Chapter 1 #2
“Holy hell!” Illarion laughed and pounded the back of the seat. “Keep watching those movies! You can control the water in people!”
“Apparently so,” Esme chuckled, appearing pleased.
The road ahead of them was clear. Jahara hit the gas and they jolted forward. They practically rocketed over the bridge to High Reach. The other SUVs were in hot pursuit. The horde could not be seen, but Valerius knew that they would be following in due time. Esme’s water trick had not killed them.
The SUVs roared into the main courtyard. Valerius opened the door, but he couldn’t lift Caden up and carry him out. Helplessness smashed into him.
“Hold on, hold on, I’ll be right there,” Illarion said, but not unkindly. In fact, there was worry etched into the Green Dragon King’s face.
“I must look bad for you to be fussing,” Valerius muttered as Illarion made his way around the car.
“No, I just want to make you owe me more. And carrying you like a bride again in front of everyone,” Illarion chuckled.
Valerius could only manage a faint smile.
Illarion gently lifted Caden’s still body from Valerius’ arms and handed him tenderly to Jahara again who hurried towards the entrance to High Reach.
Even though Caden had just been a dead weight in his arms, not having his body to cradle felt wrong.
He bit back the cry for the young man. They needed to get inside.
Illarion leaned in once more and lifted Valerius into his arms.
“Treasure this moment, Valerius,” Illarion said. “For it will be the last time I have to do it.”
Valerius just closed his eyes for a second. He couldn’t feel Raziel or Caden. He felt empty. Like a hollow vessel, fragile and about to break.
The other SUVs screeched to a halt behind them. In addition to the other Dragon Shifters, who clumped around Illarion and Valerius with wide eyes and drawn faces, his two favorite Claw Captains Simi and Ngoye were there.
“Close the gate,” Valerius muttered.
“Already done,” Simi said.
“We have the Claw already lining the walls to face any that come,” Ngoye said.
“What sort of force are we to use?” Simi asked.
Valerius grimaced. Landry was weeping. Her brothers were holding and comforting her. Jasper was seated on a rock, white-faced and staggered.
“High Reach is strong. Try to use non-lethal methods for as long as you can, but… but you are cleared to kill,” Valerius said.
Simi and Ngoye crossed their arms over their chests and hurried away to command the Claw.
“Is there any way for the horde to get in from below? Or is the bridge the only way?” Mei asked.
“The bridge is it,” Valerius said.
“Thank the gods! Your whole city is like swiss cheese! You need to rethink things, Valerius,” Illarion said with a shake of his head.
“Let’s get him inside,” Kaila urged.
“He truly does not look well,” Tez said, looking none too well himself.
At that moment, the doors to High Reach burst open and Tilly burst out of them, running full speed for Valerius. Behind her were Marban, Chione, Wally and Rose. All three of them looked shocked to their cores at his appearance. Tilly immediately ran up to him.
“Valerius! Valerius! What’s happened? Are you okay?” Tilly asked.
“Doesn’t he look beautiful in my arms, little girl?” Illarion drawled.
She ignored him. “Where’s--where’s Caden? Why isn’t he holding you if you’re hurt?”
She must not have realized that Caden had been brought into the throne room.
Valerius swallowed. He couldn’t speak the words to her that her brother’s soul was dislodged from his body, that he was captive in the Spirit Realm, that he was facing the Behemoth with just Raziel.
Anwar stepped in. He sank down on his haunches so that he and Tilly were about eye to eye.
“Tilly, you are a brave spirit. I knew it from the first moment we met. So I know that you will understand what I tell you and still have hope,” Anwar said. “Caden is a captive of the Behemoth. We are going to save him and everyone.”
She gasped and her eyes went huge. But she swallowed whatever cry wanted to escape her lips. Esme put her hands on Tilly’s slender shoulders.
“Caden needs you to be strong, Tilly. You need to tell your parents and manage them,” Esme told her.
Tilly’s lower lip trembled, but she straightened. With a jerky nod, she acknowledged what they had all said. Showing she was Caden’s sister, she asked, “Can I do anything else?”
“No, we just need you to keep your parents calm and safely out of the fray,” Anwar told her.
Another nod. She wiped tears from her eyes and turned to go back into the castle.
Valerius called to her softly, “Tilly.” She turned and he said, “We will get Caden back. I promise.”
“I know. You’ll save us all, King Valerius,” she said and ran out of sight.
Valerius felt a well of despair open up inside of him. Thankfully, she hadn’t waited to hear a response.
“What can we do? There must be something we can do!” Rose cried as she came clattering down the steps.
Chione came to him. Her hands went all over him. Her eyes widened.
“Raziel…” She stopped.
“Isn’t with me. Fighting the Behemoth with Caden. The other Dragon Spirits… they need to do the same… through the mirror,” Valerius got out.
“We need to be protected until the Behemoth is defeated,” Mei said. “Then, hopefully, we’ll all be right again.”
“Can Sphinxes fight?” Kaila asked. She had been facing towards the gate that led out onto the bridge. She pointed. “The horde is here.”
The people moved as a single unit. They filled the bridge from railing to railing and were coming enmass like a locomotive that would not be stopped. Claw shifted at the gate becoming lions, tigers, werewolves and other big animals. Only Simi kept his human form as he barked orders.
“Sphinxes can fight.” Chione nodded, passing her hand over Valerius’ forehead. “We fight for our king.”
“Chione…” Valerius breathed.
That she would fight for him as she had for the god-kings of old when she knew all his foibles and how unworthy he was of his current position touched him deeply.
She leaned down and kissed his forehead. “I will keep you safe.”
Few had seen a Sphinx Shifter in human form, let alone in Spirit. Chione stepped back away from them so that she was in the center of the courtyard. She passed a hand in front of her face and, for a moment, Valerius could smell the desert. His heart lifted.
“Desert flower. Desert queen,” Anwar murmured.
Then with a small smile Chione shifted. There was the dazzling gold of the sun and the sand.
And before them, about half the size of a titanic dragon, stood a sphinx.
The head remained human though immeasurably large and styled like that of the pharaohs of old.
The body was that of a lioness, massive and powerful.
Her tail swished around her. She lifted her falcon’s wings and flapped them.
She rose up above them and looked down at them with golden eyes.
“Now that is beautiful,” Wally breathed.
It was. Valerius couldn’t help but smile at her beauty and strength. She was truly otherworldly.
“Hiding her light in a barrel,” Tez murmured. “She is golden just like Eldoron! Gold is the color of the gods.”
No one disagreed with him. She flew towards the bridge and the horde.
Marban then stepped forward with Wally and Rose.
“I’ve already sent word to my people, Valerius,” Marban said. “While this group faces the horde from this direction, we will come up the back.”
“Bet the horde doesn’t like being stung,” Rose murmured.
“Rats are no fun either.” Wally slammed one hand into his palm. “Will wasps be joining us?”
“Oh, I think so.” Marban smiled. It was not a nice smile.
“Don’t kill them if you… if you can. The souls of the people are still around,” Valerius told them.
“We’ll do our best, but sacrifices will have to be made and it shall not be on our side,” Marban told him.
“I understand. Use your judgment, Marban,” Valerius said.
The wily Swarm Shifter stilled for a moment. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but instead just nodded. The three of them shifted. The horde of wasps and bees soared over the walls in a wall of darkness while hundreds of rats filtered through the gate.
“Come on. Let’s get inside and get this over with before the Behemoth figures out what we’re up to and shifts here,” Illarion muttered.
“Caden and Raziel must be distracting it, making it unwilling to come here and shift,” Mei agreed.
“I ripped Vozyth’s head off,” Illarion repeated happily. “Mephous and I can take on all comers.”
“Except we need to have Mephous in the Spirit Realm,” Valerius reminded him.
He grimaced.
“Let’s hurry,” Mei said. “That distraction might not last for long.”
Illarion carried Valerius in with the other Dragon Shifters in tow. They ran to the throne room. Jahara’s Wise Women were stationed at all the doorways.
“What are all these little old ladies doing here?” Illarion snorted. “Will they coo our enemies to death?”
The nearest little old lady flipped a switch on what appeared to be a rifle. There was a whine and the barrel of the rifle turned purple.
“If by coo you mean sever spinal chords then yes, King Illarion, that is exactly what we will do,” she said with a toothy smile.
Illarion lifted an eyebrow. “I stand corrected. Honored to have you at our backs.”
“Good boy.” She patted his elbow.
Valerius chuckled. “You’re learning, Illarion.”
Illarion looked unrepentant as he said, “Of course, Jahara would have warriors who look like sweet grandmotherly types and children.”
“Yes, unfortunately, she has learned to be prepared,” Valerius murmured.
Illarion carried him past the Wise Women into the throne room. Valerius’ head turned towards the mirror the moment Illarion brought him inside. Jahara was already speaking to Zephyra. The medium-sized dragon was nodding its understanding of what they were to do.
Caden’s form was lying on a sofa that had been brought in.
Illarion took Valerius right to him. He cradled Caden’s head in his lap, leaning down and kissing the cool flesh.
Caden was not in this body. He prayed for it to survive until Caden was returned.
Then he looked up at the mirror. But Raziel and Iolaire were not there. Valerius swallowed.
The other Dragon Shifters filtered into the room.
One by one, their dragons appeared in the mirror in Raziel and Iolaire’s lair.
There was Scylla, Eldoron, Xipil, Lana, Zephyra, Evren and, finally, Mephous.
Landry and her brothers were backed into a corner, eyes wide with fear.
Jasper, white-faced and gasping, was being stared at like a cat would eye a mouse by Mephous.
He curled an arm around his head, trying to hide.
“They’ve all agreed to do as we’ve asked, King Valerius,” Jahara said formally, turning back to him and Caden.
He looked at the humans and Dragon Spirits, trying to put all of his gratefulness and strength he had into that gaze. “Thank you. All of you.”
“We rise or fall together,” Jahara said with a smile and a bow. “King Valerius, you bring us to battle once more and we hear your call.”
“We will prevail,” Anwar said.
“I wish we could be in on the fight,” Kaila frowned.
Tez put an arm around her. “There’s going to be quite a bit of excitement already without us getting more involved.”
“We shall await your return,” Esme said to the Dragons. “Eagerly, I think.”
“We will return to you,” Zephyra assured them.
Illarion grimaced and sat down by Valerius. “I better get comfortable before I, too, become a doll without sand.”
One by one, the Dragon Spirits exited the lair.
Valerius watched as their human counterpart gasped, groaned and clutched their chests.
Tez staggered and went to his knees. Kaila caught him and held him close.
Esme leaned against the mirror and breathed deeply.
She looked frail suddenly, her shoulders curving forward.
Anwar grimaced and clutched the front of his shirt.
He was shaking. Jahara sank to her knees, but in prayer, not weakness.
She closed her eyes and rocked. Mei held her head and paced.
Valerius looked over at Illarion. The Green Dragon King stared straight ahead. His jaw was working. Clenching and unclenching. He slowly turned towards Valerius.
“Everything I said about you, I take it back. This is worse than you made it out to be,” Illarion said. “I need Mephous back.”
Valerius reached over and squeezed his shoulder. “Mephous will return to you. All the Dragons will return.”