Page 113 of The Dragon Queen

WhenIopenmyeyesagain,thedarknessisalmostabsolute.ButI'vebeenthroughthisbefore.IfellintotheShadowBracer'shold,andIpropelledmyselfthroughtheveryfabricofspaceusingShadowDragonmagic.

IfaceddowntheShadowKinghimself--andwon.

Icanfindthepinpricksoflight,eveninthemostvastandimpenetrableblackness.

Holdingontothetethersthatbindmetomymates,Iflingmyselfoutwardwithmysenses.Imaynotbeabletostopthetideofstolenmagiccoursingintome,butIdon'thavetotakeitformyself.

Andthere--theradiantlightofmyloveforJianyu,Rafe,Malik,Storm.Thebrillianceofourchildandourfuture.TheyeachignitesparksoflightinthedarkspellthatErembourwove,andIgrabontothemwithallI'mworth.

Ireachdeepintomysoul.Theholesofpainthathadleftmetatteredandrawhavehealedover.I'mcomplete,andworthy,andgoodenoughtodeserveloveandrespect.

ButIcan'tdothisalone.

Idon'thaveto.

"Together,"Ibreathe,clingingtomyconnectionstomymates.

"Always,"Jianyuagrees,andRafemurmurs, "Fuckyes,"beneathhisbreath,andallfourofthemclutchontomewitheverythingthey'reworth.

Theirmagicflowsintomeoncemore.Theylendmetheirpowerwithabsolutetrust.

TheCrownOfCindersrisesupandoffmyhead,andoh.Itslossisaphysicalpain,butIpushthroughit.

Itakethethreadsofconnectionbetweenmeandmymates,andIweavethemintosomethingstrongerthananyoneofuscouldwieldonourown.

TheCrownignitesinblinding,incandescentlight.

Holdingontomymates,fumblingbutsure,Ienvisionthatlightexplodingoutward,andinaflash,theCrowngoessupernova.

AllthemagicErembour'sspellsyphonedfromtheworldflowsbackoutofme,andIflingitforwardwithallmymight.Itfeelsimpossible,butthere'ssomethinginstinctualtoit.Iknowhowtohoardpower;that'spartofmynature.

Butsoissharingit.

Allthosebrightpointsoflightinthedarknessbegintogrow,pulsatingwithenergy,andalmosttoolate,Irecognizetheheartbeatsofallthedragonsoftheworld.Myeyessting,buffetedbymytruepower.MycapacitytogiveandtoloveandtosharewasalwaysstrongerthanErembour'scapacityfordeceptionandcruelty.

Usingmyconnectionstomymatesasguides,Iseekouttheinvisibletethersthattiemetoallofdragonkind.They'rewitheredandweak--blackenedfromtheravagesofErembour'sreign.

Butinasearingrushofmagic,Irekindlethem.Athousandlinesofconnectionburstintolife,tyingmetoeverydragonontheplanet.

Malikdrawsinaroughbreath,andStormsqueezesmyarm,bothfeelingthepowerofthismoment.

Becausethisiswhatitistobearuler--aDragonQueen.It'snotaboutplunderingtheworldofitsriches.It'snotdominationorconquestordivision.

It'saboutgiving.

AndsoIgivethemeverything.

Mypainfrommyparents'death,myresentmentfromallthetimesIfeltrejectedandabandonedanddefective.Igivethemmymates'grief,theirduty,theirself-sacrifice,theirguilt.

ThejoyIfeltuponfindingmymates,andmyfriends,andmynewfamily--myplaceinthisworld.Myforgiveness.

Andaboveallelse,Igivethemlove.Mymates'loveformeandtheirhard-wonrespectforeachother.

Igivethemmylove.

AlltheinstrumentsofErembour'sritualcrumbletoashbeforemyeyes.Themagicherobbedtheworldofstreamsbackoutofmeinablindingtorrent,dispellingeverylastremainingshredoftheevilblighthecastonourkind.Painlikefireburnsmyflesh,butit'sacleansingflame.

"Wegotyou,"Stormgritsout,coolairwashingoverme.

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