Page 23 of The Dragon Queen

Hedoesn'tbelieveit.Norshouldhe.

Mystomachdips.

Ihavetofindawaytogetmymagicback.Ihavetoworkharder,digdeeper,bebetter.

IhavetofigureoutwhytheShadowBracerrejectedme.

AndIhavetodoitfast.

Thefateofallofdragonkindisuptome.

Chapter

Eight

EMBER

Weflybacktothecastleindragonform.It'smid-morning,andtheplaceisbustlingwithactivity.Malik'sdragonleadstheway,circlingthemaincourtyardtwicebeforelanding.Peoplegivehimawideberth,buthistransformationissosmooththattherereallywasn'tanyriskofhimhurtinganyone.

Thesameisn'texactlyastrueforme,butit'sonlymysecondintentionallanding,soItrytocutmyselfalittleslack.It'sstillembarrassingtotearupapatchofgrasswithmytalonsbeforeIcanmanagetofindmyhumanfooting.MycheeksburnasIdustmyselfoff.IaddgracefullandingstothegrowinglistofthingsIneedtomasterbeforeItakeontheShadowKing.

Myinsidestwist.

It'sareally,reallylonglist.

I'mdeterminedtotackleit.Butfirst--isthatbaconIsmell?

Asmyothermatestouchdownbehindme,IscanthecourtyardandfindafewdozenofUnity'scitizensbreakingbreadatelegantstonetables.Amongthemareafewfamiliarfaces,anddespiteallmyworries,Ican'thelpbutsmile.

"Lookslikesomeonehadagoodmorning,"AmyteasesasIapproach.She'ssittingwithGrace,Rhiannon,Jett,Freya,BrynnandJimmy,theirhalf-eatenplatespiledhighwithamouthwateringsmatteringofbacon,pancakes,andexoticfruits,nottomentionafewWaterKingdomspecialtiesthathavemystomachgrowling.

"It'sbeenamixedbag,honestly."StealingapieceofbaconoffAmy'splate,Iglanceovermyshoulderatmymates. "Wehadalottotalkabout."

Amyliftsabrow. "Uh-huh.Talking.I'msurethat'swhatyouweredoing."

Irollmyeyes.Herinsinuationisn'twrong,obviously,butwedidn'tspendtheentiretimenaked.

"I'mrelievedtoseeyouupandabout,"Rhiannonsays. "You'refeelingbetter?"

"Much."Physically,atleast.

"Good."OnecornerofRhiannon'smouthlifts. "Forwhatit'sworth,Rooksleptallday,too."

Thatmakesmefeelalittlebetteraboutmyepicnap.

"Joinus?"Brynninvites. "Youmustbestarving."

She'srightaboutthat.

Notevenbotheringtodemur,ItakeaseatonAmy'sotherside.WhenIgotosnagevenmoreofherbacon,shegivesupandpushesherplatetowardme,provingshereallyisthebestfriendagirlcouldhave.Tomakeupforhergenerosity,sheleansclosertoGrace,pluckingapieceoffruitfromherplate.It'ssubtle,butGraceflinches,andIfrown.

Idon'thavetimetodwellonGrace'sreaction,though,asMalikcomestojoinourgroup,flankedbyObiandZahra.MalikaddressesFreya. "Iapologizeformyabsencethismorning,thoughIampleasedtoseethateveryoneappearstobesettlingin."

FreyagoesintoMayormode,updatinghimonthelogisticssituation.I'mtoobusyscarfingdownwhat'sleftofAmy'sbreakfasttocatcheverything,butfromthesoundsofit,we'reaswellprovisionedaswecouldhopetobe,allthingsconsidered.Hopefully,wewon'tbeherelongenoughtohavetofigureouthowtoresupplyafewhundredpeoplewiththeessentialsofdailylife.

Imean,worstcomestoworst,theShadowKingwillattackandstealeveryone'spowerinlessthanamonth.Surelythemagicallypreservedstockpileswilllastusatleastthatlong,right?

Iletoutadarkchuckleundermybreath,butmynihilismreallyisn'tthatfunny.AmyandBrynnbothshootmeappraisinglooks,andItrytowaveawaymyinappropriatelaughter,forcingasmile.EvenIdon'tbelieveit,though.

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