“And Kaila… she doesn’t interact much with people, but she seems less carefree than in the past,” Illarion stated as he stroked his chin. “Esme missed Serai’s betrayal perhaps because she has so many things to manage.”
“I think Tez came here to get away from his territory. I heard him speaking to Esme about after all of this if he could come and stay with her,” Valerius said. “Anwar has been gathering information about Behemoth to bring to us, so he, too, knew he could not be alone in facing these things.”
“And Jahara wants all of us to live with her,” Illarion finished.
“Yes.”
Illarion then snorted. “Can you imagine us all on one continent?!”
“I don’t know. We’ve been just fine in one castle,” Valerius said.
“Point taken.” Illarion scrubbed a hand through his hair again. “This feels mad, you know? Trusting you. But it doesn’t. Of everyone… you would not betray me. I know this. I feel this.”
“I won’t. I know how much it cost you to admit what you did to me,” Valerius said quietly.
“It wasn’t easy for you either,” Illarion pointed out.
“No, it was not. And yet… it was. There was a moment when we all flew around the Earth 30 years ago where it seemed… well, all quite possible,” Valerius told him. “Do you know what I mean?”
“Yes, I felt it. Clan. Pack. Whatever a group of Dragons would be called. If we had one, it should be something cool. Did you know a group of crows is called a murder of crows? We should have a name like that.” Illarion bobbed his head as if agreeing with his own suggestion.
“Okay, I leave it to you to fight with the others about what we’re called,” Valerius laughed softly.
“You should be called dead Dragons,” the Behemoth’s voice came out of Ross or Harvey’s mouth, Valerius didn’t know which.
Illarion’s head snapped around towards them. His jaw opened and Valerius saw the beginnings of poisonous mist forming.
“No, wait! Don’t kill them!” Valerius cried.
Illarion grimaced, but closed his lips. “I am not giving up the idea altogether.”
“No, I know, but not yet. Don’t kill them… yet,” Valerius said.
Only if there is no hope for them then… then it might be a mercy, Valerius thought.
He struggled to sit up again. Suddenly, Illarion’s hand was in front of his face. He looked up at the Green Dragon King and there was the slightest nod. Valerius gripped it and Illarion hauled him to his feet and kept him steady. Valerius turned towards Ross and Harvey, who had been expertly tied up with wire hangers.
“That was creative use of household implements, Illarion,” Valerius said.
“Wire hangers should never be used on fine clothing. Rust,” Illarion explained. “So this is the only truly good use for them.”
It was Valerius’ turn to snort. “Indeed.” Then he turned his back on the brothers and leaned in so only Illarion would hear him. “If they do anything like they did before, we must act. None of my powers are non-lethal either. But we must try not to kill them.”
Illarion merely nodded. Valerius then turned back around and stared down at the two brothers who looked back at him sullenly. There was the nightshine of Shifters in their eyes. Their rather dour, dumpy faces looked to be animated by malice that didn’t quite fit them. It was the Behemoth looking out at them.
“What are you doing here?” Valerius asked.
The brother to the right smirked. “What are you doing here?”
“We have every right to be here like you do,” the brother to the left said.
“You want to kill everybody, so no, not quite the same,” Illarion stated with a shake of his head.
“Don’t you want to kill everyone, Illarion-Mephous?” the brother to the right tittered.
Illarion shrugged. “Sometimes. But then I play with my dogs and everything is better.”
Both boys laughed and it sounded like the crying of lost souls in Valerius’ mind. Raziel stirred uneasily. Valerius reached out and touched Caden’s mind. Everything was all right there though he sensed that Caden was having a similar conversation with the Behemoth.
