7. BROADCAST

brOADCAST

S omeone’s wineglass fell to the ground and shattered into dozens of silver shards. Wine pooled around the Black Dragon King’s left boot. It must have been Grant’s wine glass. That was the only sound in the dining room for a very long time. The urge to laugh hysterically ran through Valerius. Trust Caden to choose the absolute worst moment for a revelation. Or maybe it was the best moment. Perhaps better to get it over with.

Valerius drained off the rest of his wine and poured himself another glass. He was tempted to simply drink from the bottle itself, but that would be rude. He was pretty certain it would be rude.

Yes, rude. Do not do it.

Sometimes he wished he was still the warrior who didn’t care if he were rude or not. But those were also the days when he would have run someone through with his sword and not think twice about it. Red blood, instead of red wine, would have been pooling around his boot at the moment if they were back in those days.

Chione grabbed both his and her napkins to lean down and mop it up. He helpfully lifted his boot. The glance she shot him told him that lifting his boot had been the least he could do. He was the king! He should control this dinner party! And yet, the Bryces were seemingly beyond his control. Despite most of them being human, and Caden being the smallest Dragon Shifter, they were impossible.

He felt her tap his boot with her shoe. She wanted him to speak. To explain. But the explanation was worse than what Caden had already said. It wasn’t going to soothe the Bryces’ minds that their son and brother were meant to be mated with another Dragon. He could almost see Grant Bryce’s reaction now. He might have to restrain the man.

But perhaps they should have it out. Lies had a tendency to snowball, and if Caden had lied right then and there, there would have been bigger problems as the snowball grew and grew until it was the size of a mountain and came down and crushed everyone. So he supposed that he would have to use the word “mate” in front of the Bryces and watch as that just rolled over everyone, too.

“ Court ? Like flirt with you?” Tilly broke the silence before he could. Her forehead was scrunched up as she tried to understand the, undoubtedly, old-fashioned word.

Caden, who was reaching for the wine bottle from Valerius with a frantic flapping motion, let out a little choked cough as he answered his sister, “Yes. I guess. This has never happened before among Dragons, let alone to me, so I’m not really sure –”

“The Dragons will all wish to show Caden what they can offer him, if he were to mate with them,” Valerius found himself saying.

The moment the word “mate” was uttered, both of Caden’s parents shot to their feet like they had rockets attached to their rear ends. It seemed like everyone was talking at once then.

“… But mates are a myth!” Ellen Bryce said.

“… This is some kind of sexual slavery!” Grant cried.

“Will it be like the Bachelor show?” Tilly asked.

With a groan, Rose said, “You don’t make things easy, do you, Caden?”

“This is so not my choice!” Caden grabbed the wine bottle from Valerius and hugged it to his chest.

Chione, tapping her chin, said, “I suppose it’s sort of like the Bachelor , in some ways. Or maybe like a beauty contest. Though I doubt there will be a swimsuit competition. Maybe a flying one? Whoever has the best barrel rolls wins?”

“What would the talent portion be?” Tilly asked, leaning forward on the table, evidently getting into the beauty contest angle.

Valerius almost would allow a beauty contest just to see Illarion attempt to charm someone.

“Well, I won’t be getting any of the Dragons a rose! Or choosing them over their interview answers on world peace!” Caden downed his glass of wine.

When he tipped the bottle to fill it again, only a few drops came out and both he and Valerius groaned. Was there another bottle nearby? No.

Blast it.

Raziel, who had been resting up for a night of fun with Iolaire, cracked one red eye open. W e should put an end to this. Tell them all that Caden and Iolaire are ours, and that any who set foot within our territory will be killed.

Valerius blinked rapidly. You’ve definitely changed your mind about them.

So have you , Raziel retorted.

Caden is only 25-years-old!

You were younger than that when you took up your sword and went to war.

That’s not the same!

You thought of yourself as a man then. You were a man then. So is Caden. He makes his own choices. You should stick to making yours, Raziel told him.

You act as if I am using Caden’s youth as an excuse not to make my own decision on whether we should—should mate with him!

The Black Dragon Spirit merely regarded him silently. Valerius swallowed.

This decision is forever. If we were to mate with him, we would grow stronger but also ? —

Also weaker. Yet Raziel did not seem upset by this idea. Instead, it seemed accepting of it.

How can a man that young make an immortal commitment? Valerius pressed.

Are you worried about him regretting it or you regretting it? Raziel pointed out.

I…

Do not couch your uncertainty in terms of Caden or Iolaire. Speak only for yourself, and be honest , Raziel said.

We kissed once! How do you know if we are even compatible? He is like a bright ray of sunshine while we are thunderclouds! If there are two people who were any less alike it would be Caden and myself. Iolaire is nothing like you either, Valerius pointed out.

We complement each other . And with that, Raziel closed its eyes again and said nothing more.

We complement each other?

That phrase haunted Valerius at that moment. He and Caden did complement each other. While Caden desired to embrace the world, he wanted to keep it at arms length. Caden thought the best of others, while he was suspicious and distrusted most everyone. Then there was Caden’s idealism compared to his jadedness. They did complement each other. Perhaps they would balance each other out.

Now imagine me saying that to Caden’s father. He would be like a wolverine protecting his cub.

“You guys don’t have to worry about any of this,” Caden told his parents, his head going from right to left to left to right again. “I’m not going to mate with anybody! Valerius and I have already talked about it.”

“Before or after the hug?” Grant asked suspiciously.

“Hug-gate,” Chione whispered into his ear.

He did not crack a smile. For as aggravating as it was to have this man judging him adversely, the truth was that he had kissed and hugged Caden. Grant’s instincts were right. There was something going on between him and Caden. And he wasn’t sure where it should go. But the very idea of Caden being with anyone else was enough to want him to start to destroy things, to bellow, to spew fire, to tear the world’s asunder…

You already know the truth. You just need to accept it , Raziel said, its eyes still closed.

“This mating thing was a surprise to Valerius, too! He didn’t even know Dragons had mates until Raziel told him,” Caden said.

Valerius winced. He didn’t want it to seem as if he was in the dark about what his own Dragon spirit knew. But Caden had let it out of the bag. Again with the impetuousness, and belief that once people heard the truth they would understand, rather than making negative assumptions.

“But I don’t understand,” Ellen said as she turned to Chione for answers, and not Valerius. “Isn’t the whole idea of fated mates just something that they have in movies, television shows and books?”

Chione placed her hands, one over the other, in front of her on the table. “I thought so as well. A romantic idea, but not the truth. There is more trouble in the Werewolf clans because of this idea than anything else. But there has been no objective proof that fated mates exist… Until now.”

“What does Iolaire have to say about it all?” Tilly asked Caden.

Valerius froze. He was pretty sure that Raziel—though its eyes were closed—was very aware of this moment, too. Iolaire would have a say in this mating business.

Caden blinked and looked a little uncomfortable. “I really haven’t asked. Iolaire doesn’t exactly talk. Raziel talks, but Iolaire makes its feelings known through images, not in words.”

“But that makes it easier! Ask Iolaire which Dragon it wants to mate with!” Tilly sounded way too excited. “It could even show you the color!”

“Iolaire is asleep, Tilly,” Caden shut that down.

“When it wakes up?—”

“It would have to be both of their choices, Tilly,” Rose said with a gentle touch on the younger girl’s shoulder.

“But, I guess, Iolaire hasn’t met any Dragon other than Valerius so I suppose Iolaire might not know.” Tilly looked crestfallen.

“You’re staring daggers at a child, my king.” Chione patted his shoulder.

He quickly looked down at his empty wine glass. Did these people intend for him to become parched?

“Why haven’t you asked Iolaire about this, Caden?” Ellen asked, as she sank down into her chair.

“Because a lot has been going on, and I… well, we’ve been busy,” Caden mumbled as he went red in the face again.

“You’re afraid that Iolaire has already made a decision?” Rose guessed.

More red in his face, and Valerius nearly crushed his empty wine glass.

“I… I have no idea,” another red-faced mumble from Caden.

“Iolaire might not wish to say, or perhaps it has no opinion at the moment. We are in uncharted waters, which makes all of this even more difficult,” Chione offered.

“But the other Dragons have made up their mind to court my son if they’re all coming here for that purpose, and not, as we all supposed, to contest Caden getting his own territory,” Ellen said.

“The Dragons are not necessarily coming here for a love match,” Valerius said, spinning his wine glass.

“Oh, let me fill that for you,” Ellen said and went over to the sideboard to get another bottle.

“I’ll uncork it, dear,” Grant offered, even as he was staring at Valerius with intense interest. “I assume that anyone who has two Dragons in their territory would be a far more formidable threat.”

“Iolaire is not a fighter. That is not to say it could not aid in a fight, but it would likely not be a determining factor,” Valerius explained. “Not enough to overcome most of the Dragon’s desire to have their territory alone. No, having a mate empowers the Dragon, but also weakens them.”

“Empowers and weakens them how?” Grant was evidently going to hold the bottle of wine hostage until he answered.

“If I mate with somebody, they become stronger, but they will die if I die and vice versa,” Caden supplied helpfully.

Valerius took the wine from Grant’s hands and uncorked it himself. Something was bothering him about this. The lack of specificity as to the amount of power granted seemed to downplay the idea that any Dragon would want to yoke themselves with the White Dragon Shifter and the danger he brought, being untrained. So why were the Dragons truly racing here?

And then, of course, he knew. He felt very stupid about it. But it was obvious. It was what Grant Bryce had been going on about since the beginning.

“Territory,” he muttered.

“Oh, yes, of course!” Chione turned in her seat towards him. “It would have to be, because all of the rest of it is so… speculative, and none of the Dragons is really romantic.”

“Exactly.” Valerius turned to Grant. “They want that territory you’re so keen to get Caden.”

Grant blinked. “But that’s to secure Caden’s future, not theirs!”

“Dragons are highly territorial. Of course, they would want more,” Ellen said as she put a hand against her temple.

“So when they find out that I don’t want any territory, they’ll go away?” Caden asked hopefully.

“It will cause unrest,” Chione murmured. “With Caden here, they will assume that you will exercise the right of territory, my king. Yet that might be useful to keep the others in line. The sheer threat of it.”

Valerius nodded. “But it will also put Caden in danger, because if he is gone then the threat to their territory is gone.”

“This makes things sound worse.” Caden was staring at him with big eyes.

“It will be dealt with,” Valerius said, trying to keep his tone gentle yet firm.

“But what should I do?!” That plaintive cry made Valerius reach across the table and take Caden’s outstretched hand. “I don’t know what to do!”

Valerius felt as much as saw the Bryces looking at their linked hands and coming to their own conclusions.

“Nothing right now. We will discuss all of the options. But do not distress yourself. I will keep you safe,” Valerius promised, and all the force and authority of his position and person.

“You like Caden,” Tilly breathed. She had her hands up by her face, looking wide-eyed between him and his brother. “Oh, it’s just like in the stories.”

“Tilly, I think you need to put your imagination to bed,” Ellen told her sternly.

“Rose, you agree with me, don’t you?” Tilly cried as she looked over at the Bee Shifter who appeared like she wanted to vanish beneath the table. So Tilly turned to him again, “Oh, King Valerius, you like my brother!”

“Of course, I like Caden. We are… we are in this together,” Valerius said, and he reluctantly released Caden’s hand. He still felt the memory of its heat against his palm.

He had not looked at the young man when Tilly had spoken. He chanced to do so now as he poured himself more wine. The sappy smile on Caden’s face had him pouring more wine.

“But we should eat. This meal looks delicious and it's getting cold,” Chione said as she started to cut the roast into bite sized pieces.

Everyone turned to their plates, but not everyone looked terribly hungry. Valerius shoveled a piece of roast into his mouth, hoping that would discourage anyone from speaking to him. For a time, there was just the scrape of silverware over china. Grant was staring off into space, and Valerius could almost see the wheels in his brain turning. He had thought some things through, but not everything.

“Caden, are you going to share those tomatoes with the rest of us, or are you hoarding them like Dragon treasure?” Rose asked.

Caden was guarding the tomatoes. Tomato seeds were spilling down his chin as he had just stuffed a whole slice into his mouth and was chewing it with evident pleasure. His right arm was curled around the rest of the platter.

“They’re mine now. I would have taken one before, but now, they’re mine,” Caden told her.

“Can I have one ?” Tilly wheedled. “I know you eat when you’re upset, but?—”

“No, I don’t! I’m not! I mean… does anyone else see how this is all going to go south?” Caden, his bright, beautiful Dragon was suddenly in the pit of despair. “I can’t keep this a secret! Jasper Hawes knows! He could call a press conference like now! People are going to find out that the White Dragon Shifter is the mate of one of the other Dragons because they’ll tell everyone, right? They aren’t going to keep it a secret!”

Chione and Valerius shared a look. Caden was right. While Esme and a few of the others might keep their mouths shut, Illarion wouldn’t. Mei would likely make a production of it!

Caden continued, “People are going to wonder why Valerius was at Wally’s and then is having dinner here tonight and draw the lines between the dots and?—”

“Actually, that is handled,” Chione said, with a side-eyed glance at Valerius. “The king was going to Wally’s in order to arrange something very special in plush merchandise.”

“Not more of those bloody stuffed Dragons?!” he roared at her.

“Actually, it was to be a line of commemorative Sphinx plushies,” she said with a cough.

“Oh.”

“That’s why you did it yourself. As a gift to honor me.”

“How thoughtful of me.”

“Indeed it is. That was when you just so happened to run into Caden who told you about Jasper Hawes’ plot and that brought you here,” she explained. “You’re having dinner with the Bryces because they asked you to after saving them from the terrorists.”

“Nicely done,” Valerius complimented her.

“It is quite well done,” Ellen agreed.

“You really are keeping it all under wraps,” Rose remarked.

“I do try.” Chione gave a humble bow of her head that wasn’t humble at all. And he would be paying for it in plushies. He imagined the Sphinx stuffed animals would be all over High Reach. In corners. On stairs. In his bed.

“That makes me feel tons better, thanks, Chione,” Caden said with evident belief, but then his shoulders slumped. “But that’s only for today. What about tomorrow? The Dragons are not going to give up territory. I could imagine them giving up on everything else, but that!”

And Caden was right.

“It is merely another hurdle that we will get past?—”

“But I’m asking so much of you, and giving you nothing in return!” Caden cried.

“Are you asking nothing of my son?” Grant’s eyes bored into him.

“Dad! Cut it out!”

“Caden, this is serious. We need to know his intentions ,” Grant said.

“Intentions” was as old-fashioned a word as “court”.

“If I had bad intentions, I would hardly tell you,” Valerius replied dryly, and gulped his wine.

Grant leaned forward. He could see his son’s intensity in him. “Are you claiming to have no interest in Caden as your mate?”

Caden made a strangled sound. “DAD!”

“That’s… Caden’s decision. We have not discussed if I am in the running. Your son, in fact, has been clear he wants no mate,” Valerius answered, which was not really an answer.

He could see Caden out of the corner of his eye. The young man was practically vibrating with tension. The question was, did Caden want him to throw his hat in the ring?

We kissed, he heard Caden’s faint voice.

So yes , he did. But what if it was only for now. There was no “breaking up”. This would be permanent. And what would Caden know about eternity? He had been alive for barely a quarter of a century. Let him live another few hundred years, perhaps a thousand, and then they would see.

“We need to have a discussion,” Grant said. “Me and you.”

“And your Raven Shifter partners?”

“You think I’m not as good an attorney as them because I’m human?” Grant was nettled, that had been his intention, if he had been honest.

“Valerius, be nice! My dad’s a great attorney, and you know that. Valerius is just trying to be a jerk, Dad, because you’ve put him in a corner,” Caden said. “And that means, Dad, that you’ve got to back off. Valerius and I need to talk about stuff first, and then we’ll talk to you and the other lawyers, and Mom and stuff.”

“And me, too!” Tilly protested. “I’m a part of this family. Oh, and Rose as well, because she’s smart and you need her help.”

“Your sister is wise,” Rose said simply with a quirked smile on her lips.

“Yeah, she’s all right.” Caden reached over, and ruffled his sister’s hair.

At that moment, his cell phone buzzed against his thigh. Valerius frowned, and said, “Excuse me. I must take this.”

He would only be interrupted for the most important of matters. It was Ngoye. He got up to leave the room. He saw that Chione was looking at some news alert on her phone. She let out a slight gasp.

“What is it?” Valerius asked as that question echoed around the room.

“My king, Illarion has arrived in New York early. He is having a press conference!” Ngoye explained.

Chione was already putting the conference on her phone and setting it in the middle of the table for all to see.

Illarion stood before a bank of microphones, only a green and black silk robe embroidered with Dragons, was around his broad shoulders. His short spiky blond hair was ruffled as if from the wind. His cold blue eyes were locked on the cameras that were trained on him.

“I have come,” Illarion said, his Russian-accented voice booming, “to claim my mate: the White Dragon Shifter.”