“Don’t kill them if you… if you can. The souls of the people are still around,” Valerius told them.
“We’ll do our best, but sacrifices will have to be made and it shall not be on our side,” Marban told him.
“I understand. Use your judgment, Marban,” Valerius said.
The wily Swarm Shifter stilled for a moment. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but instead just nodded. The three of them shifted. The horde of wasps and bees soared over the walls in a wall of darkness while hundreds of rats filtered through the gate.
“Come on. Let’s get inside and get this over with before the Behemoth figures out what we’re up to and shifts here,” Illarion muttered.
“Caden and Raziel must be distracting it, making it unwilling to come here and shift,” Mei agreed.
“I ripped Vozyth’s head off,” Illarion repeated happily. “Mephous and I can take on all comers.”
“Except we need to have Mephous in the Spirit Realm,” Valerius reminded him.
He grimaced.
“Let’s hurry,” Mei said. “That distraction might not last for long.”
Illarion carried Valerius in with the other Dragon Shifters in tow. They ran to the throne room. Jahara’s Wise Women were stationed at all the doorways.
“What are all these little old ladies doing here?” Illarion snorted. “Will they coo our enemies to death?”
The nearest little old lady flipped a switch on what appeared to be a rifle. There was a whine and the barrel of the rifle turned purple.
“If by coo you mean sever spinal chords then yes, King Illarion, that is exactly what we will do,” she said with a toothy smile.
Illarion lifted an eyebrow. “I stand corrected. Honored to have you at our backs.”
“Good boy.” She patted his elbow.
Valerius chuckled. “You’re learning, Illarion.”
Illarion looked unrepentant as he said, “Of course, Jahara would have warriors who look like sweet grandmotherly types and children.”
“Yes, unfortunately, she has learned to be prepared,” Valerius murmured.
Illarion carried him past the Wise Women into the throne room. Valerius’ head turned towards the mirror the moment Illarion brought him inside. Jahara was already speaking to Zephyra. The medium-sized dragon was nodding its understanding of what they were to do.
Caden’s form was lying on a sofa that had been brought in. Illarion took Valerius right to him. He cradled Caden’s head in his lap, leaning down and kissing the cool flesh. Caden was not in this body. He prayed for it to survive until Caden was returned. Then he looked up at the mirror. But Raziel and Iolaire were not there. Valerius swallowed.
The other Dragon Shifters filtered into the room. One by one, their dragons appeared in the mirror in Raziel and Iolaire’s lair. There was Scylla, Eldoron, Xipil, Lana, Zephyra, Evren and, finally, Mephous. Landry and her brothers were backed into a corner, eyes wide with fear. Jasper, white-faced and gasping, was being stared at like a cat would eye a mouse by Mephous. He curled an arm around his head, trying to hide.
“They’ve all agreed to do as we’ve asked, King Valerius,” Jahara said formally, turning back to him and Caden.
He looked at the humans and Dragon Spirits, trying to put all of his gratefulness and strength he had into that gaze. “Thank you. All of you.”
“We rise or fall together,” Jahara said with a smile and a bow. “King Valerius, you bring us to battle once more and we hear your call.”
“We will prevail,” Anwar said.
“I wish we could be in on the fight,” Kaila frowned.
Tez put an arm around her. “There’s going to be quite a bit of excitement already without us getting more involved.”
“We shall await your return,” Esme said to the Dragons. “Eagerly, I think.”
“We will return to you,” Zephyra assured them.
