“Oh, and Jasper? Don’t think that you can say one thing here and do something else when we’re back on Earth.” Caden leaned against the side of Raziel’s huge jaws as the Black Dragon lowered its head to give Jasper an evil stare. “Because Raziel here will have a one free-burn-you-to-crisp ticket if you do.”
Jasper met his eyes, trying to see if Caden was lying. Caden made his gaze steel and stone. He was not joking. Jasper would not be allowed to continue his damage. Seeing he meant it, Jasper kneeled down awkwardly. The Black Dragon’s breath blew his hair back from his forehead. Smoky tendrils surrounded the leader of Humans First.
Former leader.
Jasper trembled as he gritted out, “I pledge that I now… now serve Raziel and Valerius--”
“King Valerius,” Caden corrected as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“And King Caden and Iolaire, too!” Landry piped in.
Jasper grimaced, but amended, “I pledge that I now serve Raziel, King Valerius, Iolaire and King Caden from here on out. I abdicate my position as leader of Humans First. I will… will do whatever is necessary to undo the damage my words and actions have caused as its leader. Satisfied?”
“Not really. But it will do for now and it’s binding, Jasper,” Caden reminded him. He turned to Raziel. “Good enough?”
He is foolish meat. I care not for his worship but I enjoy his discomfort, Raziel admitted.
“Now if there was only a way to save Iolaire that was just as easy,” Caden said, feeling the fear for Iolaire overwhelm him again. “There must be a way.”
“What’s going on? Can’t we get back?” Landry asked.
I can send these humans back, but not you, Caden, Raziel said. Your bond with Iolaire would be severed.
“Then send them back. I’ll stay here and we’ll figure something out--”
“Wait! You’ll stay here?! No! That’s not happening! We’re all going together!” Landry cried.
“Speak for yourself! I want to go back. If Caden doesn’t then that’s his choice,” Jasper said, eyes alighting with eagerness at the thought of returning to Earth.
“We’re not leaving without Caden!” Landry snapped at him.
“Ross? Harvey? What do you guys think? Want to go home where we’ll be safe or stay here?” Jasper challenged.
“We’ll--”
“So help me God if you take Jasper’s side again,” Landry began.
But Ross said, “We’ll stay here with our sister and Caden. She’s right. We leave together or not at all.”
“What?! That’s insane and--”
“Shut up, Jasper!” Harvey glowered at him. He was big and he hulked over Jasper. Jasper actually took a step back. “No more talking! You agreed to not be a leader anymore. You are supposed to follow Caden!”
Jasper shook his head at the “stupidity” of the two brothers.
“Landry, you should go now. I’m not sure if--if there will be a chance later,” Caden said.
But she was shaking her head. “Why are you staying here then?”
He gritted his teeth before saying, “Iolaire’s in trouble. I think it’s in the crater with the Behemoth. The Behemoth is going to absorb it. If I leave the Spirit Realm now then my link with Iolaire will break and… and really there won’t be any safe place after that.”
That was the truth, he realized. Even if he sent them all back to Earth, it was just delaying the inevitable. Once Iolaire was absorbed then it would be Raziel and then the other Dragons would fall one by one before the Behemoth turned the world into a graveyard. In a way, they were actually safer here until the end.
“The Behemoth is nearby?” Jasper had turned white as chalk and had backed up against the mountainside again.
“Where is it? Where?” Ross’ head jerked up skywards as he looked for the Behemoth in the clouds above them even though Caden had said it was in the crater.
Harvey had his arms over his head as if to protect himself from a blow though if the Behemoth attacked, he’d simply be made into paste and smeared across the mountainside. Landry looked a little unsteady on her legs. Her eyes were wide and her lips parted.
