The lair!
The ledge was double the height of the ones he’d leaped to so far. If Raziel roared again when he was about to jump or when he reached the ledge… Well, it was a very long way down.
Just be quiet, buddy. Just for a minute.
Caden crouched low and took in a deep breath. Time seemed to slow. He closed his eyes and remembered what it felt like to fly as Iolaire. He could feel the cold air blowing up along the side of the mountain. It would lift him as if he were as light as a feather. He would soar.
Caden jumped. It was more like he just lifted off. The air took him into its embrace and he was flying. His eyes opened and he was even with the great ledge. He glanced down and his feet were hovering above only air.
Flying. I’m flying, Caden thought and he did a loop de loop.
Laughing wildly, he heard Landry shout, “What’s going on up there?”
“It’s, ah, fine!” Caden couldn’t help the laughter that bubbled out. “I’m flying.”
“You’re what?!” Landry shouted.
“Flying,” Caden answered. “Just hold on. I can see the entrance to the lair and… oh, wow.”
Crimson eyes stared at him from within the darkness. They were huge. As large as dinner plates. He’d seen Raziel in the flesh, but in the Spirit, Raziel was even more magnificent. The massive head came out of the lair then the serpentine neck that seemed to go on for miles. The front forelegs were as large as tree trunks in the redwoods. The clawed feet clicked on the stone as the Black Dragon emerged foot by foot.
“Raziel,” Caden breathed.
That head lowered so that those red eyes could regard him long and hard.
“Raziel, it’s me. Caden,” Caden said and touched his chest. “Can you understand me? Don’t you recognize me?”
The Black Dragon’s head tilted to the side and Raziel took a deep scent of him. Caden’s clothes were pulled away from his body with that inward breath. Those red eyes shut to half mast for a moment and then widened once more.
Caden? The rumbling voice was so beloved.
Caden’s eyes closed. “Raziel. Thank God.”
You should not be here, Caden. You should be with Valerius, Raziel said. He seeks you.
“The Behemoth did something to me. Separated my soul from my body,” Caden explained.
There was a hot dragon snout against his chest. Caden wrapped his arms around that head. He only could span a little bit of it. He laid his cheek against Raziel’s scaly head.
“The Behemoth puts Spirits in human bodies, but kicks the human soul out,” he explained as he petted that beloved black hyde. “Please tell me that Iolaire is with you.”
There was a whine from Raziel that would have blown him back if he hadn’t had a hold on Raziel’s snout.
“I take that’s a no?” Caden let out his own pained cry. “Oh, God, Raziel, the Behemoth must have Iolaire!”
And if the Behemoth controls Iolaire… it will soon control me, Raziel said.
“NO!” Caden burst out, his eyelids flying open. “What have I done? If I hadn’t been so stupid and gotten caught--”
No matter how fierce you are, little dragon, you are no match for the Behemoth, Raziel assured him.
“But--”
This is not your fault, Raziel assured him.
“Where--where is Iolaire? Is it still in the Spirit Realm? Can we get to Iolaire?” Caden asked.
Raziel slowly pulled back so that they were eye to eye. Iolaire is here. Feel. You will know. Reach.
