Page 12 of The White Dragon's Dilemma

Illarion’s eyes narrowed more.“I can assure you that if I wished, I could melt the flesh from your bones right now with--”

“Guys, not everything is a fight,” Caden interrupted gently.

“Oh, anything can be made into one.” Tez smiled winsomely.

Caden shook his head.He wasn’t angry, but he said firmly, “Some aren’t worth it.”

“I’m just teasing the Green Meanie,” Tez pouted.

“Yeah, I know.”Caden shook his head as if Tez were a big child, which he sometimes was.“And, Illarion?”

The Green Dragon King lifted an eyebrow.

“You’re big.You’re bad.Everybody knows it.Happy?”Caden asked.

Illarion pursed his lips and then laughed.“Perhaps!Happiness is overrated.But I am content that the truth is known.”

Tez rolled his eyes.“Stroking his ego won’t help, Caden!He is a bottomless pit of insecurity, because he knows that Valerius could wipe the floor with him.”

Valerius grinned but hid it by stroking his beard.Illarion growled, bared his teeth, and went over to the railing, pouting. Caden turned back to Valerius.

“Tez is right,” Caden whispered. “But, hey, you aren’t insecure.”

Valerius kissed him.

Esme smiled at Caden.“I’m curious what all of your and Iolaire’s gifts are.”

“Yeah, gifts.I guess I have those?”Caden smiled uncertainly.It was more of a question than a statement.

He is still unsure of himself, Raziel, Valerius said.

Raziel, who was resting its chin on its front legs, let out a breath of smoke, showing that it, too, could obscure the air just as well as Zephyra.Iolaire is strong, if small.Special.

Special how?Valerius lifted an eyebrow.

Special.Raziel’s face was obscured by smoke except for its red eyes.

You are of no help.

“You seem to have gifts that counter ours so far, Caden,” Tez remarked.“That ability to force us back to human form for one. Which means that, even though you are the smallest Dragon, you become the largest in comparison!”

“Are you worried about that, Tez?”Esme asked.

“Me?Bah! No!Eldoron is too beautiful for Iolaire to send it away!”Tez crossed his arms over his chest.

“I wouldn’t use the power on you, Tez.I just had to stop the fight,” Caden assured the Gold Dragon King.“I promise.”

Tez hummed but then beamed.“I believe you!It would just be so unnerving!To shift without the desire to do so.”

“I’m sure,” Caden sounded sorry.

Valerius nearly rolled his eyes.“Illarion had it coming.”

“Yeah, he did. Besides, it didn’t hurt him permanently or anything,” Caden murmured.

“Only his pride, dear,” Esme remarked as she looked at Illarion’s back that was stiff as a post. “I do not think that will ever recover.”

“What a shame,” Valerius remarked dryly.

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