Page 32 of The Dragon Queen

Shesqueezesmyhandbeforelettinggo. "Ithoughtwe'dmovedpastthis."

She’ssayingittoherothermatesasmuchassheistome.

Iwanttoagreewithher--tokeepmovingon. "I'mgladtheybroughtitup,actually."

"Youare?"Rafeasks.

Myhearthammersinmychest,mythroattightening,butIswallowpasttheconstriction. "I'vebeenapartfromEmber.Formonths."Imeetherdark,hauntedeyesoncemore. "Theyweretorture."

"Youarereallynothelpingyourcase,"Malikwarns.

ToEmber,Ideclare, "Everyminutewewereseparatedhurt."

"Storm..."

"IknowthatyouwereinmorepainthanIwas."

Sheshakesherhead. "That'snotwhatI'msaying--"

"Butwesurvivedtheworstpossibleseparation,broughtaboutbecauseIwasashithead,whogavemoreloyaltytomytraitorfatherthantothewomanIloved."

"Can'targuewiththat,"Rafequips.

"Wecansurvivethis."Itakeherhandagain,andthelovevibratingthroughourbondisalmostoverwhelminginitsforce.Confidencefuelsme,eventhoughbeneaththesurfaceI'malreadyanticipatingthelonging. "Idon'twanttobeapartfromyou,"Irepeat. "ButIbelieveinwhatwehave.Ibelieveinthemission.AndIbelieveinyou."

Withthat,Ipullherincloser,andshecomessowillingly,allowingmetofoldherintomyarms.Ikissherwetmouth,drinkingineverymomentofcontactlikeitmightbemylast,becauseforthenextfewweeks,itprobablywillbe.

Shekissesbackwiththesameintensity,pouringmyloveandmyanticipationoflossrightbackintoourconnection.Andit'slikethatlast,awfultime,whenwesaidourgoodbyesbeforetheAirKingdomEmergence.BeforemyfatherandFurydiscoveredusandshewastornfrommygrasp.

Butthistime,IknowI'mcomingback.We'llbetogetheragain,strongerthanever.

"Shit,"Rafemuttersunderhisbreath. "Fine,Ibelieveinyou,too."

"Iknow."Withasoft,sadlaugh,EmberpullsawayfrommeandletsRafedragherintoapossessivekissofhisown.Whenhe'sdone,shelookstoJianyu.

"Idon'tlikeit,"hesaysagain, "butIacceptit."

"That'sallIcanask."Shekisseshim,too.

Malikreachesforherlast,andhedrawsherintothedeepestkissofall,clutchinghertohischest,histattoosflickeringwithliquidbluelight. "Twoweeks,"hesaysdarkly. "Twoweekstogatherouralliesandbringthemhere.Notadaymore."

It'snotenoughtime,butit'saslongasIcanimaginebeingawayfromEmberwithoutlosingmymind.

"We'lltalkeveryday,"sheassuresus,meltingintoMalik'sarms.

"We'llonlyhaveacoupleofweeksafterwereturntopreparefortheShadowMoon,”Iremindher. "That'snotmuchtimetofindthecrown,gogetit,andorganizeaplanofattack."

Shereachesforme,andIgotoher,drawninaseverbythemagneticpullbetweenus.Itburnedmewithitsheatbeforewewerebonded,andnowit'sall-encompassing,toopowerfultoeventrytoresist.

ButIwill.Forher,I'llgoanywhere,doanything.

Evenleave.

"We'llmakeitwork,"shepromises,buthervoicequavers.She'sputtingonastrongface,butherinsecurityisanundeniablewobbleintheelectricaurasurroundingher.

"Ofcoursewewill."Jianyuisontheothersideofher,herhandinhisashekissesasoft,wetlineupherarm.

Sheshivers,butinagoodway,thistime,thepleasureofhermates'touchcrowdingouttheuncertaintyandthedoubt.

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