Page 14 of The Dragon Queen

Ipaythemnomind,allofmyattentiononmymate.

"Butyougainedsomething,too,"Iremindher.

Linesofconfusionappearbetweenhereyes,asifshedoesn'thaveacluewhatI'mtalkingabout--butshedoes.Onthemostprimallevel,sheunderstands.

Serpentineslitsappearinhereyes.

"Youcalledforthyourdragon."Afaintroarechoesinmybreath. "Andsheanswered."

Emberneedsawin.Andwhatintheworldcouldpossiblybeabiggervictorythanthis?

"So?"sheasks,trembling.

"So?"Itastethebiteofaburningflame. "Beforeyoudecideeverythingishopeless,letthatdragonout."Myowndragoneclipsesmysenses,myentirebeingeruptingwithheatandneedandpower. "Andlet'sseewhatshecando."

Chapter

Five

EMBER

I'vespentmyentireadultlifetryingtosummonmydragon,onlytobecrushedwhenthecageofmyribsclosesinonher,trappingherwithinme.

Consideringthedisappointmentsofthelastfewdaysandhours,apartofmeisalreadybracingmyself.MydragonEmerged,butshe'sbeenquietallmorning.I'mgoingtotrytoshift,andshe'sgoingtogetstuck--Icanfeelit.

ButRafe'seyesareglowinggold,thebeastwithinhimeclipsingtheman.Theaircrackleswithripplingheat,andonlypartofitisthemagicofhisinnerfire.

Theconnectionbetweenmeandmymatesisflameandneed,burningbrighterthantherisingsun.Allaroundme,mymenareshakingofftheirhumanness.Jianyu'smusclesrippleandtense,silverscalemanifestingitselffromsmoothskin.Storm'sdragonriflestheairasbrightwingsburstforth.Malik'slithe,glisteningbluedragontakestothesky.

Rafeholdsouthishand.

AndIreachinward.

Please--

Mydragonsoarsintomyconsciousness,andeverythinggoesstill.

Forasecond,myfleshisunyielding.Mystomachdrops,andIcurlmyhandsintofists,beggingthewayI'vealwaysbeggedbefore.Doubtsredoubleinmymind,myfailurestastinglikeashonmytongue.I'mnotenough,I'veneverbeenenough--

Blacksmokefillsmylungs.

Andtheneverythingiseruptingatonce.

Witharoarthatrendstheair,mydragonexplodesfrommychest.Myself-deprecationdiesinthepurplerushofsearingwind,mydragonincensedandjoyful,andasmyvisionexpands,mywingsunfurling,allofmyhumanconcernsfallaway.

Inacloudofdeepvioletshadow,myebonydragontakestothesky.Thegleamofmyscalesisdullerthanitwasonmyfirstflight,thepurplestreaksinmyhidelessvibrant,butwhoamItoquestionanything?

I'mamotherfuckingdragon.

Mydragonwhoopsandhowls,flyingusinaloop-the-loopthroughthewakingsky.Therainbowsinthewebbingofmywingsshineintheearlydawnsunlight,andmymatesarethere.

Ilaugh,tearsofdesperationandreliefevaporatingasIflyfromRafe'sbold,reddragontoMalik'sgleamingblueone.Jianyu'ssilverywingsgrazemine,andStormswoopsbeneathme,takingmeinwithanappreciationthatglowswhitehotinourbond.

Mydragonheartisbiggerthanmyhumanbodyeverwas,andstill,itfeelstoofull.

"Thereyouare,"Rafespeaksintomymind,andthetenorofhisdragonvoiceissorichanddeep,itvibratesthroughmyverycenter.

Jianyu'swingtipsghostalongmytail. "Magnificent."

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