Page 5 of The Dragon Shifters’ Enemy (Dragon’s Reign #7)
Behemoth
“ I don’t know if that went well at all,” Caden admitted about the interviews as he and Valerius walked arm-in-arm towards the dining room for a well-earned meal.
“You did remarkably well,” Valerius assured him, rubbing the back of Caden’s clasped hand with his thumb.
“Really?” Caden’s eyebrows rose. “I thought maybe I overdid it with the equal justice stuff.”
“How so?” Valerius asked. “I thought you presented your ideas quite admirably.”
He had done that. He’d talked at length. He’d done what he thought was right. But he was seeing now how anything he said or did was going to have consequences well beyond what he intended or even contemplated. It was making him a bit paranoid. Maybe that wasn’t quite a bad thing.
With his free hand, Caden scrubbed the back of his neck.
“Well, it's just not been a thing that you and the other Dragon Shifters have talked about openly. I didn’t want to make it seem like I was criticizing you guys. I know that what I was saying was hardly revolutionary. You all clearly have been thinking about it. Maybe you didn’t say anything about it for a reason. ”
“In a way, it was revolutionary what you just did and I’m sure the other Dragon Shifters will have something to say about it,” Valerius remarked.
Caden groaned. “I really wasn’t calling anyone out!”
“No, but even if you were, you’re allowed. You’re our equal, Caden,” Valerius said.
“Yeah, but you guys have a lot more experience under your belts about what to and not to say. And it’s not like this issue is easy .” Caden ripped at his hair.
The more he thought about it there were pitfalls around every corner. And yet, he wanted to make it a focus of the things he did. He felt deeply that things had to change. He would need people around him that had ideas about how to make that happen. Wally and Rose were just a start.
“No, they never are. But this one is well taken on. We’re partly in this mess because we’ve never discussed it openly.
All of us have recognized the problems of inequality.
We thought to just let it work out,” Valerius stated with a twist of his lips.
“Instead, it festered and people with ill intent took advantage of our silence.”
“The Faith has always explained that the Spirits are above interfering in those types of human affairs,” his mother pointed out.
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’t that cause 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 as human and 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 I wish my 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 what I call 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 just know something was up. My whiskers would quiver and my tail would lift.”
There was a moment when everyone was, 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.
Wally stroked his mustache. “Raticus likes being on top. And we are most certainly on top of the merch business!”
He thumped one pudgy fist against his other palm.
“I’m surprised the reporters didn’t ask about how your merch business is some kind of conflict of interest in being my Councillor,” Caden sighed and let his head fall back.
Valerius massaged his neck. “Oh, they will. Don’t you worry. Today was just the start of their interest in you.”
“Oh, God, that sucks,” Caden admitted.
“With great power comes great responsibility, kid,” Wally said.
“You did not just steal that line from Spiderman !” Rose poked Wally in his stomach.
“Maybe I did. Maybe I didn’t!” Wally avoided her poke.
“You totally did,” Tilly laughed.
“But it’s true! Even if it is appropriated.” Wally’s mustache quivered much like his whiskers must have back in the day. “But I’m rather surprised they didn’t either. My bad old days are rather hidden, but my current business clearly isn’t. They went after your dad.”
Wally jerked his head towards where his father and Chione were deep in discussion about some point about any conflicts he might have serving as law clerk to Justice St. John, with his father being very adamant that his role be as transparent as possible.
“The last thing I want is to undermine the court!” his father insisted.
“Justice St. John always has a plan, Grant,” Chione stated. “You know that. There’s no argument that he hasn’t encountered in his life. He knew the scrutiny you joining his staff would bring.”
“Yes,” his father sighed. “The good and the bad. My role on his staff will continue to encourage humans to seek a career in the law and for Raven Shifters to take note that they must mentor their human partners and associates appropriately. It was part of the reason I took the position.”