Page 120 of The Dragon Queen

Ishakemyheadandsmile. "Iwouldexpectnothingless."

"Rockon."AmypinchesAlina'scheeks. "Wearegoingtohavesomuchfun!"

MyheartsqueezesasIwavethemoff.Alinahasagreatnanny,butitsetsmymindateasetoknowthatmydaughterisbeingtakencareofbyfamilyondayslikethese.

Becausethat'swhatAmyandGracearetous.Family.

Metaphorically,ofcourse.Amy'smybestfriend.

Butalso,nowthatRhiannonandRookareofficially,openlytogether,Amy'sbasicallyastep-cousinofsomesort.Whichonlymakeseverythingbetter.

"Meetyoubackhereinanhour,"Stormsays,kissingmycheek.

"Trytwo,"mychiefstylistcorrectshim,andinternallyIgrown.

ButwhatcanIsay?ThismaynotbethelifeIexpectedformyself,butit'sonethatI'veembracedwithallmyheart.

NEARLYTHREEHOURSLATER,Isweepthroughthedoorsofoursuiteandoutintothereceivinghallbeyond.MuchlikeinthenightmarishvisionIhadofmyselfifIhadchosentokeepthepowerErembourhadstolen,I'mdoneupinabsolutefinery.Along,blackgown.Stringsofblackdiamondsaroundmyneck.Thebraceraseveronmywrist.

TheCrownOfCindersisnotapartofmyensemble,however.It'sremaineddormantsincethebattle--thanktheGods.Forsafekeeping,wekeepitlockeduptightlyinavault.Itwillnotbeallowedtofallintothewronghands.

Instead,Iwearadifferentcrownonmyhead.It'sbrightplatinum,setwithjewelstorepresentallfivedragonkingdoms.Ithasnomagic,noaura,nohistory.ExceptthatitwasforgedinthesmolderingwreckageofErembour'sshadowempire,anditsymbolizesthehopeweallhaveforthenewerawe'rebuilding.Together.

AsIenter,mymatesallturnasone.Myabdomensucksin.They'redevastatinglyhandsome,asalways,buttherereallyissomethingaboutamaninformalwear.Malik'sbrightbluetattoosglowagainsttheblueandgreensilkofhisrobes,andStorm'sbroadshouldersandmuscularbuildfilloutthelinesofhissuitinawaythatmakesmymouthwater.Jianyu'ssilver,high-collaredjackethugshisframeinasimilarlydeliciousway,whileRafe'sdeepred,velvetcoatbegstobetouched.

"Damn,"Rafemutters,andourgazesmeet.HisisfullofasmuchheatasIfeel,staringatthem.

Imanageasmile,standingupmystraightestandtallest--asifIhaveanyrealchoice,consideringtheboninginmygownandtheheightofmyheels. "SorryI'mlate."

"Morethanworththewait,"Jianyuassuresme.

Malikstepsforwardtooffermehisarm. "MayI?"

Islipmyhandintothecrookofhiselbow,relishingthewarmthofhisbodyagainstmine.

Stormappearsatmyotherside,andIaccepthisarm,aswell.Heleansinclose. "Youlookstunning."

"Youallcleanupprettywellyourselves,"Itellthem,whichistheunderstatementoftheyear,butthedeepglowofourmate-bondsisevidenceenoughofhowIreallyfeel.

LikeIcan'twaituntiltonight,afterourdutieshavebeenfulfilled,andourdaughterisalltuckedin.

WhenIfinallygettoripallthosegorgeousclothesrightoffthem.

Fornow,though,wehaveworktodo.

"Everybodyready?"mychiefofstaffasks.

Iglancearoundatmymates,checkingforapprovalbeforenodding. "Leadtheway."

Shedoes,andwefollow.

TheoldWaterKingdomcapitalhasundergonequitethetransformationoverthepastfewyears.WhileafairshareofWaterDragonswerehappytoreturntotheirancestrallands--oncetheywererevealedtostillexist--mostchosetoremaininthenewcitytheyfoundedintheaftermathofthelastgreatwar.

Thatleftthiscastleandthefertilelandsarounditseverelyunderpopulated,andlackingmuchinthewayoforganizedgovernment.Sowesetupshophere,welcominganyonefromanyofthefivekingdomstocomejoinusincreatingabetter,morecooperative,morepeacefulworld.Ironingoutrelationsbetweensomanydifferentdragonstooksomedoing,ofcourse,butthisplaceisnowacentralhubofthenew,unitedDragonRepublic.It'swheremyfamilyandImakeourprimaryresidence.

Andit'swhere,onceayear,wehostasummitofrepresentativesfromallthedragoncommunities,alloverthedragonworld.IpresideovertheeventsasQueen;someonehastokeeporder,afterall.Buteveryonehasavoice.

Gonearethedaysofhoardinganddominion--ofin-fightingandoppressionandwar-mongeringtyrants.Thepeaceisn'talwayseasytomaintain.

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