“Dogs are loyal and they don’t judge.” Illarion stared at the wall.
“I understand. But my judgment tells me that I can count on you,” Valerius assured him.
Illarion gave a brief nod.
If Valerius hadn’t already been anxious to find Caden’s body, now he was triply so. But while the prudent part would be to have Illarion take out Vozyth and wait for the other Dragon Shifters to find them and then go get Caden’s body, he knew in his bones that they didn’t have that kind of time.
“We cannot linger here any longer. Once Caden and Raziel attack the Behemoth, those human drones will kill Caden’s body,“ Valerius said.
“Right. So what is the plan?” Illarion asked.
Valerius blinked at him. “You want a plan?”
“A plan! A strategy! Why wouldn’t I?” Illarion looked at him imperiously with his hands on his hips.
“I had a plan once. During the war. And if I recall, no matter what I suggested you just did what you wanted. And in this case, I have no doubt that you will burst in there, shift into Dragon form, and try to crush Vozyth with your superior weight and blow poison in her face to overcome her,” Valerius told him.
Illarion pursed his lips then grinned. He slapped Valerius’ shoulder and announced, “That sounds like a good plan to me!” He turned towards the tunnel’s exit, but then stopped and turned back to Valerius. He pointed at Valerius’ chest. “You should keep out of the way so that you, pitiful human, don’t get crushed or melted or gassed.”
“I will do my best, but I intend to slink around the pond while Vozyth is distracted by you and get to Caden,” Valerius told him.
“And the Behemoth’s humans that you will find along with Caden’s body? They were enough to take down Caden and Anwar. You think you can deal with them?” Illarion lifted an eyebrow.
“I--well, I--”
“You should hunker here until the others arrive. Don’t want you to get hurt. Imagine a Dragon King with some bruises and cuts. It would shake everyone’s confidence in us!”
Valerius felt weak. He felt fragile. Brittle. Breakable. Waiting for the others was the smart thing to do. The prudent thing. Caden and Anwar had been overcome by the horde. They had all their Dragon powers when that had happened. He had none. His inner eye went to the lair. No Raziel. No Caden. But there was just Jasper Hawes. He grimaced.
“I’ll be fine. I don’t intend to fight. I will get Caden’s body by stealth,” Valerius said.
Illarion lifted that same eyebrow again. “You know how you think I have one mode? Well, you have half a mode, which is storming in and giving a look before you ash everyone.”
“I do not ash everyone.” Valerius scowled. “I normally don’t have to. My look is enough.”
“True! Let’s hope that’s enough and people don’t require you ashing them this time. None but me and Caden know about your humanity,” Illarion said. “Maybe you can bluff them if you get into trouble.”
“True. The Behemoth does not know yet.” That was a point potentially in his favor. He straightened fully. Even that small act was exhausting. Had being mortal always felt like this? How had he stood it? How did anyone stand it? And then there was that missing void in his soul. “Go do your thing. Distract the lady.”
Illarion puffed out his chest. “She will like Mephous, I think. He is a mighty dragon and she looks rather petite.”
“You said something like that about Caden and remember what happened with him. He took away your power to shift,” Valerius cautioned.
“Ach, Caden and Iolaire are special. This Vozyth… she might be pretty but I can handle her,” Illarion said. “She is on her own. Not with a group. One Dragon to another.”
Valerius truly hoped that these would not be Illarion’s last words.
The Green Dragon King turned on his heel for a second time and strode out of the tunnel without turning back. As he did so, he called, “Vozyth! Oh, Vozyth! Mephous would like you to come out and play!”
Valerius hung back, almost hunkering down in the tunnel, making himself as small and inconspicuous as possible. He told himself he’d done much the same when Raziel was with him when they’d spied on the Humans First meeting that blew up. This was the smart thing to do now, just like it had been the smart thing to do then. It had nothing to do with him being human.
He watched as a massive ruby Dragon head surfaced from beneath the water. Vozyth had purple eyes with slitted pupils rather like a cat’s. She blinked them slowly at Illarion, also cat-like. But whatever personality she truly had was not reflected in them, Valerius realized. It was all the Behemoth. Evidently, even though this Dragon was not physically attached to the main hydra body at that point, her mind was. She was utterly under the Behemoth’s control.
Hatred rolled across those purple eyes. Vozyth’s jaws cracked open and purple light flickered between her scythe-like teeth. Illarion’s six-foot, four-inch human frame didn’t even reach the base of her chin. Valerius had never truly noticed any longer just how small humans were compared to Dragons. How small he was now. She could have leaned down and snapped Illarion up whole in her mouth and swallowed him. She wouldn’t have even needed to chew. And if she decided to let loose a bolt of plasma at that moment, after it blew past Illarion, some of it would fill the tunnel and disintegrate Valerius. For a very terrible moment, Valerius remembered what it was like to be mortal again.
Not now. Do not let me die now, Valerius pleaded with gods he had not believed in in a very long time. Caden needs me. Raziel needs me. The world needs me.
That last statement would have been born out of arrogance from any other Dragon, but Valerius had never wanted the world to need him. He found such a need an insufferable burden. Or, at least, he had thought that. But not now. Now, he wanted to save this world and its people and try to heal it. With Caden by his side, and Iolaire and Raziel within their souls, they could do this. He would change things.
