Page 28 of The Dragon Queen

"Ishouldhavebeeninformed,"heinsists. "Thischangeseverything."

MystomachsucksinasheconfirmswhatIalreadyknew.

Rhiannoncrossesherarmsoverherchest. "Exactlywhywehadtokeepitconfidential.ThisinformationcannotreachtheShadowKing'sears."

"Youdon'ttrustme."Rook'seyesnarrow.

Rhiannontakesasteptowardhim. "OfcourseIdon't.Aftereverything--"

Amyinterrupts,askingme, "Howisthisevenpossible?"

"Idon'tknow."Ashiverrunsthroughme.Thebracer'srejectionisaswordthroughmychest,butIalreadyspenthalfthemorninggrievingitslosswithmymates.Idon'thavetheenergytorevisititagainnow.

Mariutza'swordsfloatbacktome.Youmustfixwhat'sbeenbroken.Iswallowhard.Nothingcouldbemorebrokenthanthis.

IlooktoRhiannonandRook,unabletokeeptheplaintivenotefromcreepingintomyvoice. "Thequestionis,canitberepaired?"

Rook'sjawflexesunderhisbeard.Hefinallyreachesoutandletstheedgeofonefingergrazethemetal.He'sbracedforsomethingtohappen,butwhennothingdoes,hegrowsmorebold.Pickinguponeofthelargerfragmentsinhishand,heholdsituptoinspectitmoreclosely.

"There'snotraceofwhatitwas,"heannounces. "Allthemagicisgone."

"Icouldhavetoldyouthat,"Imutter,butforallthatIwasthebracer'sbearer,Iunderstoodsolittleofitshistory.Ihadnoideahowitworked.AllIknewwasthatithadstopped.

FollowingRook'slead--butinanonchalantway,asifsheisn'twillingtoadmitthathe'sactuallyleading--Rhiannontouchestheinertmetal,too. "Embercouldn'thavepossiblyusedupallofitspower."

"Agreed,"Rooksays,eyingme. "Sosomeotherfactormustbeatwork."

"Canitbefixed?"Irepeat.

Amyshrugs. "Someone'sgottohavepackedahotgluegun."

"Haha,"Rhiannonsays,utterlydry.

Afterafewmoremomentsofconsideration,Rookshakeshishead.Hedropstheshardhewasholdingontothetablewithoutanyfanfare,andtheroomechoeswiththedull,clatteringsound. "Thereisnothinglefttofix."

Ishakemyhead,ahopelesspangfiringoffinmychest. "But--"

Moregently,Rhiannoncomestomeandtakesmyhand. "Ifearit'sbeyondrepair."

Ipullmyhandaway.

It'sasIfeared.ButIcan'tgiveup.Notyet.

"Buttheremustbesomeone--someexpert--"

Rookinterruptsmybabbling. "EventheShadowKing'ssorceresswasflummoxedbythebracer."

Thecornersofmymouthturndown,myforeheadcreasing. "Shehadaplantotakeitoff,though.Sheseemedtoknowallaboutit."

"Shehadahopeandaprayerandachainsaw,waitinginthewings,"Rooksaysdrily.

Thatcan'tberight. "Butshesaidshecouldn'tremoveitwhileitwasstillconnectedtomylifeforce."

"Thatwashertheory,butshewasflyingblind."Rook'sexpressiondarkens. "Noonehaseverencounteredanobjectofsuchpowerbefore.Iftheysaytheyunderstandit,theyareprobablylying."

Rhiannonmakesalittlehummingnoise,andthetwoofthemshareaglancethatmakesmefeellikeI'mmissingsomething.

"What?"Iask.

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