The White Dragon Revealed (Dragon's Reign #5)

15. Faithful

FAITHFUL

I olaire shot through the Gash like a white arrow and was out into the day. The blue sky and scudding white clouds that were as insubstantial as cotton candy were so welcome after the closed, almost suffocating interior of the Below.

Caden’s heart though was pumping not from the exertion of flying or the beauty of the day, but fear. Any moment, the frail and tiny human in his hand could explode and he would be able to do nothing. Even though it would only be one death on his conscience--one that had chosen to do this--Caden knew he would be haunted by their death forever. And as a Shifter, forever had a very real meaning now.

Just as they cleared Reach, Caden heard an explosion behind them. They jerked their head around and saw through the Gash the huge form of Raziel inside of the Below. Red “rain” fell down from Raziel onto the crowd. It was blood. It was…

There was another bomber! Caden cried to Iolaire. Valerius! Raziel! Are they okay?

Iolaire let out an agitated sound. But then Caden got the image of Iolaire and Raziel touching foreheads. Nearly touching rather. All was fine. Valerius and Raziel could not be hurt by a bomb any more than they could. Even though Caden understood that, intellectually, he still felt sick with worry.

We need to get this one as far away from people as possible, Iolaire!

Iolaire let him glance down at the figure in their right clawed forelimb as they continued to fly. The Faith member’s hood was flattened against their face so he couldn’t see who they were. But if they were one member of his mom’s group, he would recognize them. Hell, he would know them personally. His mother had her Faith buddies over for dinners frequently. His only hope was that they had called in others to join them for the day’s events. He mentally pleaded for that to be true.

Who is this? Who would be willing to kill themselves and others?

Iolaire made a low soft moan of regret that anyone would take life so easily. The White Dragon Spirit then started to circle a field to land in. They were far from anyone or any structures. They could easily be seen by the bomb unit coming from Reach, but far enough away from anyone that they could easily take off if curious onlookers approached. They would not allow anyone to be hurt if they could help it.

Iolaire softly landed on the tilled field. Their claws dug deep into the rich earth and the scent of living things rose up to their nose. Both of them gazed down at the member of the Faith still clutched in their claws. The person was breathing heavily--actually hyperventilating--and trying to move, but was unable to.

Let’s find out who this is, shall we, Iolaire?

Iolaire twittered in agreement. They reached over with their left clawed forelimb and delicately pulled the hood back. Long blond hair covered the Faith member’s face. There was a sprinkling of gray in it. But even without seeing her face, Caden recognized her.

Her name was Jennifer Pascal. She was a woman in her mid-fifties who often spoke in a low, whispery voice and had eyes full of zeal when she talked about the wonder of the Spirits. He remembered, specifically, one visit she’d had to his house where she’d encountered a spider and had insisted on carrying it outside instead of smooshing it like his mother had wanted to do.

But here she was.

With a bomb.

Trying to kill people .

She looked up at him out of those eyes which were wide again, but this time with fear instead of wonder. He almost relished that. She should be afraid. If she was going to hurt people then she was his enemy! He tilted her back so that he could see the detonator hanging five inches below her fingertips. She must have dropped it which was why she hadn’t detonated herself like the one that Valerius had caught.

“White Dragon,” she said in that same whispery voice he remembered. The voice she’d used when asking Caden for a second glass of lemonade.“Oh, White Dragon, you are so beautiful. So precious. Yes, you are worth it all.”

They shook her with anger and her head snapped back and forth. Frustration filled him as he wanted to shout at her but could not, “WHY? WHY DID YOU DO THIS? WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS?”

He guessed he knew the answer. She hoped that some of the people that were killed would bond with Spirits and be saved. Those that weren’t… Well, they didn’t matter evidently. There would be more Shifters in the world. It didn’t matter how many humans were lost for their gain.

Caden! Valerius called to him.

Iolaire! Raziel cried to the White Dragon Spirit.

Their neck swiveled around to see Valerius shift into the massive Black Dragon just outside of the Gash. Valerius must have shifted back inside the Below, raced out of the Gash, and then shifted again. Both Caden and Iolaire’s spirits lifted at seeing them.

“The Black Dragon,” Jennifer squeaked and he felt a tremor go through her.

He didn’t blame her fear at the sight of Raziel. Seeing the Black Dragon approach was like seeing a fire-breathing locomotive stream down the tracks. Valerius was to them in seconds as Raziel’s massive wings sent them through the air like a rocket. They landed nearby, digging deep furrows into the earth as they skidded to a halt. Immediately, Raziel was moving to Iolaire. It pressed its forehead against Iolaire’s. It reminded Caden of how mated swans greeted one another. The Dragons gave a deep sigh of pleasure as if it were a relief to touch.

He could feel Raziel’s hot breath and the stink of sulfurous fires, which wreathed the Black Dragon’s mighty fangs. Iolaire fluttered its wings in pleasure and twittered at Raziel who let out some deep purring sounds from its throat. For a moment, both dragons closed their eyes.

Caden, are you all right? Valerius asked.

I’m fine! What about you? Caden cried. There was another bomber, wasn’t there?

Not just one. Three. Kaila has caught the other. She will be joining us shortly, Valerius explained.

A third!

Iolaire’s eyes opened as they heard another set of wings flapping. Sure enough, Lana was coming towards them. Lana’s iridescent aquamarine colored scales made it appear as if part of the Caribbean ocean had taken flight. She landed heavily near them with another Faith member clutched in her left clawed forelimb. Caden was grateful that, like Iolaire, she was small enough to get through the Gash. From the crumbled rocks that still dusted Lana’s broad shoulders though, he could see it had been a much tighter fit for them to get through.

The three Dragons regarded one another. Lana’s bright yellow-orange eyes sparkled with mirth as she took in the swan-like activities of the Black and White Dragons. He could almost hear Kaila’s laughter. Finally, Lana surprised them all by lowering her head to both Iolaire and Raziel. After a moment, Raziel inclined its head curtly.

Iolaire stepped over to Lana and gave a twitter of greeting. Lana lifted its head, eyes widening with surprise and then pleasure, before Lana let out a sound similar to that of a dolphin. More twittering from Iolaire. The two of them were talking though Caden could not understand them. They pressed their cheeks together as if they were old friends. They only moved away from one another when Raziel’s massive head lowered to break them apart, evidently jealous.

Did Raziel just have a jealous moment there, Valerius? Caden laughed .

I think so! Valerius sounded amused.

Lana chirps too loudly, Raziel suddenly muttered and there was a slightly embarrassed, affronted tone to its usual grumble.

Oh, right, Raziel. Nice try there! You just want Iolaire all to yourself! Caden told the Black Dragon Spirit.

That just had Caden laughing harder, which he knew was partly from hysteria. Someone had died. So many others nearly had. His mental chuckles quickly faded away.

Caden, I am going to shift back to my human form. I want to start speaking to these people, Valerius told him. I think in the presence of three Dragons they will be awed into perhaps telling us the truth.

Right! Is… is my mom okay? I mean--

She’s fine, Caden, though like the other Faith members, she is being questioned by the Claw, Valerius said. Don’t worry though. It is a formality. Your mother is one of the few people we can be sure is not behind this.

Yeah, she’ll be devastated to find out that the Faith is behind the bombings. Or, at least, some of them are anyways, Caden stated. It can’t be all of them, right?

With a grunt of agreement, Valerius shifted once into his human form. Iolaire lowered Jennifer to the ground, though it did not release her, while Lana--realizing what they were up to, did the same. Valerius stalked over to Lana’s prisoner and pulled their hood back. Caden let out a gasp, which Valerius heard over their link.

Do you know him, Caden?

I do. His name is Cary Stewart. He’s a librarian at Reach University, Caden said as he then told Valerius who Jennifer was as well. He explained everything he knew about them, which admittedly wasn’t much.

Looking between the dreamy Jennifer and the studious Cary, Caden had a sense of unreality. Of all the people who he would have suspected, these two would not have been on the list. Both of them were mild mannered. Both were fully committed to the Faith though as well. They worshiped Shifters and spoke of the Spirits in hushed, reverential tones. But still, Caden would never have suspected either of them being willing to kill to bring more Shifters into the world.

I don’t understand this, Caden told Valerius. These guys are really into Shifters and Spirits, but they’ve always been the type that Spirits have a plan, you know? Like they would never dream of putting their judgment before a Spirit’s. Until now...

I see, Valerius answered as he looked grimly at the owlishly-blinking Cary. The man usually wore glasses but he didn’t have them on today and was clearly having trouble focusing on Valerius. We shall find out.

“Are there timers on your bombs?” Valerius asked the two prisoners.

Both Cary and Jennifer cringed when Valerius spoke. His voice was arctic and even Caden felt a little like shrinking down, not wanting to have Valerius speak that way to him.

“ Answer me ,” Valerius hissed, leaning in until there was but an inch between his nose and Cary’s.

“N-no,” Cary gasped out, his voice reedy and thin.

“If you are lying to me,” Valerius pointed a finger against his chest, “it will not be just you who suffers, but all those you care about!”

Caden didn’t believe Valerius would hurt innocents, but his temper was notorious enough that these two believed it.

“There’s not! We swear!” Jennifer cried. “It was thought too risky if we were delayed in getting into the Below.”

I think they’re telling the truth, Valerius, Caden admitted. Though he was haunted by Serai biting a poisoned tooth, these two hadn’t attempted to take their lives so far. What were they promised, Valerius? Why would they do this?

There were wails from sirens in the far distance as the Claw and the police came to disarm the bombs. Valerius pointed to where the sound was originating from, which was still some distance away.

“That could be the sound of your saviors or your doom.” Valerius jerked away the robe to show the vest that Cary wore that was packed with explosives. “Why would you do this?”

“Because it has to be done! Don’t you know that? Don’t you understand?” Cary asked, his face pinked with effort to explain .

“Understand why you would kill yourself and innocents? No, I do not understand,” Valerius growled.

“The amount of Shifters being created must increase!” Jennifer cried. “And quickly!”

“Why?” Valerius scowled at her.

“Humans destroy everything, especially if it is good,” Cary said softly and his head fell forward. Some of his thinning reddish brown hair waved in the breeze.

“Yes, through your bombs ,” Valerius growled.

“No! I mean… yes, some will die, but those that live are so much more important!” Jennifer tilted her head towards Caden and Iolaire.

Caden swallowed. Tell her that she’s wrong! One White Dragon was not worth all the people who would have died if they had been successful!

“Iolaire does not agree with you. Iolaire is in pain at what you sought to do,” Valerius told Cary and Jennifer.

“We don’t want to hurt people, but it’s the only way to stop the war that’s coming,” Cary said.

What war? What is he talking about? Caden demanded to know.

“The only war coming is the one you are starting,” Valerius said.

But Cary vigorously shook his head. “Jasper Hawes and Humans First aren’t an aberration. They aren’t some fringe movement. As things get worse and worse for humanity, humanity will do what it does best: destroy that which stands in its way.”

“As strong as you all are,” Jennifer picked up, “there are simply more humans than there are Shifters. And while the Dragons are immune to bombs and bullets, the other Shifters are not. Humans will call your bluff about what you’re willing to do to them in response. Will the Dragons lay waste to the entirety of the world? No. It would make you rulers of nothing.”

Cary vigorously nodded his head. “Don’t you see? While there will always be those that fear you, desperation will make others ignore that fear and do terrible things. That desperation has been growing and growing. It’s coming to a head.”

Caden was stunned by their words, but what bothered him--what scared him--was that he could see the logic in them. It was terrible logic. It was utterly desperate. But were they wrong that humanity would rise up against the Shifters? They had 30-years of relative peace, but things were changing as the division between haves and have-nots, or rather the Shifters and humans, became more and more stark.

He thought of his own father’s frustration with the way things were. If Caden hadn’t become the White Dragon Shifter, his father’s role at the firm would have continued to go downhill. His assignments would become less and less. His role circumscribed. He’d told Caden that it was all but decided how many humans would have to be hired. A quota. But no clients wanted humans representing them. Or, at the very least, no human would be the main attorney.

“It takes away hope, Caden,” his father had told him. “Before you could aspire to be anything.”

“But, Dad, even before there were people who would never be a lawyer, because of the circumstances of their birth and--”

“Yes, that’s true, but the amount of people who are now in that position is so much greater,” his father answered. “The potential for rising up from where you began was there before. Maybe it was an illusion for some. But now? You can’t become a Shifter through hard work. No matter what you do, unless you luck out with becoming a Shifter, you are stuck.”

“Well, what do you want Shifters to do about it? I mean, there are more humans than Shifters, but just as many humans want to have the Raven Shifter lawyer instead of the human one or the military packed with Werewolves instead of human soldiers,” Caden pointed out with a touch of exasperation. “Humans have a choice about all of that!”

“Yes, they do.” His father’s shoulders slumped and he ran a hand through his hair. “It’s hard to put yourself at a perceived disadvantage. You want the best. We all want the best. But what if the best will never be human? What then?”

What then would be people like Landry going to jail because her brothers’ desperation had turned to hatred.

“Do you think that setting bombs and killing people will win people to your cause?” Valerius asked Cary and Jennifer with a shake of his long dark hair.

“We are not trying to win people over,” Jennifer said sadly. “We are just doing what must be done. What is the best for everyone. We don’t expect to be revered for it, or even understood.”

“But you expect to be Shifters because of it, don’t you?” Valerius pointed out. His hands went to his hips as he stared hard at both of them. “Tell me you did not!”

“Of course, there is that hope,” Cary admitted with a wry smile. “I would so love to be worthy of--”

“Being a Shifter does not make you worthy !” Valerius snapped. “Believe me, if good people were the only people who were changed, I would not be here. Many would not be here.”

“You have the soul of a warrior, King Valerius. No one expects you to be a saint. That is not your nature,” Jennifer told him.

“Why do you think Shifters are better than humans?” Valerius scoffed.

“Shifters may not be better but it is through them that the Spirits get to experience this world.” Jennifer looked dreamy. “Tell me that it is not a blessed thing to allow Raziel physical form in this world. Tell me that Raziel does not add something… inexpressibly wonderful to our existence.”

Valerius frowned, but said nothing.

She’s right about that, Caden said to Valerius.

“There may be Shifters that are not good stewards for all Spirits, but the destruction of one leads to the destruction of both,” Cary explained. “They must be protected and the only way to do that is to bring more into our existence. Humanity must be made to see that a war with the Shifters will only lead to its likely decimation. The more Shifters there are, the better the odds.”

“Bombs are not the answer,” Valerius told him with a look of disgust.

“It’s not just bombs. You should talk to King Illarion about the suicides in the camps,” Jennifer told him. “Speak to King Anwar about the empty villages where people have gone off into the desert to die or come back as Shifters. Ask Queen Kaila here about the drownings. There are more and more. Ask her.”

Valerius looked over at Kaila. Lana’s eyes had widened as if it was surprised at the Faith member’s words, but then a worried expression crossed Lana’s face.

Valerius… are they right? Is this happening? Caden heard the panic in his voice and the dread.

I sense I am not the only Dragon who has failed to see everything in his territory, Valerius answered grimly.

“In every territory, the Faithful are doing what they must,” Cary said.

“Why kill others? Why not kill yourselves?” Valerius asked.

“Even if every one of the Faithful was to turn into a Shifter--which we do not--it would not be enough to bolster the Shifter ranks to dissuade the violence humans will inflict upon them,” Jennifer answered simply. “Besides, there must be some who remain behind and spread the word.”

Is every member of the Faith a part of this? Caden asked. I know my mom isn’t! I mean… she can’t be… can she?

The sound of sirens and the blue and red flashing lights of the police and Claw were much nearer now. They had left Reach and were racing over the country roads to get there and remove the bombs. Caden feared what would happen if the vests could not be successfully removed.

“You will tell me the names of everyone involved in this plot!” Valerius snapped as if he realized that their chances to get more information would fade once the Claw got there.

“We don’t know,” Jennifer said. “I was not even aware that Cary was one of us before now.”

So… sleeper cells? That’s what they’re called right? Caden asked.

Yes, that would be the name for it, Valerius agreed.

“So we need to imprison every member of the Faith then?” Valerius crossed his arms over his chest.

“You can’t,” Jennifer replied. She was not defensive. She was not terrified at the prospect. It was just a simple statement of fact .

“Oh? Why not?” Valerius asked.

“Because you’ll never be able to identify us all. Many don’t even come to the prayer groups. Most don’t wear white. And the word will spread far and wide if you persecute the Faith,” Jennifer answered. “Even today’s failed plan will have the benefit of drawing in new believers as whispers of the truth get out.”

Valerius leaned in towards Jennifer. “I assure you that no one will know of this insane plan you have. No one will hear from either of you again. There will be no trial. No lawyers. No statements. Nothing. You will simply disappear.”

Alarm appeared on Cary’s face for a moment. “You can’t do that!”

“Of course, I can,” Valerius told him with a coldness that was chilling to hear. “You are already gone. You just don’t know it yet.”

The wail of sirens was deafening as the police vehicles screeched to a halt fifty feet from them.

“King Valerius, you can’t stop this,” Jennifer said with head held high.

“We’re doing what’s best for Shifters and humanity,” Cary added, also looking serene.

Valerius stared at them both. “The Faithful do not rule this world. The Dragons do. And we will stop you.”

Story Continues in Book 6!

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