Page 100 of The Dragon Queen

"Youheardhim."Fury'sgirlfriendJasmineinspectshertalons,hereyesflashingintoglowingslits. "Moveit."Shelaughs,anditreachesintomyheart. "Sopathetic."

Fightrisesinsideofme,butBrynnisstilltuggingmealong,andit'sasifshecan'tseeFuryorJasmineoranyofthem,butthey'regettinginmyface.Ican'tmovepastthem.

"Youshouldjustputyourselfoutofyourmisery,"anotherofthemeangirlsjabs.

"Dousallafavor."

Jasmine'sthereagain,closerthistime,thatsharpnailslicingintomycheekanddrawingblood,andshe'ssocloseIcansmellthebrimstoneandsulfurofherbreath. "Noonewouldmissyou."

"Fuckoff,"Ibreathe,buttherearetearswellinginmyeyes.

I'vealwaystriedtopretendthattheirbullyingdidn'thurtmyfeelings.I'maboveitall.Idon'tcareaboutanyofthemorwhattheythink.Itdoesn'tbothermethatIhaven'tEmerged.Mydragonisinsideme,somewhere,andI'llfindhersomeday.

Onlyeverythingwithinmeissilentandcold,andohGods.Whatifthisisit?WhatifIreallyamnothing?Rejected.Defective.Broken.

There'saringinginmyears,andJasmine'sgone.Idartmygazearound,butBrynniscallingmyname,andItakeastepinherdirection,onlytoscream.

TheoldwomanIspottedearlierisstandingrightinfrontofme.

"What--"

Thewomanispaleandstooped,withdisheveledgrayhairanddeeppurpleinhereyes.Shebeamsandclaspsherhandstogether. "Ohthereyouare,dearie."

"Comeon,Ember,"Brynnurgesagain,lesspatientthistime.

"Don'tpayheranymind."Theoldwomanshakesherhead,andI'mprettysureIshouldberunningawayfromher,butsomethingmakesmestop.

"DoI--DoIknowyou?"

Theoldwomanlaughs. "Oh,dearie,youhardlyknowyourself,doyou?"

Okay,nevermind,Iwasrightthefirsttime.Thisladyisactingaskookyasshelooks.Ishouldgo.

"Sorry."Istartmovingawayfromher. "Ishould--"

Shedartsoutahand,fasterthanshehasanyrighttobe.Asshegrabsmywrist,hertonedips,thefriendlinessfadingtorevealanedgeofdesperation.

Andmaybeforesight.

"Theywon'trememberyou,"shesaysgrimly,andit'sawarning.

Myheartpounds. "Who--"

"Yourmates,ofcourse."

AndIlaugh.Whowouldn't?

Idon'thaveamate.I'mnotevenadragon,really.I'llneverhaveamate,andthere'sabitternessinmychest.Thetangofbile.

Whocouldeverwantyou,withoutyourpowers?

Idon'tknowwherethequestioncomesfrom,butitshiversrightdowntomybones.

Andbesides.Didn'tshesay "mates"?Plural?

It'sridiculous,impossible--unheardof.

Sowhydoesitsoundsofamiliar?