Page 104 of The Dragon Queen

Becausetherewasapartofme,wasn'tthere?Apartthatwonderedhowanyofitcouldwork.Mylifeasthematetofourdragonprinceswasimpossible,createdbysupernaturalmagic,forgedbyaShadowDragonartifact.

Withoutthatpower,whatwasI?

IftheShadowBracerhadneverfallenintomylap,wouldtheyhavelookedatmetwice?Ifitweren'tforthemagicofthemate-bond--ifitweren'tforourstrange,impossibledestiny,wouldtheyhaveevencaredifIlivedordied?

Withoutthebracer...Withoutmagic...

I'm...

"Nothing,"Stormgrowls,andhisvoiceislow,butsolouditechoesthroughmybones. "You'renothing."

Mychestistearingintwo.

"No,"Iprotest,butapieceofmebelieveshim--believesallofthem.

"Asifanyonecouldeverloveyou,"Maliksneers,andI'mcrumplinginonmyself.

BeforeIcancollapsecompletely,though,theworldfracturesagain.Fragmentedglimpsesofmynightmareshinethroughthegaps.AmIinthisthroneroominWynrathCrestoronablackstonealtarunderarisingmoon?Isthisreal?

AmIreal?

"Giveup,"thedeadfacebeforemehisses,butbetweenoneblinkandthenext,thegruesome,rottingvisagedisappears,replacedoncemorebyRafe--orwhatIthinkisRafe.

"Youdon'tdeserveit,"Stormjeers.

It?What 'it'?

Malikisstandingoverme,histattoosrippling,butinsteadofbrightblue,they'redarker--almostpurple. "Surrenderit.Now."

"What?"Freshtearsstreamfrommyeyes.Whataretheytalkingabout?

"Giveitup."It'sJianyunow,andwasn'theontheothersideofmeasecondago?

"Whatdoyouwantfromme?"Icryout,andit'spathetic.I'mcryinganddisorientedandlosingmymind.

"Giveittothem,youwhore,"anewvoicegoads,andit'sAmy,herpinkhairturningblack,herfacepale,andallofthisiswrong. "Youknowwhattheywant.Stopplayingdumbagain,forfuck'ssake--"

Shereachesout,graspingmebythewrist--nottheonethatborethebracer,though.Myfleshburns,andIlookdown,and--

Inmyhands,I'mholdingmyownheart.

Igagandsob.Themutilatedmassofbleedingmusclepulsesinmypalms.It'sbeenbattered;it'sbeenthroughsomuch.

Staticscratchesattheedgesofmyvision,andwhereAmywasasecondagostandsatatteredcorpseofamanwithsunkencheeksandputrefyingstringsoftissuewherethereshouldbeanoseandlips.Blacksmokepoursfromhismouth,andhe'sRafe,andthenJianyu,andMalikandStorm,andthey'reallshoutingatme.

Theirfacesblurtogether,andIjustwantittomystop.Mychestaches,andmyearsareringing,andit'stoomuch.

"Here,"Igritout,andI'mliftingmyhands.Theycanhaveit.Thebeatinglumpofbloodandtissueinmypalmsflashestodarkmetalandback,andit'slikelightningcrackstheinsideofmyskull.

"Finally,"adarkvoiceanswers.

Andalarmbellsgooffinsidemyhead.

Realityflitsinandout,andIcan'tkeeptrackofanyofit.Thethroneroom,mymates,theblackstoneoutcropandthebrokensky.

Ijerkmyhandsbacktowardmychest,andIlookatmyheart.

AndIlaugh.

---