raziel’s wings behind them as the much bigger Dragon followed close on their heels.

Caden was pretty sure that just simply due to the size of those wings that Raziel could outfly them, but then again, it had a lot more bulk to move than Iolaire’s sleek form.

Iolaire was already scanning the ground for one of the sweet sheep to come into view.

And, indeed, there were what looked like little white puffs of cloud against the dark green grass.

Caden felt a momentary qualm about eating one of the little creatures.

He liked to pretend his meat came wrapped in plastic.

Iolaire though was intent. They were going to get the first sheep.

And the sheep wouldn’t know it had it coming.

Iolaire was then dive bombing the white clouds.

Caden closed his eyes. He didn’t want to see it.

He felt Iolaire’s jaws open and then there was crunching, blood and…

oh, meat . Iolaire swallowed a whole sheep in one bite!

There were frantic bah-bah-bahs as the other sheep scattered, having seen their brethren taken by the sky monster.

Oh, Iolaire, no more, Caden begged.

But Iolaire had seen a scrumptious big one right in the center of the flock. So had Raziel. The two Dragons faced off. Who would get the plump sheep and who would have to settle for leftovers?

Iolaire’s eyes narrowed to slits. So did Raziel’s. Both Dragons prepared to dive. But then Raziel did something that Caden knew wasn’t usual. Valerius would confirm it afterwards. Raziel tipped its head.

Yours , Raziel said to Iolaire about the plump sheep.

Iolaire’s big blue eyes widened. Mine?

Not subservient… I serve you, Raziel said softly.

Iolaire blinked and Caden might have, too. I serve you.

We serve each other, Raziel agreed. Plump sheep yours.

The rest are yours! Iolaire cried in joy.

Caden once again closed his eyes as the plump sheep was swallowed whole. Raziel and Iolaire then had a joyous time chasing the sheep around the pasture until the poor animals were too exhausted to move. Sad that their “toys” were tired out, the two Dragons decided it was time to fly instead.

Nearly touching wingtips, the two Dragons flew through the peerless blue sky. The ground below changed from fertile farmland to forest covered hills and then finally, the Gray Mountains, which Valerius was said to have raised with a mighty call of his voice were ahead of them.

We’re going there, Valerius informed him and Caden’s attention was drawn to a valley between two of the peaks.

Raziel led Iolaire into the valley that dipped downwards.

In this valley were grass, trees, and flowers.

The whole thing reminded Caden of Rivendell in the Lord of the Rings books.

And that was when he saw the house there, built right into the rock, and the comparison to that fantasy book was complete.

Whoa! Valerius, what is this? Caden asked.

This is my home away from home, Valerius told him as Caden took in the arched windows and covered bridges that connected the structures that were carved from the mountain itself. And now… it’s yours as well.