Page 24 of The Dragon Shifters' Enemy
“We defeated this Behemoth before.”It was Illarion who spoke.“We can do so again.Butthistime we will make sure it is dead and gone.”
“We?You mean our Spirits,” Tez pointed out.“We knew nothing about the Behemoth!”
“Our Spirits are more powerful with us.We add much to them as they add to us,” Illarion stated.
The Green Dragon King strode into the throne room and headed right towards Valerius’ throne. Mephous appeared in the mirror.Huge and bulging.Poison swirled around the Green Dragon Spirit’s head.Raziel turned to face it.They were almost evenly matched except that Raziel was bigger, which it demonstrated by sticking its chest out as it glared at Mephous.The Green Dragon Spirit who had been attempting to make its way to the center of all the Dragon Spirits--much like Illarion was doing in going towards the throne--stopped dead in its tracks.
Valerius stepped neatly in front of Illarion, which caused him to stop too.Raziel’s red eyes glowed like the pits of Hell while its tail swept dangerously back and forth as if winding up a leap.Mephous’ head lowered, not in obeisance, but also as if it were preparing to lunge towards Raziel.Valerius and Illarion were practically chest to chest.Valerius smiled at him grimly.
“I do not know how I ever thought thatyouwere the mastermind behind all of this,” Valerius murmured.
“As if I would have puny humans fight my battles?Or hide behind the Faith?”Illarion scoffed.
Mephous’ head was surrounded in a swirling cloud of poison almost as if the Green Dragon Spirit were smoking.Raziel allowed flames to surround its open jaws.
“Uh, guys?”Caden asked.“I don’t think fighting is a good idea right now.We need totalk.”
“Fighting isalwaysa good idea,” Illarion practically purred.
“You need to be trounced every 30 years,” Valerius stated flatly.
Suddenly, both of them were dashed with cold water.Or more like,snow.Snow covered both of their human forms and there was an ice wall that was separating their Dragon ones.Both men shot angry looks at Caden.
“Illarion!Valerius!Stop!”Caden shouted.
Iolaire clawed its way on top of the ice wall and looked evenly at both the Green and Black Dragon Spirits. Its wings flared out and it hooted firmly.The other Dragon Spirits actually shuffled as if brought to order.
Valerius bared his teeth at Illarion but then gestured for the Green Dragon Shifter to go ahead and sit on the throne.
“It will never be yours, Illarion.But I suppose I could let youpretendto be me,” Valerius stated.
Illarion’s upper lip writhed back from his teeth.But he turned it into a tight smile.
“Why would I want to pretend to belesserthan I am?”Illarion asked.
He turned his back on the throne and crossed his arms while staring at the mirror as if without seeing any of the Dragon Spirits reflected there.
“Evren was not with the other Dragon Spirits when the Behemoth was taken down,” Anwar said as he entered the throne room last. “It had thought that thisbattlewas a fairytale.But clearly no?”
No,Raziel stated.
Anwar’s head jerked towards Raziel in the mirror.The other Dragon Spirits had yet to speak.Evren’s sleek silver body entered the mirror and Iolaire hooted at it to come nearer. Evren looked up at Iolaire on top of the ice wall with an almost wry amusement as it took in that one of the smallest Dragon Spirits--rather like itself--was ruling over all the bigger ones.It sat and curled its long tail around its clawed feet.
“Raziel speaks!”Anwar said with a soft laugh at the end.
“Raziel has been quite chatty.If only it had been before,” Valerius stated with a huff. He scrubbed the back of his neck.“But there is more to tell even now.”
Valerius looked at Caden.Did his lover wish to do this or would he have Valerius do it? Caden looked stricken and Valerius knew that Caden was experiencing Iolaire’s emotions.Guilt.Responsibility.Sadness.Fear.
Valerius put an arm around Caden’s shoulders and kissed his temple.Raziel rubbed its head against Iolaire’s in the mirror.
“Scylla says…” Esme gasped as she looked at Iolaire.“Scylla says that Iolaire waspartof Behemoth!”
“WHAT?”
“No!
“That can’t be true!”
