Page 16 of The Dragon Queen

Iwanttoprotest,butI'monlytoodelightedtobecaughtupinabloomingswampofabsoluteheat.

"Theentirecityrestsonthatmountain,"Malikremindsus.

Stormsoarsaroundus,hiswingsbarelymovingasheshowsoffhisuttermasteryofridingandmanipulatingthecurrentsofair. "Andit'sstillstanding."

"Behave,"Irebukethemall,slippingfromRafe'sfierygrasptoflybacktowardMalik.

Hewrapsmeupintheembraceofhissleek,sinuouswings.Butthere'sstillconcerninhisprojectedvoice. "Isworetoprotectyou,yourfriends--"

"Andyouhave."Isendwavesofreassuranceintoourconnection.Ourgazesmeet.He'ssoclose,andthecoolradianceofhisdragonfleshfeelssogood.

Mydragon'sbodyundulatesagainsthis,andhisblueeyesflashdark.

Inthedistance,thundercloudsboom.Afinemistofrainscattersitselfacrossthesky.

Thesuncreststhefar-offmountaintop,andjustlikethat,theentireskyiscastinthemostbrilliantrainbow.Itdancesonmyscales,reflectinginalldirections,andIsoakinitsheat,itslight.

Allmymates'displaysofmagicsuddenlycometogetherwithinme.

Andforamoment,IcanforgetthattheShadowBracerrejectedme.

Becauseapurplecloudofsmokeandlightningburstsintobeingaroundme.Itspowerradiatesthroughme,enfoldingMalikintoacocoonofshadowsthatfeellikewarmthandprotectionandlove--Godsabove,Ifeelsomuchlove.

"Beloved,"Malikgasps.

He'scaughtinmyspellnow,andItakehimtumblingintoabarrelroll.

Jianyudivestofollowus,withRafehotonhisheels.Stormsweepsforwardonacurrentofair,andIenfoldallfourofmymatesintomyweb,andhow,how,howwasIeverafraidofmydragon?OftheshadowsthatsheandIcanweave?

We'renotsomecacklingvillainlikeErembour.

We'rebrilliant.

We'reaqueen.

MaybenottheQueenofShadows,butpowerthrumsthroughus.

Andsodoesanimpossible,unquenchableheat.

Needsosharpitachesburnsalineupmycenter.Desirefloodsthecloudsofshadowsurroundingmeandmymates,knittingusalltogetherevenmoredeeplythanbefore.Theirownmalelustreverberatesthroughourconnection.

Aspassionblazesthroughthefiveofus,Malik'sdragonslipshistailovermine,andStormsweepsatendrilofsensuousairacrossmyflank.There'sgrazingcontactbetweenmywingsandJianyu'sandRafe's,andIfeelsolidandmoltenallatonce.

Weneedtoland.

Iscanahead,mykeendragonsightcapturingtheforestandrockfacesandriverindetailmyhumaneyescouldneverhavehopedtotakein.

Andthere--justeastoftheabandonedcity--

Theovergrownforestgiveswaytoameadowsopillowy-softandgreenIcouldsinkrightintoitsembrace.Pullingmymatesalongwithme,Isurgeforward.

"Whoa--"Jianyumurmurs,butI'mnotslowing,I'mnotlistening.

I'mtumblinghead-longintoamessofdesire,fueledbymagicandfateandthesheeranimalneedforcontactwithmymates.

Mydragongrazesthegrasswithhertalons,andIhavenoideahowtoshiftbackintomyhumanform.I'veneverdoneitbefore--notintentionallyorwillingly,inanycase.

Mydragondoesn'tfightmeforcontrol,though;shewantsexactlythesamethingIdo.Evenbeforeshecanalight,thescalesandwingsareretreating,leavingmeamessofoversensitivefleshandsplayinglimbs.

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