“Exactly! On the nose, Xipil!” Caden pointed to the Red Dragon.
Understanding flooded Raziel’s face. You will do the same to the Behemoth. You will send it back here.
“Where you guys will destroy it. Where it’s safe.” Caden nodded. “Where no one can get hurt.”
Iolaire lifted its head and let out a burst of happy snow. Of course, it realized what the plan was now! It had not even considered that gift. But it was perfect.
Do nothing else, Caden! Iolaire, do not let him be foolish! Raziel insisted. Use the gift. Do nothing else. Understood?
“I promise, Raziel. Gift and done. I don’t want to see that ugly mug more than that. But, you guys, stay right here! I’m betting this crater is the Behemoth’s lair!” Caden explained. “C’mon, Iolaire, we gotta fly fast!”
They were moving before Caden had gotten the words out. He leaned low against Iolaire’s back and gripped the White Dragon’s scales as hard as he could. The air was rushing so fast over them that Caden’s eyes were blurred with tears when he could open them at all. He had no idea where they were. But he trusted Iolaire with everything he was. So he just hunkered down, shutting his eyes tightly, and held on.
Touching Iolaire was beyond a dream. Under any other circumstances, he would have simply treasured this moment. He would have even mourned the idea of it ending. Touching Iolaire was likely something he would never do again. But, even if he couldn’t relish this as he otherwise would and even as he hoped for their destination, he would remember every moment of this.
Love, Iolaire twittered. Love you.
I love you, too, Iolaire. With everything I am, Caden told it.
He felt a rush of unbelievable love, peace and joy and emotions so pure and good that the tears he was shedding were no longer from the wind. His soul was seared by it, uplifted, and so much more. He couldn’t have put it into words. He thought then that maybe Iolaire didn’t use words often because they were simply too small to get across its meaning.
I love you, Caden repeated. Let’s never be parted again.
Iolaire let out a high twitter of agreement and determination. They would never be parted again. No matter what.
In moments, he felt the wind whistling over his head and body slow. He dared lift his head up and opened his eyes. They were landing on the ledge just outside of the lair. Iolaire practically sailed inside. Since the opening was big enough for Raziel, neither of them even had to duck their heads to get inside. Caden heard Landry shout before he saw her.
“Iolaire?! Caden?! Oh, my God! You’re just in time! The Behemoth! The Behemoth is there!” Landry yelled.
Caden saw her yelling and pointing towards the “mirror”.
“Holy shit! Holy shit!” Both her brothers were jumping up and down and staring wide-eyed too.
Jasper wasn’t speaking, which was unusual. The fact that he was curled on the floor probably explained some of that. But even he was staring towards the mirror. Caden turned his head and gasped.
The “mirror” showed the throne room. All of the Dragon Shifters were there, including him. Caden’s nude body was laid tenderly on a couch. Esme was cradling his feet in her lap. In her other hand was a rifle that looked like it came off the set of Star Trek.
Valerius wasn’t on the couch, which Caden was a little surprised by though he quickly saw the reason why. He was by the doors to the courtyard. He, too, had a rifle. He, too, was nude. Caden’s relief at seeing Valerius and the others apparently all right despite Landry’s words was swept away. Because looking down from the windows was the Behemoth. It was glaring down at Valerius. A hungry, ugly look upon its face.
Those yellow eyes slid from Valerius to him and Iolaire. Those eyes widened. It hadn’t expected to see him. Its gaze flickered over the “mirror”. No Raziel. No other Dragons. Just him and Iolaire. It grinned.
Not so fast, you ugly bastard!
Then the Behemoth roared. The windows all shattered. Glass rained down onto Valerius. All at once, Valerius leaped back and brought up an arm to shield his face from the falling glass. He brought the other arm up with the rifle. A few blue blasts exited the barrel and cut large scallops out of the throne room’s ceiling.
Caden was deafened by the roar and swayed on Iolaire’s back. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t think! All he could do was watch as the throne room doors to the courtyard seemed to explode. A massive claw thundered down onto the splintered wood.
The Behemoth had no magic breath so it couldn’t breathe death upon them, but that claw started to search inside. It swiped through the air. Valerius would have been raked, but Illarion dove and grabbed him around the middle. The two of them rolled away. More blue laser bolts started to hit it from all directions. Every single Dragon Shifter had a rifle and was firing.
Even Tez was in on it, though like Eldoron had suspected he was trying to use himself as a shield for Kaila and more of his shots went wide than anywhere near the Behemoth.
Anwar was right there in it just as Evren had known he would be. He had the rifle against his shoulder and was aiming down the sight. The Behemoth lowered its massive head so that it filled the doorway and tried to thrust it through. Anwar expertly shot the Behemoth right in those yellow eyes. It roared again but this time in pain and rage. Blinded, it pulled its head back but reached in and tried to grab Anwar or anyone nearby. Mei leaped into action. She shot the claw just as it was about to curl around Anwar’s lithe body. The Behemoth jerked it back. This gave Anwar the chance to leap out of reach.
Esme was crouched behind the couch. She had pulled Caden’s seemingly lifeless body from the couch and was trying to drag it away from that questing claw. The claw ripped and shredded the part of the couch it could reach.
Jahara and Kaila sent a round of covering fire before they launched themselves forward to help Esme get Caden’s body out of reach. The Behemoth saw what they were doing out of bloody, yellow eyes. It gave a toothy snarl and reached in again, going right for Caden’s helpless form.
Valerius and Illarion screamed at the Behemoth. They fired their weapons. They waved their hands above their heads. The Behemoth let out another rage-filled roar that had dust and rock raining down from the throne room’s ceiling. It was distraction enough for the others to get Caden’s body out of the way.
