Page 50 of The Dragon Shifters' Enemy
“I can totally do that!Who do you think has kept your secrets all these years?”she scoffed.
Another affectionate smile crossed Caden’s face.“Yeah, I know, but some of these secrets are going to be ones that are scary.”
“I know.But I get it.You’re going to do this anyways, and getting Mom and Dad involved would just cause an argument,” she said.“It wouldn’t change anything about what you’re going to do.”
“That’s right.”Caden nodded again.
“Okay, well, good luck to both of you.Come back safe,” Tilly said.
Valerius pressed the end key. He slipped the cell phone back into his pocket before shedding the garment entirely.He carefully folded it and laid it on the ground.They would return here when they had discovered what there was to discover.
“Let us take flight.Stay by me,” Valerius commanded.
Caden nodded.He dropped his robe too on top of Valerius’.They both started running forward and shifted in mid leap.Somehow the two Dragons, despite being much bigger than them, did not crash into one another, but, instead, flapped upwards--wingtip to wingtip--with amazing grace as if they had been flying together their whole lives.
Raziel and Iolaire banked as they headed towards the last location of Landry’s phone. Valerius had Raziel scan the ground below them as well as keep its ears perked to catch the sound of any large predator. But all they heard was the whistle of the wind and the shush of snow on the peaks.
Raziel and Iolaire were as one in the air.Both of them were each other’s senses.There was seemingly no distance between them.Their hearts even seemed to beat as one.They were stronger, but… one would not survive without the other. That was what Raziel had explained to him before, but now he understood it on a level he had not earlier.Losing Caden would do the same to him, he realized, and that was rather stunning.
Everything okay?Caden asked.
Just understanding something,Valerius said vaguely.
He did not want Caden to be held back by his feelings.They both had to be willing to take chances. Caden was so attuned to him that he might not do what he must because he feared how it would affect Valerius.
Okay,Caden didn’t sound like he believed Valerius, but was willing to let it pass.What are we going to do if we find the Behemoth making snow angels?
Valerius snorted at the image.We retreat.
Caden snorted this time.You and Raziel have never retreated in your lives!
That was true.
What course would you have us take?Valerius asked, feeling frustration rising within him.Raziel and I could rip its head off again, but then…
Everybody would be dead.Maybe even us,Caden finished.Yeah, I get that.I mean, the Spirits didn’t die after the explosion, but we likely would.And definitely everyone in Reach would and… okay, so not an option!
No, it is not.Which is why the blasted thing is here,Valerius growled.It knows that of everyone I would be unwilling to sacrifice, the people in my own territory would be at the top of my list.
You wouldn’t kill anyone’s people!Caden said loyally.
That’s not necessarily true, Caden,Valerius answered after a moment.Destroying the Behemoth would be worth many sacrifices.If even half of what we think about this creature is true, losing some to protect the many may be the only way.
He felt Caden’s mental aversion to this idea.The kind-hearted White Dragon Shifter wanted above all to find a solution that would spareeveryone.But solutions like that were rarer than Unicorn Shifters.
What if Iolaire and I used our gift to try and shift the Behemoth?Caden suggested, deciding that arguing this point with Valerius likely wouldn’t get anywhere.Caden felt his conviction was as great as Valerius' own.
That might be a thing to try,Valerius answered slowly.
On the one hand he wanted to have a thorough plan before they tried to use Caden and Iolaire’s special gift.He wanted to have that in his back pocket.And yet, if it worked and the Behemoth was shifted into a human form or a bunch of humans they would be easy to deal with.Game over.Done and done.
The Behemoth is incredibly strong,Valerius reminded Caden unnecessarily,You were not able to shift me.
That’s because we weren’t trying!Caden informed him.
What?
You heard me, my king,Caden chuckled.We could have had you shifting and flapping your tiny human arms as you tried to stay aloft.
