He was running before he checked to see if Illarion was following him. There was a very low area where a pool had formed. It bubbled up from a natural crevice in the earth and water also flowed down. It streamed out of the mountain’s sides. But the pool was deep and dark. That’s what Caden had been hearing.
Valerius’ senses were alert to every little sound, movement, and scent. He was expecting traps. They must have already known he was coming after them through Ross and Harvey. They were one being after all.
“If we find any of those possessed, can we kill them?” Illarion asked.
Valerius’ jaw set. Part of him wanted to wipe them off the face of the Earth. But he guessed that the parts of the Behemoth would simply go into other humans. That would accomplish nothing other than putting other of his people at risk. So he shook his head.
“Do your best not to kill them. It is a Hydra, Illarion, cut one head off and, for all we know, two more grow in its place.”
Illarion flashed him a grin. “Well, that makes it interesting, doesn’t it? A challenge!”
But Valerius could not muster up the enthusiasm for a fight that the Green Dragon King had. Caden and Iolaire were in danger and that only made him rageful and afraid. He feared what he would do to save them.
Destroy Reach?
Destroy his territory?
Destroy the world?
He smelled and heard the water before he saw it. The tunnel abruptly opened up and there was a thin “shoreline” around the pool. Valerius put an arm up in front of Illarion to stop him from running into the pool.
“What is this? A dank swimming pool?” Illarion chuckled, but there was a sense of unease.
On the other side of the pool was another tunnel entrance. Valerius was sure that they had taken Caden that way. But he stayed where he was. His eyes were fixed upon the pool.
“There are ripples,” Illarion said softly. “Something is down there.”
“Yes,” Valerius agreed.
And then Valerius saw the glowing, jewel-like eyes of a Dragon beneath the surface. Not one of them, but one of the mates. Looking up at them.
Illarion pointed down at the Dragon. “Do you see--”
“Yes, Illarion.”
“Did it get free of the Behemoth?” Illarion sounded hopeful.
But Valerius closed his eyes. “No.”
The Spirit Realm
The sky was indigo deepening to a dark purple and, finally, a velvety black at the edge of the horizon. The stars glittered like diamonds and the moon was a silvery white. Caden had never seen a sky so beautiful. It was a sky that would launch dreams. It was a sky that made promises of possibilities. It was a sky that made the heart ache even as the lips smiled.
It was not a natural sky.
Where am I? Caden wondered.
His mind was muzzy and strangely blank. Not only did he not know where he was, but he had no idea how he had gotten there. Or even what he had been doing just before this. His forehead furrowed.
I must be really far from any cities to see so many stars, he thought.
He felt so very strange. Disconnected from his body. When he looked down, he was surprised to see he was clothed. Black turtleneck tucked into black jeans and black boots. He couldn’t imagine coming to this place on anything, but Dragon wings so why was he dressed?
Surely, he would recall a long plane-ride. And he wouldn’t have come by himself in any case. Valerius would have been with him. But did the Black Dragon King even fly on planes? He had never heard of Valerius doing so. But, then again, everyone came to him, not the other way around. So Valerius did not travel much unless he flew. And when he flew he went to distant, lonely places much like this, Caden believed.
He was leaning against a single tree on a rise at the edge of a forest. The tree’s bark was silvery. It almost looked metallic. He brushed his fingers over it and wasn’t surprised when his fingers shimmered too. Caden frowned deeply as he rubbed his fingers together and the shiny substance moved over his skin. These trees were not like anything he had ever seen before. But he’d not been everywhere on Earth so maybe...
Iolaire, where are we? Caden asked.
