Page 4

EVERYTHING CHANGES

Later…

C aden put his hands to his face and covered his mouth with them. He had so much to say that he feared it would just spill out of him, but he had to be logical and adult about this so that his parents and his sister would hear what he had to say rather than hear only how he said it.

The three of them were sitting on a couch in the southern tower suite like three birds on a line. It had seven bedrooms and was five stories. More than enough room for his family, though they didn’t know that this was their permanent home. Not yet. And he supposed that they could decide not to live here. He had to convince them otherwise.

Caden though was keenly aware that from the balcony behind him he could see the pond where he and Valerius had made love. He quickly pushed that from his mind. The last thing he needed to be thinking of was the Black Dragon King’s incredibly beautiful body when he was trying to talk about something serious.

“These are very nice rooms, Caden,” his mother said with a sweet smile.

She seemed to have recovered from what had happened that afternoon. His father though did not. His father was seated between his mother and sister, holding onto their hands as if he feared they would be snatched from him. Though he absolutely hated to see his father afraid, Caden knew that might make giving up some of their freedom a little easier.

“I’m glad that you think so. Do you like your room, Tilly?” Caden asked his sister.

Tilly--reflecting the tenseness of their parents--immediately brightened and said, “Yeah! It’s so cool! I have this four-poster bed with purple hangings! And my own bathroom with a tub you can swim in and a shower so big you could have a party!”

Purple hangings and a great bathroom are enough to pull her out of a funk, Caden thought with amusement.

Iolaire twittered in agreement. It loved Tilly and her brightness, especially when things were so gloomy.

“And it’s on its own floor too.” Caden grinned at his sister.

“Totally! I can…” She cast a glance at her parents and quickly amended whatever she had been thinking of saying to, “Play my music like so loud and no one can hear!”

“Well, it’s only for a few days, honey. Don’t get too used to that,” their mother said.

“Oh, Mom--”

“Actually,” Caden interrupted Tilly’s oncoming diatribe against their mother. His single word had them all going silent. The knowledge of what he was going to say next hung in his mother’s eyes. His sister appeared wide-eyed. He covered his hands with his mouth again. “Actually, I was thinking that maybe… that this should be permanent.”

“But, Caden, we have a house, a home, my garden, your rooms…” His mother’s voice petered off as no one else objected.

Tilly bit her lower lip and swung her feet back and forth. She was fighting with herself very hard not to say anything. Tilly and their mother’s fights were legendary, especially when Tilly thought their mother wasn’t being “rational”.

His mother cleared her throat and said, “I know that today was scary. Hard and scary. And we’ve been all out of sorts since all of the changes that have occurred, but things will get back to normal.”

“What’s normal?” Tilly asked, losing her fight with herself over saying nothing, evidently. “Caden being a Dragon Shifter? The Faith planting bombs--”

“Tilly, that wasn’t the Faith! That was just some individuals with messed up ideas. Not the religion as a whole!” Their mother disputed, but with so little heat that Caden wondered if she even believed it any longer or was just mouthing platitudes. “And we don’t even know if they were the ones that planted all of the bombs--”

“Like the one that almost killed Caden?” Tilly’s voice went shrill and high spots of color appeared on her cheeks. “Caden, did they do it?”

“Yeah, I think so.” Caden scrubbed a hand over the back of his head. He was actually sure of it, not just because of what the two members of the Faith had said after the botched bombing, but Serai’s confession before she killed herself. He didn’t want to tell them about her, but he would do so if he had to in order to convince them that staying in High Reach was safest. The only bombing he wasn’t so sure about was the one at the Humans First meeting, though it would have been amusing to have those bigots become the Shifters they so hated. But the Faithful cherished the Spirits. A Humans First meeting would be the last place people like that would be. But he just said, “They want to make more Shifters to stop us from losing the war that’s coming.”

“War with who?” His mother lifted her hands in the air.

“Humans,” Caden said.

“There’s not going to be a war with humans, Caden!” His mother looked between his father and his sister.

Tilly rolled her eyes and swung her legs harder. She might be acting a little like a brat, but that was only because they’d nearly lost their mom today and that had shaken her down to her bones. She was using anger to hide her fear.

“I don’t know whether there will be or won’t be,” Caden answered her. “But that’s what the Faith…” Seeing his mother’s warning look, he quickly amended, “That’s what certain people in the Faith think and they’re preparing for that.”

“By setting bombs?” His mother let out a sharp laugh as if she had never heard something so absurd in her life. She confirmed as much when she added, “That’s ridiculous!”

“Why is it ridiculous?” Tilly’s lower lip was quivering now. “Caden became the Ninth Dragon Shifter because of what they did. Sounds like they have the right idea.”

“That’s monstrous though! The Faith is not about that--”

“You said it wasn’t everybody in the Faith,” Tilly reminded her. His sister’s arms crossed tightly over her chest. “So maybe the whole Faith isn’t about that, but some of the Faithful are.”

“But--but it's just absurd!” Their mother shook her head as if she couldn’t quite believe it, but did accept it was the truth.

“So, here’s the thing, as crazy as it sounds to us--as crazy as it is --Valerius and I think it would be safer for you guys to stay at High Reach from now on,” Caden finally got out.

Valerius had offered to be with him to make this offer. But Caden had said he should do it alone first. Valerius could come in later. Although maybe Chione would be a better seller of the delights of High Reach than either of them. And maybe he should throw in Rose and Esme too. But he had to be the one to broach this first.

“If we move in here the media will get wind of it and your identity will be revealed,” his mother said in a reasonable tone.

“You’re right. It would be, but considering I intend to reveal who I am anyways it does not matter,” he explained.

Tilly’s head shot up and her mouth opened in an “O” of surprise. He wondered if his sister was happy about that. It would give her some bragging rights. Not to mention plenty of Dragon rides. Iolaire hooted in agreement. She would have had her Dragon rides no matter what.

But it also would separate her from her friends, from everyone. Forever, she would be known as the sister of the Ninth Dragon Shifter. The other Dragons were so old that if they still had living heirs no one knew of them any longer. His family would be the first in history to be connected to a Dragon Shifter. They would be breaking new ground with every breath they took and moves they made and words they spoke.

“Caden, if you do that…” His mother paused and swallowed before continuing in a low, rushed voice, “if you do that there is no going back. There is no being anonymous. You will not be able to have a normal life.”

It was Caden’s turn to swallow. “I know, but the truth is that the moment I became the Ninth Dragon Shifter any chance of a normal life was over. People took risks to give me even a few days of normality and I…” Caden rubbed his hands over his face again. “I am actually ashamed that I let them do that at all. I put people in danger. I allowed evil people to try and use my desire for a normal life against my friends. Landry...”

“She’s getting out, by the way.” His father’s head had been lowered the whole time, not looking at Caden or anyone, but lost in thought. He lifted it now. “Justice St. John let me know.”

“That’s right!” Tilly beamed. “Since the Faith--I mean the bad members of the Faith or--or whatever did the bombings then Landry isn’t going to prison!”

Caden let out a breath he hadn’t known he had been holding. “Thank God, but I thought that she would still be in there for the smoke bombs and whatever else Jasper roped her into.”

His father shook his head. “The only charges they’ve filed are in regard to the smoke bombs. Those aren’t serious.”

“Smoke bombs. Thank God,” he repeated again.

A lightness filled him. Landry was free! She wasn’t going to stay in prison her whole life! He couldn’t wait to talk to her. He’d reach out to her first thing tomorrow and invite her up to High Reach. They had so much to catch up on.

Momentarily, he felt bad about taking her away from Wally. He had left the man with no one to help him but Rose and Marban. But maybe Wally would close the Emporium now. As crazy as that sounded to have Wally existing without his Emporium, Caden would need Wally by his side now that he had decided to fully be the Ninth Dragon Shifter.

“Yes, it’s a good thing, but she revealed your identity to Jasper Hawes, Caden, and her brothers are still very much in Humans First,” his father reminded him.

“Yeah, but Landry isn’t her brothers,” Caden said firmly. “She knows what Humans First is selling is garbage anyways. She’s proved her loyalty to me already.”

“Family has power. She would be going against the hold that has on her just for your friendship,” his father said.

He looked at his father then. His father appeared exhausted, drained and almost defeated. As if the idealistic power of the law that had been kindled in his breast again had been snuffed out.

“Dad, what do you think about living here?” Caden asked.

“Grant is not going to give up our home, Caden!” His mother shook her head in disbelief. “Because it wouldn’t just stop at that. If us being here is the only way we’re safe then how will your father practice law at the firm? Or Tilly go to school? Or me practice with the Faith and do all the charity work that I do? We’d have to give up our lives!”

Caden winced. “I know, Mom.”

She gaped again at him. “I just don’t see--”

“And I’m sorry. But you’re my family and that means your lives have to change as well,” Caden told her.

His throat felt tight. He had been thinking only of himself since this thing had begun. He had not thought of his family. Not fully.

“I agree with you and Valerius, Caden, that we should stay here,” his father said.

His mother gasped and clutched at the top of her blouse. “Grant!”

His father grasped her hands in his and brought them up to his mouth. He kissed the back of both of her hands. “Ellen, we almost lost you today. You are worth more than a home, a career, or anything.”

“Grant…” His mother blinked. Tears filled her eyes and hung upon her lashes. They slowly dropped down to her lap, pattering against her skirt. “I don’t…”

“What about you, Till?” Caden asked his sister.

There were tears in his sister’s eyes too, but she quickly blinked them back and wiped the one that wouldn’t be tamed by her dark lashes. “I always wanted to live in a castle. So knock one thing off my bucket list!”

“Not to mention meeting all the Dragon Shifters. King Anwar will be here soon,” Caden told her.

She nodded, swiping away tears, making sure that they didn’t drop but a few millimeters from her eyes. “That’ll be cool. I’ll have so much to tell my friends. They’ll be so jealous. They’ll be allowed to come here and hang out, right?”

“Of course,” Caden told her, and that was undoubtedly true, but only after the Claw did background checks on them and their families and everyone related to them six ways to Sunday. But he didn’t want to upset her anymore. Tilly likely knew this anyway. She had always been smart about things.

“What will we do?” their mother asked, her voice small and lost.

“Mom, there are so many things you can do,” Caden told her. “You’re--”

“The mother of the White Dragon Shifter,” his father said.

“I was going to say smart , but what you said is true as well.” Caden found himself blushing. His mother’s importance shouldn’t be dependent upon him.

“I… I… yes, but…” His mother blinked.

“Like everything you say is going to be uber important, Mother of Dragons,” his sister said with a twitch of her lips.

That had his mother blinking even more. “Do you suppose that I might meet with the High Sister?”

“Dear, I think she’ll be the one wanting to meet with you ,” his father said with a faint smile as well.

“What about me?” Tilly asked brightly. “I’m important too, right? I’m the one and only sister to a Dragon!”

Iolaire tossed back its head and trilled with happiness at the thought of people knowing that Tilly was its sister.

“Iolaire thinks that’s a very important role.” Caden grinned at her. “But, in all seriousness--”

“I was serious!” Tilly lifted her chin. “I’m royalty.”

Caden guffawed a little. “Okay, I guess since I am a king that you are Princess Tilly.”

“Darn straight!” Tilly did look serious then. “I won’t be able to go back to school, will I?”

Smart. She’s so damned smart.

“I don’t know,” Caden admitted. “But I don’t think so.”

“What about her education, Caden?!” His mother sounded scandalized.

“Mom, I’m pretty sure that the smartest people will be brought in to teach her,” Caden said dryly. “Private tutors with the heads of their fields. The best teachers around.”

“Chione!” Tilly cried the Sphinx Shifter’s name as if it was a prayer. “Do you think she would teach me? I would love to be Caden’s Councillor!”

Caden blinked. For a moment, he imagined Tilly older, walking beside him with a tablet just like Chione did with Valerius. She would have the cool composure that Chione possessed. She would handle politicians and powerful people of all stripes with a dry, but polite disdain. She would be utterly loyal to him. He blinked and the image disappeared, but when he looked at Tilly head on, he could see a shadow of it.

“Yeah,” Caden said slowly. “I’m sure she would.”

In fact, he would ask Chione himself. Wally and Rose were already his advisors, but Tilly would have a very important role.

Tilly’s smile faltered for a moment and she put a hand to her chest as she said with a little awe, “You mean that, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I do, Till. I’m going to need you. I’m going to need all of you,” he added as his gaze took in all of his family sitting before him.

“We will be there for you, Caden,” his father assured him, and that assurance was welcome this time instead of suffocating.

Now that he was really going to put himself out there as the Ninth Dragon Shifter, the full weight of that responsibility fell upon his shoulders. He would need as many people in his corner as possible. And his father was no longer fighting another battle for himself, but was now fighting fully for Caden.

“And what about you, Dad? Going to take that job clerking for Justice St. John?” Caden lifted an eyebrow at his father. “You looked really chummy together earlier today.”

“Grant?” His mother’s voice rose in shock.

His father squeezed her hands. “I was going to tell you after the Faith event, but…” His father’s lips twisted. “But things got in the way.”

“Yes, things.” His mother nodded sadly. “I just can’t believe that people I knew-- thought I knew--could do something so awful.”

“They’re zealots, Mom.” Caden frowned deeply. “It’s not logical. And I think that certain people can hide parts of themselves when you’re not looking for that kind of crazy.”

His mother nodded again. She looked up at his father. “Will you take the job clerking for the Chief Justice?”

His father gave her a wan smile, “Do you think I would turn away from helping decide the most important legal questions of the day?”

She gave him a smile. “No, of course not.”

“Besides, I don’t think it would be proper for me to be representing people any longer since my son will have a role in ruling this world,” his father said with a long breath. “Working for the Supreme Court will have a purity that I have longed for in any case.”

“And it will be safe. The Supreme Court is as safe as High Reach. Maybe safer,” Caden said and felt a welling of relief at that.

“Everything is going to change, isn’t it?” His mother asked.

“Yeah,” Caden said.

“But not for the worse,” Tilly pointed out and gestured around them. “Have you checked out all the incredibly cool tech? Not to mention that the staff comes in and like brings you anything you want including frozen Cokes and Pixie Stix--”

“You’ve already asked the staff for things?” Their mother’s eyebrows rose perilously into her hairline.

“Uhm… maybe?” His sister’s shoulders lifted up.

“Hmmm, Tilly, we must not take advantage of them. They have more important work to do than fetch you things,” their mother cautioned.

“But they didn’t seem to mind!” Tilly protested. “They even asked me what kind of mattress and pillows I’d like! There were so many choices. Hard. Soft. Medium. Down. Down alternative.”

“Tilly!” Their mother scolded.

“So I shouldn’t mention that you were smelling over two dozen different kinds of bath soap and other toiletries for the one that you liked best?” Their father mentioned teasingly.

His mother flushed. “Oh, well that was because they asked! I didn’t--”

“And I didn’t either, Mom!” Tilly crowed. “They seemed to really care about what I wanted so I told them. They even have a list of my favorite foods.”

“How are we going to pay Valerius for all of this? Even with my new salary, I am certain that it won’t cover all of this,” his father said.

That was a good question and, yet Caden was sure that he already had the answer. “I don’t think Valerius will want you to pay for anything.”

“We can’t accept charity, Caden!” His mother protested.

Caden met his father’s eyes. “While I might not have my own territory, I do have territory. This is my home.”

His father lifted an eyebrow, and then after a moment, he smiled and nodded. “I see.”

There was a soft knock on the doors to the tower suite. Caden could hear the Claw guards speaking to someone. There was a pause and then the sound of booted feet came towards them. Caden looked up to see Captain Ngoye standing there. Though she was far above guard door duty, she had assigned herself to his family’s tower suite.

“King Caden,” she said and that had his family freezing. Caden hid his own surprise at his title

“Yes, Captain?” Caden asked.

“A member of Queen Jahara’s Matriarchs is at the door. It seems that the Queen has requested a meeting with you. What shall I say?” Captain Ngoye asked.

Caden considered this request. He had no reason to deny it. In fact, he should get to know his fellow Dragon Shifters as well as he could and seek more allies among them.

“Tell her,” Caden said, “that I would be pleased to meet with Queen Jahara.”