Page 108 of The Dragon Queen

Chapter

Thirty-One

EMBER

Everythingissilentandstill,shockechoingacrossme,mymates--everyone.

Mydragonbeatsherwingsintriumph,butshe'sgentlypushingmetotheforefront.Themagicthathadfueledmerecedes,flowingbacktowardmymates;agreedypartofmewantstokeepit,butitwasonlyminetoborrow,nottohave.

Cautiously,Iletmydragonslipaway,returningtohumanform.Mymatesfollowmylead,eachlandingontherockontwolegs.RafeandJianyualightbehindme,whileMalikandStormtaketheirplacestomyleftandmyright.

Together,wefacetheremainsofourenemy.It'shardtobelievetheShadowKingisreallygone,butthere'saholeinthefabricofthemagicaroundus.Agapinthepoweroftheveryworld.

Westillhavetobesure.

Thepileoffabricandbonesreeksofdecayandburntflesh,butIstridetowarditanyway.Nohandreachesoutofthetornearth.Iexhaledeeplyandprodwhat'sleftofErembourwithmytoe.

Itcrumblestoash.

"Holyshit,"Rafemuttersfrombehindme.

Stormlaughs,andpartofmewantsto,too.

TheShadowKingisdefeated.

Butonesneeringgrowlfromabovemeisastark,immediatereminder:we'renotquitedone.

Ilookupatthekingsandqueenofthedragonworld.They'refrozenintheirdragonformsbymymagic,butthey'rehardlyharmless.

KingZephyrhissesagain,hisserpentinemouthagrimaceofdisdain,buthisgrayeyesflashwithfear.

Thatstrange,otherworldlypowerinfusesmeoncemore,avoicethatisnotmyownspeakingwithmytongue.

"Youhavebeencorrupted,"Iintone.Mychestburnswiththerighteousfuryofthemotherofdragons;theCrownofCindersglowswiththeheatofpureDragonfire. "Youhavefollowedthedeceiver,anddisruptedthebalanceoftheworld."

"Imposter,"KingZephyr'sdragonseethes."Thecrownisnotyours."

Idonotdeigntoacknowledgehisinsults.

"Youhavedividedmychildren,"Iremindhim,andthevoicespeakingthroughmewritheswithrage. "Murderedthem.Worse,you'vesetthemtomurderingeachother."

KingHaoyu'sdragonshiftshiseyes,takingadifferenttack. "Yousaidityourself--weweredeceived."

"Youwerevestedwithgreatpower."Thegoddessfuelingmesendstinglesofmagicflaringtolifeinmypalms. "Andyouhaveprovenyourselvesunworthy."

"YourHighness,"KingAeden'scrimsondragontries.

"Please,"QueenDahabbeseeches,buthergazeisonherson. "IdidwhatIhadtodo--toprotectyou."

"Youbetrayedme,"Maliksaysquietly. "Youbetrayedourpeople."

Thequietdevastationinhisvoiceracksmetomycore--butitonlystrengthensmyresolve.

Theborrowedpowerwithinmegrows.Iholdoutmyhands.Mymagicwrapsaroundeachofthefourremainingrulersofthedragonworld.

Andthemotherofdragonswithinmepulls.

"Ember..."Jianyugasps.

---