3. SOLUTION

SOLUTION

V alerius stood at his balcony doors watching the gray clouds scud across the sky. Sheets of rain came down and the spray hit his face, wetting his beard and hair. Today was a day to huddle by the fire, eat rich roasted meat, and read books. It would be even better if Caden was there with him.

Valerius turned his gaze to the two sofas with the firepit in between them. For a moment, he imagined Caden under a blanket with his legs curled beneath him. He found himself smiling. He quickly pushed that visual away. He was acting like some kind of lovesick teen. But, even without Caden, there was no chance for him to spend the day with a book. He stared at Raziel who slept soundly still in his chest. His Spirit was getting to laze about, preparing for another night of fun with Iolaire while he had been stuck ruling all day.

His day had been punctuated by meetings. Justice St. John had come to see him. Evidently, Caden’s lawyers--including his father--had gone to the head justice to discuss filing paperwork under seal in order to “protect the White Dragon Shifter’s civil rights.”

“Do they honestly think a piece of paper means anything?” Valerius had scoffed.

The Raven Shifter gave him a thin smile, but didn’t seem to take offense even though his whole existence was about papers just like that. “I understand you chaffing under what you feel is an unwarranted intrusion into the Dragon Shifters’ domain to rule themselves. I reminded my more eager colleagues that if they seek to curtail the Dragons’ autonomy to determine how their clan is ruled then their own clans’ abilities would be limited as well.”

“Rule of law is important,” Valerius responded softly. “But if anyone tries to interfere with me or the other Dragon Shifters, the illusion that it matters all the time will be destroyed. Justice St. John, more than anything, keeping these legal maneuvers under control may be the most important thing you do.”

Justice St. John nodded. “Yes, I feared as much. I hear from Chione that you have changed your mind about letting the young man stay in your territory.”

“I have. He is a full citizen of Reach. It would have been… wrong and short-sighted to have him leave,” Valerius said, even as he felt a roil of panic run through him at the thought of Caden not being in his territory.

“Unless, of course, he chooses to mate with one of the other Dragon Shifters,” Justice. St. John mused. “Then I suppose he will go to that territory.”

“Caden will not be mating with anyone…” else . Anyone else . But he did not add that, even as his mouth went dry. “He is too young and new to make such a decision.”

Justice St. John’s brow furrowed. “But the other Dragon Shifters are coming here to start to court him.”

“They can come, but they won’t find any welcome here,” he said.

Justice St. John’s dark eyes bored into him. Valerius did not shuffle under that keen eyed gaze though it was a little bit of a struggle surprisingly. But Justice St. John’s eyes dropped from his face and the judge nodded as if he came to some realization from Valerius’ stoic countenance. That unnerved him slightly.

“I will manage my more excitable colleagues. But I think that you speaking to Caden’s father would assist in this. A parent afraid for their child is practically unstoppable,” Justice St. John advised as he took his leave.

Valerius had thought about that. Normally, when Shifters bonded with their Spirits they left their human families behind. There were no complications with parents, because they didn’t matter any longer. The Shifter’s clan became their family, the elders in the clan their parents, the other Shifters their siblings. But there was no clan for Dragon Shifters. They were each a separate island unto themselves. Caden had no clan to join and Valerius could not imagine taking him away from his family. Besides, his family would never let him go, even if somehow Caden agreed to it.

After the justice had left, President Goodfellow had sought an audience. Evidently, Esme’s people had contacted her. It was anticipated that Esme would land in New York City. That was one of the cities that were designated ports . Ports were where all Shifters from other territories went to be specially processed before they were allowed to travel within a territory that was not their own. New York City was where Esme always approached.

“What do you want me to do? I am aware that the Blue Dragon Queen Esme is a close ally of yours, but this situation with courting and the White Dragon Shifter, I assume, changes things.” President Goodfellow pressed her hands together, a sign of anxiety. She’d been anxious ever since the White Dragon Shifter had appeared, or maybe even before that.

He sighed. On the one hand, he didn’t believe that Esme would ever challenge him for Caden. She knew her strengths as well as her weaknesses. But still, she was coming. Yet that didn’t truly mean she wished to court Caden.

Courting? Good gods, what would that even entail?

Esme had joined with her Spirit when she was nearly 70-years-old. Obviously, she had none of the illnesses that plagued the elderly. She moved like a 20-year-old. She was a large Dragon, smaller than him by a long shot, but still double Caden’s size. She had particular control over storms and her water breath, while it didn’t sound impressive, could quench another Dragon’s abilities in a moment. Her territories included the British Isles, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Switzerland.

Her personality was charming, but conniving. She had grown up in the palaces of Europe in various roles. She was known as the spy master Dragon as that was how she conducted her rule. On the outside, she was beaming and seemingly friends with everyone. On the inside, there wasn’t a person whose secrets she didn’t know and would use them as necessary. Of all the Dragons, he was certain that she would find out who the White Dragon Shifter was first. So it might make sense to enlist her on his side so that she could disseminate misinformation to the others and keep Caden safe and anonymous for longer.

Of all of them, Esme was the closest he considered to a friend. But she did not do things for nothing. Not even for a friend. She'd been feuding with the Red Dragon Queen Mei. She would likely ask him to mediate between them. “Mediate” likely meant him helping Mei with something so that she would stop annoying Esme. He longed sometimes for the day when he could have simply shifted into his Dragon form and breathed fire into both their faces before flying off. Ruling truly had its disadvantages.

“When she arrives, treat her with every courtesy. But she and I will need to speak on this matter before she is allowed beyond New York City,” Valerius finally said to the president.

She nodded, but did not take her leave as he expected her to. She lingered for a moment. And he let out a sigh.

“What?” he snapped.

She did not jerk at his tone, which meant she had been waiting for it, expecting it. “I was wondering if you had time to think about the situation in King Illarion’s territory. Since he is coming here, I thought you might… speak to him.”

He let out a snort. “Speak to him? And what would I say that would have any effect on Illarion? You think words work with him?”

Her hands fisted. “He knows your strength! Surely, he wouldn’t want to go up against you!”

Valerius laughed bitterly. “Oh, on the contrary, Illarion most definitely would like to go up against me. His kind always think they’ll win. They are so hungry for more power that they refuse to believe that anyone or anything can stand in their way.”

“Yes, but when you defeat him–”

“Did you not listen to what I told you and your Canadian counterpart not two days ago in this very room?” He’d swung around to face her, eyes narrowed.

“I–I did but–”

“President Goodfellow, war is not the answer,” he said. “Believe me it will not end with simply Illarion and I duking it out in single combat. Unrest will sweep over the world. Dragon Shifters have more of a psychic hold over the rest of the Shifters than you understand. You are an intelligent person but you insist on pursuing this with me. Why?”

“We used to be a country that did good in the world! We stood up against tyranny,” she said, her chin lifted.

Valerius sighed. “Some would disagree that you always did good and that you weren’t tyrannical yourselves.”

She held out a hand as if to block his words. “Yes, yes, I know. You’re right on that. But in our best moments, we did stand for something… something greater .”

He stared at her. “You want to recover some of your greatness by having me kill Illarion?”

“No, just that if we stand up for humans and Shifters throughout the world, we might have some greater moral stance against Humans First and other racist organizations,” she said with a shake of her head. “I don’t know if you truly understand the feelings out there. Humanity is starting to see that it may be a permanent underclass. And when people don’t have hope, they turn to violence.”

“You think us taking some kind of moral stance on how badly Illarion treats both humans and Shifters will suddenly make those who feel disenfranchised here feel a part?” His eyebrows rose.

“No, not that simplistic, but right now it seems like we are not a leader in any kind of thinking on human or Shifter matter. No one really is. It is as if we are in a stalemate.” She started pacing back and forth, her hands flying up and down as she spoke. “Everyone is holding their breath, just hoping that the powder keg we are all sitting on doesn’t explode. We cannot allow things to remain at the status quo. The powder keg will blow and we’ll have to deal with the wreckage. So why don’t we try to deal with things now ? Before the explosion?”

Valerius followed her pacing. Her words were and weren’t surprising. They were quite a bit more enthusiastic than she likely showed others, but somehow she felt free to show him her true feelings. She was really much more earnest than someone who had reached the political heights she had should have any right to be. She should be jaded. But she wasn’t.

“I was twenty when Shifters were revealed to exist,” she said and there was a bright gleam in her eyes and a small smile on her lips. “And it was magical .”

His eyebrows rose more.

She let out a self-conscious laugh. “You probably think that’s romantic nonsense. After all, you know that Shifters have the same character defects as any human does. Your ability to shift into a fully other being doesn’t mean that you are magical in other ways or different, special, or better. But I felt that hope that you were.”

Valerius almost wanted to object that Shifters were just like humanity. But he stopped himself. In some ways, Shifters were quite a bit worse than humans could ever be, because they had immortality and that meant forever to polish their vices and virtues. So he remained silent.

“And, though I know that Shifters are as human as I am.” She put a hand on the center of her chest as she looked at him with a sense of wonder that should have been eliminated over their long association, but it was still there. “You can be more. You, especially, are more.”

His lips parted to disagree, to remind her that he didn’t want this job, but she was speaking again.

“I realize that dealing with everyone and everything is not what you want to do.” Another self-conscious laugh left her lips. “You were not drawn to service. You were forced into it. Chione told me this to try and make me understand how to… approach you, I suppose.”

“To not be disappointed in me, most likely,” he said with a wry smile.

She looked up at him with surprise and tucked a curl of hair around her right ear. “I fought my way to the presidency saying these words about hope and change and justice. I meant them. I mean them still. What Illarion is doing is not just harming those people in his territory, but everyone. If we elevate the discussion of the rights of humans and Shifters, there is benefit to that. Do I think that those who are deeply invested in Humans First or any similar Shifter organization will suddenly realize that they’re wrong? No. But I do think that those who are thinking about joining those groups might not if we can show them that what they are selling is wrong .”

Valerius rubbed his temples. He knew what she was saying, and she sounded oddly like Caden to him, though she was far older and should have been far wiser. It was the words of someone though who still believed in goodness and it appealed to him in a way he thought he was immune to. But Caden had awakened something inside of him. He wondered if he was just a sucker for an earnest face.

“I have asked Marban to assist Chione in creating a Shifter Council,” he said.

“A Shifter Council?” President Goodfellow sounded surprised and disappointed. He knew exactly why.

“A council . Not just a Shifter one. He is handling the--the Shifter side of it, but you should handle the human part of it. I do not want people just from my territory but around the world to be a part of this,” Valerius explained, realizing that extending the number of people and type was a good idea.

“Yes, yes, of course, I’ll help! We could have subcommittees that could provide you with all sorts of solutions. This would be an organized way to roll out change and–”

“Yes, President Goodfellow, yes to all of that,” he said with a trace of alarm. Anyone who got excited about subcommittees was completely alien to him. “But first, you must get the people to fill those subcommittees. In any event, the idea is that I need to hear from others and others have to have some role and responsibility in what they suggest.”

She nodded eagerly. Eyes shining. “This would be a wonderful step to eliminating the argument that we are in a dictatorship!”

Valerius frowned. “Yes, well…”

She quickly gave him a nervous smile. “Not that we are! I mean… Well, I will get on this right away.”

“Interface with Chione and Marban,” he told her. The Swarm Shifter would be thrilled to work with the President of the United States.

“Uhm, your choice of Marban is an interesting one,” she said tentatively.

“It is one of necessity. If one wants to eliminate a rival, one makes them an ally,” he said, but did not elaborate. “If he does anything illegal, he knows he loses everything. So he should behave himself. Besides, we cannot ignore any group and expect people to respect the council we create.”

“Quite right!”

She was just turning to go after asking his permission when he called over to her, “About King Illarion, I am quite aware of him and the problems he poses. But there is no simple solution. And whatever solution that is chosen will have a downside.”

She nodded, but then a bright smile appeared on her face. “I know you will do what is best once we get you all the information you need.”

The truth was that he already had all the information he needed. But the “solution” to Illarion was the thing he didn’t have. Oh, he had options. Kill him or leave him alone. Those were the options. Anything else, anything less , would do nothing. These other solutions would just affect the time between now and when he’d have to choose between the only two real solutions there were.

There was a discrete beep, which told him there was a video call for him. He looked at his phone. It was Marban. It was as if simply thinking of the Swarm Shifter caused him to appear. Irritated, but forcing that feeling away, he accepted the call and had it play on the seventy-inch monitor. Marban still wore his dun colored clothes, but he was riding in a rather plush vehicle. He smiled avuncularly at Valerius.

If he calls me grandson, I will throttle him.

“Marban, you have called at the perfect time,” Valerius smiled tightly back at him.

Marban’s bushy eyebrows rose. “Oh? Well, how pleasant to be wanted.”

Yes, yes, I am sure you feel that way.

“You’ll be receiving a call from President Goodfellow,” he said and tried not to react to the shocked expression on Marban’s face. It was just a momentary freezing that smoothed out into a smile that turned Marban’s eyes into slits.

“Oh, well! How pleasant indeed!” Marban said.

“Yes, you and she need to work together to get all the stakeholders onto this council, human and Shifter,” he explained.

Marban stroked his chin at his mention of “humans” but he had never known Marban to actually be racist. The man was too practical. Not to say that he didn’t prey on racism in others. He used divides like that to his advantage. “Humans, huh? Yes, that is quite wise to have the council inclusive. Gives everyone a reason to put their best foot forward.”

“You haven’t heard anything regarding the bombings, have you?” Valerius decided that if he had Marban at least partially on his side he would take advantage of it.

But Marban shook his head with a rather rueful smile on his face. “I have my ear pressed to the ground regarding all things, but strangely, I am not hearing much on this. What that means…” He spread his pudgy arms. “I am not certain. I will let you know if I hear anything for you.”

“If you hear anything at all,” Valerius corrected.

Marban nodded, accepting that all information would be passed on. “Something that I have heard is that you should expect both Esme and Illarion to come to New York City. Illarion will arrive almost at the same time as Esme will.”

Valerius frowned. He had not known that. “Illarion should use the port of Washington D.C.”

“Yes, but that’s not what his trajectory is showing. He’s purposefully heading towards New York,” Marban said. “And at speed.”

If Illarion landed along with Esme, it would put him in an impossible situation. He could not welcome Esme but leave Illarion to stomp around New York. Illarion knew this. He must have guessed the only way that Valerius would allow him to come to Reach was if he was with Esme.

“Good to know,” he said dryly.

Marban’s expression was surprisingly serious. “He’ll want to kill Caden.”

It was said so baldly that Valerius didn’t quite understand the words though they were absolutely clear.

The Swarm Shifter moved restlessly in the leather appointed interior. “He won’t want another Dragon Shifter changing the power dynamics in play. Caden is not the type to choose his side, when or if Illarion discovers who he is, and therefore, Illarion will kill him.”

Valerius’ mouth was dry as dust. It was as if the solution that he had been avoiding choosing with President Goodfellow was presented to him in a wholly new way. To keep Caden safe he would kill Illarion. Not for some nebulous good. But, definitely, to keep Caden safe. Raziel cracked an eyelid, the flame-red eye appearing for a moment, as his emotions heightened.

“That will not happen,” Valerius finally said softly.

Marban nodded, not surprised in the least. “Let me know if I can be of assistance.”

Of course, such assistance would not be of the physical variety, but it might be of use in other ways. Valerius realized that he had taken one step--one very large step--towards the only solution of the Illarion problem there was. The only one there had ever been, if he had been honest with himself.

They exchanged goodbyes, and Valerius, though pleased with how well this thing with Marban was working out, still disliked how familiar Marban was acting with him. As if they were friends. As if they could trust one another. But, he supposed that they could. At least in some things. Marban needed him.

For now, in any case .

He’d then gone to the balcony doors and stared moodily out at the rain. This day had been filled with grayness. The only thing he had to look forward to would be to see Caden later and go flying. It would be good to show Caden how to safely navigate storms and use them for his benefit.

Should we teach him how to defend himself, Raziel?

His Spirit rumbled, We will destroy the Green Dragon. The little one will not have to lift a claw.

We hope that is true, Valerius said. He’d lost enough battles to know that there was much not in one’s control.

Perhaps we should just fly out and meet the Green Dragon over the Atlantic. End this once and for all , Raziel suggested.

Valerius considered this. It would be what his uncivilized side would do. But if he was going to kill Illarion, he had to do so in such a way that he would get the maximum reward for it and the least problems. Raziel snorted.

You have been listening too much to Chione, his Spirit groused.

Perhaps. But you should be glad for a battle coming up.

I have always known that the Green Dragon would fall to us. Always… Raziel’s eyes closed as it clearly dreamed of triumph against all of their enemies.

There was a soft knock at his door. He turned in time to see Simi opening the door to Chione. She swept in with nervous energy. His heart started to beat harder.

“What is it?” he asked.

Chione’s voice was taut as she told him, “Jasper Hawes has just entered Wally’s.”

Valerius waited a beat before a sour bubble of laughter exited his mouth. “I really didn’t think this day could get any more unpleasant. Evidently, I was wrong.”