Page 131 of Empire of Flame and Thorns

Draven’s golden eyes sear into mine as he stands there before me.

I stare back at him.

“With the transfer of these collars,” Emperor Bane begins in a voice dripping with authority, “we hereby declare you winners of this century’s Atonement Trials.”

Relief and excitement and sheer triumph pulse through my soul.

As one, the three of them reach for the cushions.

I jerk back in confusion as they lift up the collars from the pillows.

But before I can so much as step back, Draven spins back towards me.

And snaps the iron collar shut around my throat.

I gasp as the iron presses against my skin. It cuts off my connection to my magic immediately. And while the size of the collar isn’t great enough to cause me to collapse, it still weakens me and burns cold against my skin, as if I have a band of ice around my throat.

The shock of it makes me stumble back. Next to me, the same thing has happened to Isera and Alistair too.

But before I can retreat more than half a step, Draven’s hand shoots out and wraps around my throat. With a firm grip, he pulls me back towards him and leans down.

To my left, Jessina and Bane are doing the exact same to Alistair and Isera.

Draven slants his lips over mine, just a breath away from touching.

And this close, where only I can see, that blank mask finally cracks. Pain and sorrow swirl in his eyes as he holds my gaze.

Then he whispers, so softly that even I can barely hear it even though his lips are right in front of mine.

“I wasn’t trying to sabotage you, little rebel. I was trying to save you. Fromthis.”

Then he breathes in, sharply.

And sucks my magic out of my body.

I gasp.

Because of the iron collar, I can’t reach my magic. But I can feel it as it drains out of my body with Draven’s sharp inhale. And because our magic is so connected to our energy, it weakens me so much that my knees buckle.

Draven releases my throat, and I crash down on the ground since my legs can no longer support me. My knees hit the ground with a thud, and I just barely manage to yank up my arms and brace my palms on the smooth floor before I can topple forward and smack my forehead into it.

Next to me, more thuds sound as Isera and Alistair hit the floor as well.

I gasp in unsteady breaths. My body is so devoid of energy that my muscles tremble. I can barely manage to remain on my knees. But worst of all is my mind.

Shock clangs inside my skull like giant bells.

Draveninhaledmy magic.

It will return, of course. Our magic is connected to our energy, so with enough rest, our magic builds back up to its previous level even if we drain it completely.

But I had no idea thatsomeone elsecould drain our magic too. That the dragon shifters could drain it from us.

Tilting my head back, I stare up at Draven with wide eyes.

“Why?” I press out.

Something flickers in his eyes for a second, but then that unreadable mask is back on his face.

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