Page 22 of The Dragon Shifters’ Enemy (Dragon’s Reign #7)

Obliteration

“ W e’ve got to get Landry!” Caden cried, his heart in his throat at the thought of her in the mountains at the mercy of Humans First and the crazed Faith.

“I’m sending you her location,” Chione said over the cell phone.

Valerius and Caden both looked down at the phone. A pin appeared on a map of the area. It looked pretty close to where they were. At least it did on the itty bitty map on Valerius’ phone.

It won’t be that far as the Dragon flies! Caden thought.

He then jumped up from the table, but groaned and curled forward. Valerius immediately was looking up at him in concern.

“I’m okay, just full stomach, moved too fast,” Caden admitted.

Valerius gave him this crooked smile that Caden loved. “Do not worry. Your stomach will soon be much bigger.”

Caden grinned back. “Yeah, totally. So where do we shift? We can’t do it here!”

“If we go there in our Dragon forms right now they will know we are coming far before we get there,” Valerius warned, not moving from the table.

“But we’ve got to get to Landry!” Caden cried.

“Yes, but not that way. They could kill her as soon as they hear us coming.” Valerius turned to Celestine. “I need you to scout this place and report back what you see.”

Celestine came over and looked at the location on the phone. She gave a brief nod. “It will be done.”

She hesitated for a moment.

“What is it?” Valerius asked.

She was suddenly bowing low. “I fear that I and my people have failed you, King Valerius! We did not catch this intrusion into your mountains despite our patrols.”

Her voice was filled with self-recrimination and regret. Valerius reached out and lightly touched her right arm.

“This is not a normal enemy we face,” Valerius told her as she slowly lifted her head at his command.

“No enemy of yours is. They would have to be mad or powerful or both,” Celestine answered, her expression still wretched.

For someone who clearly prided herself on her ability to anticipate everything, Caden imagined this was a hard blow. The thought that the Behemoth could have been as close to them as these mountains caused Caden to shiver.

It could be just over in the next valley! Right now!

“I highly doubt that there will be much out in the open to show that anyone is there,” Valerius told her. “If anyone remains there, Celestine.”

She gave a birdlike nod. “I will look for the unexpected and the unseen. We will find whatever there is to find, no matter how well hidden.”

With that, Celestine appeared to burst apart, and a beautiful falcon let out a cry as it spread its wings before them. There were answering cries all over Valinor. Celestine shot up into the sky. She was soon joined by a dozen other falcons. They wheeled overhead before disappearing over a ridge.

Valerius focused back on Chione, “Have you told the others?”

“I sent Tilly to gather the Dragon Shifters,” Chione answered. “I will tell them in person.”

“Till! She was with you?” Caden couldn’t help but be touched at Chione making time for his little sister. Then he frowned. “She wasn’t bothering you, was she?”

“Not in the least! She’s quite resourceful. She wants to learn how to be a Councillor,” Chione said, “so that when she’s old enough, she can help you.”

“She helps me now,” Caden said with warmth.

“Should I prepare the other Dragon Shifters to head to Valinor?” Chione asked. “If the Behemoth is there…”

“Have them ready, but do not have them come here yet. After Celestine and her people return, we’ll have a good idea what threat we face,” Valerius answered.

“Will do,” Chione said.

“Are you sure…” Caden began and stopped.

“What?” Valerius asked.

“You tell Illarion that the Behemoth is here, tell me he won’t shift and barrel it over here no matter what anyone says?” Caden pointed out.

And if he does, Landry could die. If she isn’t already--no! She’s not! There’s still time to save her!

Valerius nodded. “You have a point. He won’t listen about stealth or strategy.”

“Caden, you’re quite right.” Chione let out a sigh. “I will not tell them where the ping came from, but that you are on it.”

“Good. I will keep you informed,” Valerius said as he pressed End to finish the call.

Caden studied his beautiful face. There was a tightness around his eyes and mouth.

His jaw was set and his shoulders erect and back.

Valerius had feared that the Behemoth was near.

He had been right and Caden wrong. But it seemed so insane that the Behemoth would dare come when they were all gathered together!

“Sit back down. Rest your stomach,” Valerius said as he gracefully gestured to the table.

Caden gratefully sank down again in his chair.

Not that he regretted the feast. He actually found himself regretting not having room for more.

But then he thought of Landry. His stomach tied itself into even knots then and he couldn’t imagine eating anything ever again.

For a moment, when Chione had said Landry’s name, he’d forgotten about the fact that she might be a traitor.

But she wouldn’t call for help from Chione if that was the case! Caden told himself.

“You and Iolaire were right about the Behemoth,” Caden said. “It’s close.”

“We know Landry is--or was --close. We do not know if the Behemoth is,” Valerius corrected.

That was true, and yet Caden felt that wherever his good-- former good? --friend was, she was near the Behemoth.

Those last words. Wall and death? What do they mean?

Caden shivered even though he wasn’t cold.

“It will be all right, Caden,” Valerius assured him. “You will not be going anywhere near that beast.”

“But I could be of help!” Caden perked up.

Iolaire, too, rustled its wings even as Raziel attempted to calm the White Dragon Spirit with a Dragon-like purr and nuzzle.

“You are brave and--”

“I know I’m small,” Caden said with a wave of his hand. “And inexperienced at Dragon fighting,” he quickly added when he saw Valerius’ mouth open again. “But that didn’t stop me from shifting Illarion, now did it? Imagine I could do that to the Behemoth? Pretty useful, yeah?”

Valerius shut his mouth and pursed his lips. “Point taken. Although, that is assuming the Behemoth has a human form to be shifted into.”

“Or forms!” Caden pointed out. He bit his lower lip as his right leg continued to bounce. “I was thinking.”

“Yes?” Valerius lifted an eyebrow.

He looked quite serious and not as if he were simply humoring Caden, though Caden realized that humoring him would be understandable in some ways.

“What if all the Dragon Spirits each have a human form, but then when they shift, due to the Behemoth’s control over those Spirits, they all become one giant Hydra?” Caden suggested.

Valerius tapped his chin, considering this. “I suppose that could be possible.”

“I was just thinking that if you had all the Dragon Spirits inside of you, it’d be like having multiple personalities.” Caden shrugged. “Not the easiest of things to hide.”

“Or perhaps all of the Dragon Spirits--other than Behemoth--are so ensorcelled that they cannot express themselves,” Valerius suggested.

That caused Caden to shudder again. “That would be awful .” He looked over at Iolaire and Raziel. “Was that what it was like, Iolaire?”

Nightmare. Every moment was a dark dream , Iolaire stated.

A third shudder went through Caden and that had Valerius reaching over and rubbing his shoulder.

“That won’t happen to Iolaire again, Caden. Nor to any other Dragon Spirit. Raziel and I will not allow it,” Valerius said simply and Caden believed him.

The loving way that Iolaire gazed at Valerius and then Raziel told him that Iolaire believed it, too, and was grateful for the support.

“Raziel, how did the Dragons stop the Behemoth before?” Caden asked the Black Dragon Spirit.

Raziel lifted its massive head and spread its wings until it appeared like darkness personified with just its red glowing eyes. And then in that darkness, Caden could see Dragons battling in a wasteland of fog and shadows and in the center was the Hydra known as the Behemoth.

The Behemoth’s heads were each sending out a different deadly bolt towards the eight Dragons that flew around it.

Startling neon blue electricity. Brilliant purple plasma.

Scorching golden rays of the sun. Orange exploding projectiles.

The dull and deadly gray of petrification.

The scouring power of sand. And, finally, crystalline clear ice.

That last one’s you, Iolaire, isn’t it?

The White Dragon Spirit hooted softly and buried its head beneath one of Raziel’s wings. Caden peered closer and yes, he could see Iolaire’s familiar head amongst the eight others.

The biggest head--the one in the middle--had not yet released anything from its gigantic maw.

It was simply watching all of the Dragons fly around it as if it were completely unconcerned.

There was an arrogance to its slightly narrowed eyes and the burnished coppery head that had Caden’s jaw clenching.

“It’s letting all the other Dragon Spirits fight their kind!” Caden hissed.

“Yes,” Valerius agreed.

The Black Dragon King appeared transfixed by the battle. Caden guessed that he was memorizing everything they were seeing, analyzing the Behemoth’s moves so that when it came time to fight the Hydra, he would have an edge.

“I bet that there are mates for each one of the other Dragon Shifters in there,” Caden muttered.

Valerius’ eyes flickered to Caden. “You think…”

“Look at the Behemoth’s face. It is enjoying this. Pitting the Dragon Spirits against one another. Raziel and Iolaire are fighting .”

Caden pointed as a spear of ice exited Iolaire’s mouth and rocketed through the air towards Raziel. They all grimaced as it struck Raziel’s right wing. Raziel tossed its head back and roared in agony. Iolaire and Raziel nuzzled now even as the battle continued in the blackness of Raziel’s chest.