“I guess. But at the same time?” Caden asked.
“Definitely at the same time. Confidence and uncertainty. Anger and generosity,” Jasper said. “Don’t feel bad. Most people don’t realize that they can have two diametrically opposed ideas in their heads and form their actions.”
“I see,” Caden said, not sure he did.
“Maybe you do. I’ve always been a man who feels and acts on the deepest emotions in my heart. I can see it in other people’s hearts, too,” Jasper said. “I was angry but not at you earlier. Things have not gone to plan.”
“Yeah, you didn’t become a Dragon Shifter. You’re just a dupe,” Caden remarked dryly.
But Jasper only showed a momentary annoyance at his words before shrugging. “I took a chance. Believed the wrong people. High stakes for high rewards.”
“And now?”
“And now, I read in your heart that you’ve got a plan, but you’re not sure it's going to work,” Jasper said. “Hence my disbelief and hostility. But then I remembered that we really don’t have anything else but you.”
“You really do think that I would leave everybody if I found a way back up there,” Caden realized.
“Of course. It’s what I would do if there was no other way,” Jasper answered with a little grin at the end as if he knew how much that answer disgusted Caden, but didn’t mind. “Maybe there’s a limited amount of people that can go through. Maybe there’s limited time to make it happen. Whatever the limitations, I want to make sure that I’m in the best place to take advantage of them.”
“You’re so charming, Jasper. Just like I thought,” Caden said and started to get up.
Jasper offered him a hand. “I just see things as they are, Caden. What I said as leader of Humans First was true. I speak to what people really think. What they really feel. What they really want.”
“Which is?”
“Power. Control. To be on top. No matter what the cost. And what’s funny is that there are two types of people most desperate for these things,” Jasper said with an almost dismal smile, “those at the bottom and those already at the top.”
Caden stared at that outstretched hand, but he didn’t take it. Instead, he got up himself. “You might be right, but good people strive to be better than that. To move up but not at any cost.”
“That’s so easy for you to say, Caden. You’re on top now,” Jasper said.
“I’ve been a Dragon Shifter for only a couple of weeks, Jasper. I was a store clerk before that. And I was happy then,” Caden said.
“Are you happier now?” Jasper challenged.
“I have Valerius so, of course, I’m happier. And Iolaire… I love my Spirit. It is an amazing gift and I know how lucky I am. Notice I didn’t mention power or being on top or controlling others,” Caden pointed out.
“Then being a Dragon Shifter is wasted on you,” Jasper snorted with a shake of his head.
“You don’t know anything about being a Dragon Shifter,” Caden said and he looked up at the next ledge. “By the way, Jasper, don’t get ahead of me again. If Raziel sees you first, the Black Dragon will kill you.”
Caden then easily jumped to the next ledge and the next and the next. He heard Jasper coming up behind him. He only checked to see if Landry, Ross and Harvey were safely on their way.
Soon the rock grew damp as he went higher and higher. Clouds were all around him. They left wetness on the stone. A chill breeze also blew and some of that wet turned to ice. His fingers and toes slipped as he moved higher and higher. He forced himself not to think about what would happen if he fell from this height. Yet his mind kept “helpfully” offering him images of his body falling and hitting outcroppings of rock until he landed with a splat on the ground where all the people would look upon his smashed body with horror.
Don’t think about it. Don’t think, Caden told himself over and over, trying to grind the thoughts out.
Raziel let out another roar. It was the first in a long time. But it was so loud now. So powerful. The mountain shook under it and Caden’s hands nearly slipped off the icy ledge. He let out a cry then dug his fingernails into the bare stone and somehow got a hold. The roar seemed to go on forever. When it ended, he was deafened. His ears rang. Caden pulled himself up onto the ledge and rolled onto his side. He just lay there and breathed before looking over the ledge. But all he saw were clouds.
“Everybody okay?” Caden yelled down.
His ears were still ringing, but he heard faint answers.
“Go talk to Raziel before it kills us!” Landry shouted from some point below.
“Keep where you are if you’re on firm ground! I’ll get to Raziel!” Caden shouted back.
He looked up and saw only clouds again before they thinned for a moment and he could see a huge jutting ledge above him and the corner of a cave.
