14. NO MORE HIDING

NO MORE HIDING

V alerius looked down at the dead girl. His jaw set. He felt a mental quivering over his bond with Caden. The young man had never seen a dead person before. Not like this. He turned and grasped Iolaire’s head.

Fly up to my quarters and Shift. I will be with you momentarily, Valerius said.

But Serai…

You can do nothing for her, Caden. I will handle this, Valerius assured him.

Why did she do it? Caden’s question was a rhetorical one. Both of them could speculate, but neither of them was a fanatic.

Go upstairs, Caden. It will be all right, Valerius coaxed.

Will it?

One of Iolaire’s huge blue eyes met his and he knew both human and Spirit were suffering. Neither was meant for death. How strange in some ways that a Dragon Shifter was the opposite of death. Valerius reluctantly moved away from Iolaire, and with a warning wave of his hand, the others did as well. After a few tentative flaps, Iolaire rose up into the sky. They took one rather sad bank around the city and then disappeared behind his tower. They did not make a reappearance. Caden had shifted successfully. Valerius noted that Caden had not feared someone seeing him in his human form. The opening to his balcony was on the opposite side of the plaza so none would, but still Caden seemed to not be so focused on that.

“Iolaire is up in your chambers! Shifted!” Illarion stated the obvious, pointing to the tower. “Will we finally get to see them in their human form? Or will we continue this farce of meeting them?”

“You got your time alone with them out here, Illarion. Your five minutes are up,” Esme said sharply from where she was kneeling down by Serai. The water tentacle was gone, a splash of liquid on the plaza ground was the only sign of it.

“That did not count!” Illarion’s cheeks reddened.

“Always claiming the world is unfair, Illarion?” Mei arched an eyebrow at the Green Dragon Shifter.

“Better than thinking the whole world is out to get me, eh, Mei?” Illarion snapped back. “Iolaire will enjoy their time with me far more than you.”

Tez, who was unapologetically crying, cried, “How can you think about that now? A girl is dead! Her body is not even cold!”

Illarion’s eyes narrowed. “Because she is a terrorist . She planted a bomb that would have killed innocent people. Why would I waste a single thought on her other than how I will kill those who assisted her? Valerius, am I not right in this? Or have you gone as soft as this idiot here?”

“She was young and foolish! Idealistic!” Tez cried.

Esme met Valerius’ gaze even as her right hand was in the girl’s hair and the other cradled her head. Her blue eyes crackled with grief and anger. “I am inclined to agree with Illarion on this. Serai was no child though she looked like one. And there was nothing in her life that should have made these choices of hers understandable.”

At that moment, Chione came into the throne room. She was smiling and her voice reflected it as she said, “What have I missed?”

She came to an abrupt halt as she saw Serai’s still form.

“You’ve missed some fireworks. A true James Bond villain death!” Illarion snorted. “A poisoned tooth!”

“By the gods,” Chione whispered and rushed to Esme’s side. She curled one arm around the Blue Dragon Shifter’s back. “Serai! How did this happen? Esme, I am so sorry!”

“No, it is me who is sorry. She was the bomber, Chione. And she deserves no more tears.” Esme quickly rose even as she gave into Chione’s embrace.

“What do you wish to do with her, my king?” Chione asked.

“An autopsy. See if there’s anything about that poisoned tooth that will lead us to the people she’s working with,” Valerius said finally.

“Of course. It will be done,” Chione said and immediately contacted the Claw.

“You have been very quiet, Valerius. What are your thoughts on this? Are you going to announce that you caught the bomber?” Mei asked.

She drifted over and looked at the dead girl by her feet with all the emotion she would have at looking at a dead leaf. His own emotions were mixed. He was holding them at bay, because nothing good could come from letting them rule him at this moment.

“No one will speak of this.” Valerius gave each of them a hard stare. “I will find out who is behind her and all the rest of it. Mark my words.”

“Is it not clear that Esme is? It was her woman!” Illarion waved negligently at Esme.

Esme’s eyes narrowed. “Sometimes I forget how very stupid you are, Illarion, but then you remind me with your next sentence!”

“What? You--”

“If I was the culprit, I can assure you that I would not have her with me now so Iolaire could easily identify her! Then give her a poison tooth to activate upon that inevitable disclosure!” Esme snarled at him. She was shaking. Chione stroked her back. “Whoever did this, whoever turned her from me and sanity, will pay for it!”

Valerius reached for Esme. She turned towards him, her head held high. Valerius took her hands in his. Only then did he feel the slightest trembling.

“I am so sorry, Esme,” he said.

She gave him a nod that held only the slightest stiffness to it. “Not as sorry as I am for not catching this treachery.”

“But they will be caught,” he said, certain it was true.

“Oh, yes, they most certainly will be.” She let out a breath. “Would it not be too rude if I called off dinner this evening? I need to start my investigation into this.”

“Not at all. Dinner will be served for whoever likes it in the main dining hall or can be brought to your quarters. I will also not be joining in on the main festivities,” Valerius said.

“Because you will be trying to seduce Iolaire to stay by your side?” Illarion scowled at him.

Valerius found a smile crossing his own lips. “I assure you, Illarion, that the more time Iolaire spends with all of you--you, especially--the happier Iolaire is exactly where they are.”

Valerius let go of Esme’s hands after a gentle squeeze and gestured for Chione to join him in the throne room. Already, the Claw, with their equivalent of crime scene investigation, was swooping in to take Serai’s body away. She joined him by the throne itself. She was dressed in a long sand colored dress with diamonds sewn into the fabric. She looked like a desert at night.

“You look lovely,” he told her.

She smiled. “I feel I am in the wrong outfit. I should have dressed for a funeral.”

He grimaced. “Find out all about Serai, Chione.”

“Do you want me to be circumspect with Esme?” She tilted her head towards where the Blue Dragon Shifter was already leaving the room with Molly in tow.

“I doubt she will come to you for anything. Her pride, if nothing else, has been wounded by failing to see a traitor in her own house,” he said as he tracked Esme’s movements.

“You don’t think she is behind it?”

“I suppose she could have brought Serai with her as some kind of ruse, as she knows I would never believe her so stupid,” he surmised. “But that is an unnecessary risk and might do the exact opposite. So no, I do not. Besides, while she has killed many civilians in her time, blowing up tourists hardly seems her style.”

“Indeed, not.” Chione shook her head. “And she would have no reason to cause such chaos. Of all the Dragon Shifters, she’s the most inclined to want there to be a seeming balance between humans and Shifters.”

“Seeming?” His eyebrows lifted.

Chione crossed her arms. “I think we have to be honest that Shifters have advantages that humans cannot always meet. Our immortality allows us to hone our minds and increase our wealth.”

“Yes, but it also makes us lazy and take too long to make decisions. We think we have all the time in the world when we do not. Humans feel time in a way we no longer can,” he cautioned her. “While I see some of the long term planning here of a Shifter mind in these attacks, there is also the in the moment feel of a human mind.”

Chione looked down thoughtfully. “Yes, I think you are right. So it could be a new Shifter.”

“Or a Shifter and human working together,” he replied dryly.

Her head lifted in surprise. “But what would coincide between the two? Both species want to be on top.”

“Maybe it’s what part of those species gets to be on top,” Valerius said with a frown.

“You mean someone like Marban might want the system to change? Not him, specifically, but someone like him?” she asked.

“Marban merely wants to be included at the top of any system. He has no desire for equality,” Valerius stated. “If it was Marban as a part of this, being on the Council neutralized him to some extent. He won’t want to shake the pillars of Heaven when he is in Heaven.”

“Indeed.”

“The other Dragon Shifters have yet to arrive. I am curious to see how thirty years of rule has impacted them,” Valerius said.

“Understood. Are you going to Iolaire?” she asked.

He nodded. “I have taken too long already to get to them. Seeing Serai die…”

“Have they ever experienced that?”

“I do not think so. Will you handle matters here? If you need me, of course, contact me,” he told her.

“I can get things settled. Go to them.” She bowed her head before he went to the stairs.

He could have shifted and flown to his room, but he’d seen Caden admiring these clothes and he didn’t want to ruin them. So he took the stairs two or three at a time to get to his tower rooms.

When Valerius opened the doors to his tower, he found Caden wearing one of his silk shirts that was long on him so that it came down to mid-thigh. The young man curled on the couch, staring at the fire. Immediately, Caden looked up when he came in. The sadness that shadowed Caden’s features cleared for a moment as the young man hopped up from the couch to come to him.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” Caden murmured.

Valerius took Caden into his arms and kissed the top of his head. “I am sorry that I could not have shielded you from that.”

Caden clung to him, face pressed against his shoulder, body shaking a little. Valerius ran a hand up and down Caden’s back. They stayed that way for some time before Valerius urged the young man back down onto the couch. Caden drew his knees up to his chest and looked a mixture of bewilderment and grimness.

“I see you found something to wear,” Valerius said, trying to lighten the mood.

Caden lifted up his arms which had the long sleeves of the silk shirt flowing back to his elbows. “This was all I could find that semi-fit. Do you own anything that isn’t black and silk or leather?”

“No.”

“You don’t have any underwear either. Or shorts or jeans or sweatpants or--”

“Underwear is a pain and unnecessary. Could you imagine me in shorts?”

Caden looked at him skeptically. “Noooo, so I guess I see your point. I’m going to have to bring a change of clothes to the castle.”

Valerius allowed this idea to sit with him for a minute. Should Caden have clothes here? It would be more convenient. Perhaps one of the guest rooms could be turned over for his use. Or Caden’s things could be here . In his rooms. Alongside his things. Caden was suddenly watching his face and nibbling his lower lip nervously.

“Uhm, maybe that was a little forward so I--”

“No, I think that is wise. You should have some things here,” Valerius finally answered after what he knew had been too long a silence.

“Only if you want me to--”

“I do. I do, Caden. It is just new for me.”

Caden gave him a ghost of a smile. “Yeah, I get that. But I’m really starting to figure out that change is inevitable.”

Caden went back to staring into the fire. For his part, Valerius called for raw beef and chicken along with vegetables to be brought up. He would cook for Caden. The young man needed to eat. Then Valerius opened a bottle of wine. He poured large glasses for both of them. Caden thanked him silently and cradled the goblet against his chest. Valerius sat down beside him, allowing one arm to curl around Caden’s shoulders. Caden naturally drew against him, resting the side of his head against Valerius’ chest. Caden let out a sudden snort.

“What?” Valerius asked.

“I imagined doing this with you the first day we met, which wasn’t that long ago. But I thought it was impossible,” Caden admitted.

“Because you never wanted to be this close to me?”

“Are you kidding? Of course, I did! You’re really hot. You were an asshole, too. But a really sexy one,” Caden laughed. “Now that I know you better, it’s hard to imagine not wanting to be like this for so many other reasons. I’m sure you didn’t imagine me here.”

Valerius, who had been nuzzling Caden’s hair, was saved from answering this by the knock on the doors. “Ah, our food. Stay where you are, Caden. Though I trust my staff implicitly, we shouldn’t have them seeing you here now.”

Caden let him get up, but there was a reluctance there as if Caden wanted to say something, but didn’t. Valerius set his wine glass down and went for the doors. It was Mariya with a huge platter of steaks, spatchcocked chicken, and vegetables already salted, peppered, marinated, and ready for the grill. He smiled at her and thanked her before swiftly closing the door on her after taking the tray from her hands.

“Oh man, that looks so good already,” Caden moaned.

“It will taste better cooked. Even Raziel thinks so,” Valerius said as he started laying the thick slabs of steak, the spatchcocked chickens, the large white knob onions, the red peppers, and then the zucchini and onion slices on the grill over the fire. Immediately, the meat and vegetables began to sizzle.

After everything was set out, he got back on the couch with Caden tucked against him. He had a set of long tongs in his hands so that he could turn almost everything from where he was sitting. Besides, the key was not to touch anything until one absolutely had to in order to get that caramelized char.

“The girl, or I guess, the Shifter, Serai, why do you think she did it? I mean she said for change, but what change?” Caden finally asked. “She’s a Shifter. She’s more likely to be on top than a human.”

“Depending on what kind of Shifter she was,” Valerius said.

“Somehow I don’t think Esme would have Rat, Snake or Swarm Shifters in her entourage,” Caden said almost bitterly.

“Actually, she would. Esme has her ear to the ground at all times. She wouldn’t ignore a population of Shifters based on prejudice. That would leave a hole in her spying,” Valerius answered.

“Oh, I guess I was wrong again,” Caden sighed.

“You aren’t completely wrong. She has them because they are useful to her, not necessarily because she has any love for them, but she did care for Serai. I think Serai was a bit of a mentee to her,” Valerius answered.

Caden stirred. “Here I am being all depressed about it when that’s her friend. Esme must be so upset.”

“She is. And angry. And determined. Whoever chose to go after Serai made a mistake. She will not stop until she has the people responsible,” Valerius answered as he brushed his lips across Caden’s forehead. “And, unlike me, who would simply kill them and be done with it, she will make them suffer .”

Caden shivered. “You did say that Dragon Shifters aren’t heroic exactly.”

“We are beings of war and revenge and many other things. But heroic? Until you? No.”

“Yeah, well, I’m not heroic.” Caden’s voice was flat and dull.

Valerius drew a little back so that he could see Caden’s face. “What are you talking about? You risked your life to save those people in the square and--”

Caden was suddenly leaning forward, elbows on knees. “And what have I done since then? I ask people to risk themselves so that I can keep on with my quiet, ordinary life!” Caden was shaking his head. “I don’t know why Iolaire bonded with me. There are so many things that need fixing and I’m not the person to do it! I mean we just watched someone take their own life because they were so miserable with the world we have! How can that be stopped?”

Valerius leaned forward, resting a hand on Caden’s lower back. He could feel the fine tremors going through the young man just like he had through Esme. Both of them was pushed to the edge by Serai’s suicide.

“The truth is that it can’t be,” Valerius told him.

Caden’s expression was wrenched. “But--”

“Caden, not everyone can be happy. Not everyone will be treated fairly. There will always be those on top and those on the bottom. And there will always be those who think violence is the answer to change who occupies those positions,” Valerius said gently. “I say these things not to discourage you from trying to make things better. I say these things so that you understand that any change you make that helps people is extraordinary, because you are fighting against things that are immutable.”

“Then Iolaire definitely shouldn’t have picked me,” Caden stated. “Valerius, when Mei saw me in the mirror I panicked. I wanted to do anything to have her not have seen me. That was so cowardly. Selfish. Stupid.”

“Wanting to have time to adjust and grow before you are in the spotlight is none of those things,” Valerius assured him.

“But it is . If you hadn’t defanged Marban by giving him that Council position, he would have been asking me for a favor to keep my secret.” Caden drew his arms around himself. “Jasper Hawes threatened Landry to get my name. My family was put in danger! Now Mei knows. Tell me that she won’t ask for something to keep quiet too.”

She would. She would undoubtedly ask for something huge. If not for Caden to come with her, then something that would be terrible for the boy to give. Raziel, who had settled since it was in Iolaire’s presence, stirred. The girl’s death had been no never mind to it. She had threatened their people and now she was gone. As was good and right. But the thought of Caden and Iolaire going with Mei and Xipil was causing it to smoke and steam

We will pull Xipil’s wings off if it is even suggested! Raziel roared.

Iolaire's cooling presence wrapped around his fiery Spirit. Peace. Will never leave you.

Iolaire’s words swept into Valerius’ mind easily. Raziel’s smoke and fire banked slightly and its red eyes hooded.

Will not let you go, Raziel muttered.

“What was that? Were they… talking to one another directly?” Caden realized.

“I think so. We are, evidently, in their way,” Valerius remarked dryly.

Caden drained all of his wine in one long swallow, having become somber again. His right leg bobbed up and down. “Keeping this secret is just me being selfish, trying to go home again in a way that I can’t anymore, and… and it's got to end, Valerius.”

Valerius felt a tightness fill his chest. While he had never craved the spotlight or to rule, it was a part of him. Caden was being forced to abandon all he knew. Any sense of young adulthood he had would be gone. His past life would forever be past.

I can’t let him do this.

“I will handle things with Mei,” Valerius told him firmly. “You can--”

“No.” Caden reached for his hands and threaded their fingers together, holding onto him tightly. “No, Valerius. You are not going to have to pay anything more for me to hide. Maybe I’m not the right person for this, but Serai’s actions have shown me that I can’t not try to make things better. And I can do more out of the shadows. I’m done hiding that I’m the White Dragon Shifter.”