“Caden needs you to be strong, Tilly. You need to tell your parents and manage them,” Esme told her.
Tilly’s lower lip trembled, but she straightened. With a jerky nod, she acknowledged what they had all said. Showing she was Caden’s sister, she asked, “Can I do anything else?”
“No, we just need you to keep your parents calm and safely out of the fray,” Anwar told her.
Another nod. She wiped tears from her eyes and turned to go back into the castle.
Valerius called to her softly, “Tilly.” She turned and he said, “We will get Caden back. I promise.”
“I know. You’ll save us all, King Valerius,” she said and ran out of sight.
Valerius felt a well of despair open up inside of him. Thankfully, she hadn’t waited to hear a response.
“What can we do? There must be something we can do!” Rose cried as she came clattering down the steps.
Chione came to him. Her hands went all over him. Her eyes widened.
“Raziel…” She stopped.
“Isn’t with me. Fighting the Behemoth with Caden. The other Dragon Spirits… they need to do the same… through the mirror,” Valerius got out.
“We need to be protected until the Behemoth is defeated,” Mei said. “Then, hopefully, we’ll all be right again.”
“Can Sphinxes fight?” Kaila asked. She had been facing towards the gate that led out onto the bridge. She pointed. “The horde is here.”
The people moved as a single unit. They filled the bridge from railing to railing and were coming enmass like a locomotive that would not be stopped. Claw shifted at the gate becoming lions, tigers, werewolves and other big animals. Only Simi kept his human form as he barked orders.
“Sphinxes can fight.” Chione nodded, passing her hand over Valerius’ forehead. “We fight for our king.”
“Chione…” Valerius breathed.
That she would fight for him as she had for the god-kings of old when she knew all his foibles and how unworthy he was of his current position touched him deeply.
She leaned down and kissed his forehead. “I will keep you safe.”
Few had seen a Sphinx Shifter in human form, let alone in Spirit. Chione stepped back away from them so that she was in the center of the courtyard. She passed a hand in front of her face and, for a moment, Valerius could smell the desert. His heart lifted.
“Desert flower. Desert queen,” Anwar murmured.
Then with a small smile Chione shifted. There was the dazzling gold of the sun and the sand. And before them, about half the size of a titanic dragon, stood a sphinx. The head remained human though immeasurably large and styled like that of the pharaohs of old. The body was that of a lioness, massive and powerful. Her tail swished around her. She lifted her falcon’s wings and flapped them. She rose up above them and looked down at them with golden eyes.
“Now that is beautiful,” Wally breathed.
It was. Valerius couldn’t help but smile at her beauty and strength. She was truly otherworldly.
“Hiding her light in a barrel,” Tez murmured. “She is golden just like Eldoron! Gold is the color of the gods.”
No one disagreed with him. She flew towards the bridge and the horde.
Marban then stepped forward with Wally and Rose.
“I’ve already sent word to my people, Valerius,” Marban said. “While this group faces the horde from this direction, we will come up the back.”
“Bet the horde doesn’t like being stung,” Rose murmured.
“Rats are no fun either.” Wally slammed one hand into his palm. “Will wasps be joining us?”
“Oh, I think so.” Marban smiled. It was not a nice smile.
