Chapter 12 Characteristics #3
“It’s time to get out of the car, my babies!” Illarion popped open the car door and the dogs eagerly jumped out. One of them stomped on Illarion’s crotch again. Valerius really was all smiles. “You need to have someone take all my plushies inside for the dogs.”
“I’ll make sure the dog toys get where they should get,” Valerius muttered as he tossed one of the toys that had migrated near the shifter.
He and Caden then joined the Green Dragon King as the dogs raced to the doors that swung wide.
Tilly, Rose, and Marban stood on the threshold.
Immediately, Tilly dropped down into a crouch and opened her arms for Vanya and Viski.
They ran right to her, tails wagging, tongues lolling out and barking eagerly.
She kissed, petted and hugged them both.
“Vanya and Viski! Did you have a fun outing? Yes, you did! You did!” Tilly enthused.
Valerius was amused to note that a thirteen-year-old girl and Illarion had the exact same inflection when speaking to Vanya and Viski.
Marban patted one of their heads, but kept firmly to his feet as he looked on benevolently.
Rose held her skirts close to her legs. She was not a dog person evidently.
“Rose, Tilly, Marban!” Caden greeted them and walked up briskly to say hello.
He embraced his sister and got some sloppy licks from the dogs, gave Rose a kiss on the cheek and a warm handshake from Marban.
“Where are you all off to?” Caden asked eagerly.
Maybe a little too eagerly. He was not getting out of the fitting. Valerius prepared himself to scoop up the White Dragon King and bodily carry him inside.
“We’re doing a lottery in the Below, remember?” Tilly asked.
“Right! All the kids got to enter and you’re picking five and their families to come to the wedding?” Caden brightened.
Tilly nodded eagerly.
“It’s the one time that while people want to win, they know they won’t lose even if they’re not chosen,” Rose said warmly.
Caden glanced back at Valerius, smiling proudly. They’d made some changes, a lot of changes, to the Below in three months. “Yeah? People are excited for the party?”
“The Below is a very different place these days.” Marban smiled benevolently. “Our two good kings have lifted up the lowest of us so no one is drowning anymore.”
“And there will be more to come of that,” Caden said.
“There will always be inequality, but yes, I think things are improving vastly,” Marban admitted.
Valerius met his gaze evenly. His newest Councillor was still one to challenge him, but it was to move him on issues he might not see. Marban’s old ways weren’t completely gone. There was still a need for stealth and treachery against their enemies. But now they were friends.
“Do you want to come, Caden? I bet people would love to see Iolaire!” Tilly offered.
“Oh, no!” Valerius put a firm arm around his mate’s shoulders. “We have a fitting to get to. I already had to track him down once today.”
“Working in the Emporium?” Rose indicated the yellow, fabric unicorn horn that lay lopsided on top of the hood.
Caden blushed and tugged the hood off. Valerius smoothed his hair down.
“Yeah, I just was checking on Landry, because of the sentencing happening today,” Caden admitted. “I wasn’t avoiding the fitting!” When Valerius gave him another hard look, he admitted again, “Not just avoiding it.”
“I’d pay to see Jasper Hawes in prison,” Rose said with a tight look.
“I’ve watched them lead him with handcuffs on from the courtroom like fifty times on Youtube,” Tilly admitted with a sigh. “It never gets old.”
“The best revenge is seeing him scorned by all those who once followed him. Hypocrisy is acid to one’s reputation,” Marban said. “And don’t worry, I’ll get video of him for you to see. I have friends in low places.”
“Well, we should not keep you. We must find Anwar,” Valerius said.
“He’s with Fadel in the south tower,” Tilly said, looking sad. “I wish… I wish Fadel would come back. It’s not right that his body is right there and his soul is…” She shrugged helplessly.
“I know, Till.” Caden squeezed her shoulder.
They allowed the others to leave before the three of them and the dogs went to find Anwar.
Like Tilly had said, he was in the south tower with Fadel.
A hospital bed was set up very in a sunny room.
The balcony doors were thrown open. A handsome man lay seemingly sleeping on white sheets.
Two nurses and a full time physician monitored him.
There were electronic devices measuring every breath he took, every beat of his heart, everything.
Anwar had one of his legs uncovered and was gently pushing it up towards his torso, exercising it.
“You’re doing so well, Fadel,” Anwar murmured.
The Silver Dragon King’s dark hair was unusually messy.
He wore a pure white thawb, an ankle-length garment with long sleeves worn in many places in the Arab world.
He continued to exercise Fadel’s legs even as he noticed they were there.
The three of them were hanging back by the door as if uncertain of their welcome.
Caden laced the fingers of one hand through Valerius’ and held on tight.
Valerius did the same. Illarion petted the dogs who also stayed away.
“Come in, come in. Fadel and I are just finishing up his exercises for this morning,” Anwar said with a faint smile. “There we go. All done.”
He tenderly stretched out Fadel’s leg and covered it with the sheet. He squeezed Fadel’s covered ankle before fully turning towards them.
“No change, I take it?” Caden asked softly.
That smile dipped a few degrees. “No, but his body is strong. It will… last for some time.”
They all fell silent except for the low beeping of the machines. Illarion broke the silence by letting out a low growl.
“You mustn’t give up,” Illarion said, which shocked just about everyone.
Anwar, slightly nettled, answered sharply, “I have not--”
“No, I mean really you shouldn’t.” Illarion began to pace. All of them--including the dogs--watched him warily. “I shouldn’t say this until I have something, but I must! Because you look so beaten down and…” He stopped and shook his head.
“For the Spirits sake, Illarion, spit it out!” Valerius demanded.
“I was speaking with Vozyth and she said that the earlier humans the Behemoth overtook did not stay near the crater,” Illarion stated. “They ran as far away from there as they could.”
Anwar blinked slowly as if not quite believing what he was hearing. But then he shook himself. “But all the others automatically went back to their bodies no matter where they were!”
“No, they did not. If you look at who has remained in a coma, or whatever you call this,” Illarion gestured to Fadel, “they were taken first. They didn’t cluster like the others did near Raziel and Iolaire’s lair.”
“Raziel warned us that the longer the spirits were in the Spirit World they might be trapped there,” Anwar argued again.
“Yes, but what is a long time to a Dragon? What is time at all?” Illarion pointed out. “Maybe these others did not return because they were too far away from one of the entry points to this world when the Behemoth was destroyed.”
“Meaning if they were brought near one of those entry points they would return to their bodies?” Caden asked, grasping Illarion’s meaning before the others.
Illarion nodded. “I have had Vozyth and Mephous searching, but it will be best if they leave from Raziel and Iolaire’s lair as that is closer to their likely entry point--”
“You sent Mephous out of its lair?” Anwar interrupted. “To--to search for Fadel? You left yourself vulnerable?”
Illarion nodded. “Yes, well, how else are we going to find him and bring him back--umph!”
The Green Dragon King was engulfed in a hug by Anwar.
Caden had tears in his eyes as he squeezed Valerius’ hand.
Valerius found himself feeling a little choked up.
He met Illarion’s gaze over Anwar’s shoulder.
Valerius found himself giving a slight nod to Illarion.
A nod of appreciation. A nod of respect. Illarion smiled in return.
This was why they were best friends.
Finally, recovering himself, Anwar pulled back and unabashedly wiped tears of joy from his eyes. “Thank you, Illarion.”
Illarion awkwardly patted Anwar’s shoulder. “It might not work. Maybe I shouldn’t have gotten your hopes up, but--”
“No, no, I’m so glad you did. I was losing all hope. This helps. I’ll know that we’ve done all we can if this doesn’t work,” Anwar answered. He wiped his eyes again and straightened his shoulders. “Now I can focus on making you all look beautiful for this wedding. Come! I have things to show you.”