Page 34 of The Dragon Queen

That'shardtorememberwhenshearchesback.

Withaspeedthatbeliesherage--andherprotectiveness--shechargesatus,herrazor-sharptalonscomingrightatourheads.

"Now,"Rookshouts,andyeah,great,he'sjustfullofhelpfultips,isn'the?

IflickmyhandsoutthewayheandRhiannonshowedme,tryingtosummononeoftheprotectionbubblesthatI'dfinallymoreorlessmastered,backwhenIhadtheShadowBracerwrappedaroundmyarm.Faintcracklesofvioletenergyshiveralongmyfingertips,butasRhiannon'sdragondivestowardus,themagicfizzlesandpops.

Amydoesn'tfaremuchbetter,creatingthebaresthintofashieldintheairjustaboveherface.Rhiannon'sdragon'stalonsripthebarriertoshreds,butwe'redamnluckyshe'sonourside,orwe'dbedead.

Rhiannon'sdragonfeintstotheside,butthenshe'spivoting.Blackcloudsofmalicehurtlethroughtheair.Myhearthammeringagainsttheinsideofmychest,Istruggleagaintodefendmyself,andagainthemagicjustisn'tthere.Theshadowboltdissipatesaninchfrommyface,andmyowndragonscreamsinfrustration.

Wefeelneutered,helpless,useless,doomed...

Myvisionnarrows,mydragonattemptingtowrestcontrolfromme,butIrefusetoyield--nomatterhowmuchImightliketo.

Inourfirstcoupleofdaysoftraining,weletherout.RhiannonandRookgaveherandAmy'sdragonsalessononflyingthroughtightcorridors,onprotectingtheirflanksandmakingsharpturns.Theyhelpeduskindledarkflamesofmagic--weak,comparedwithwhatIwasabletodowhenUnitywasunderattack,butatleastitwassomething.

Mydragonisn'ttheproblem,atthispoint.Iam.

AndRookknowsit.

HestalkstowardmeandAmy,blackfireburninginhisgaze.Ibracemyselfforanotherlectureaboutfocus,butinstead,hebeckonsRhiannon'sdragonbackourway.

"Deflect,"hebarks,amilitarybearingtakingoverhisalreadyimperiousposture.AsRhiannonhurlsviciousballsofshadowsdirectlyathim--notpullingherpunches,thewayshedidwithAmyandme--heextendshisarmandtwistshishandupandtotheside.Hisfingertipsglow,andtheblacksmokecareensofftotheside,landingonthegrassandleavingitsinged.

HenodsatRhiannonagain.

Thistime,whensheattacks,hegrunts, "Evade."

Inablurofblack,heslidestothesidethesecondbeforeRhiannon'snextblowwouldhavehithim.It'ssupernaturallyfast,makingmyeyeshurtasthespacearoundhimripples.

"Shield,"heinstructs,flickinghishandsforward.AsRhiannon'sfinalvolleyhurtlestowardhim,hecreatestheshimmering,purplebarrierofenergyIwastryingsohardtosummon,andit'ssoeasyforhim.Soeffortless.

"Damn,"Amymurmurs,impressed.

I'mnotnearlysodecorous.

"Godsfuckingdamnitall."Ikicktheground,andtheairinmylungsstirswiththepromiseofwrath,butmymagicdoesn'tspark--notthewayitdidwhenStormwashere.WhenIhadthebracerandIfeltinvincible.

There'sanacheinmychestasIturnaway.Theirrefutablesenseofmyowninadequacyswampsme,andIclenchmyhandsintofists.Ifsavingtheworldismydestiny,thenwhydon'tIhavethetoolstodoitwith?Where'smypathforward?

TheGodschoseme.

Butwhatiftheychosewrong?

Isuckinabreath,scarcelyabletogetenoughair.Ireachoutinstinctively,onlythere'snothingtoreachoutto.Mymatesarehalfaworldaway;myconnectionstoeachoneofthemarestillvibrant,butthelinesareallstretchedthin.

WhatIwouldgivetofallintotheirarmsrightnow.IneedJianyu'ssolidity,Rafe'sfierypassion.Malik'scoolcalmandStorm'ssilvereyesthathavealwaysknownhowtoseestraightthroughme.

Dailyvideocallsaren'tenough.Iknowthey'resafe--thanktheGods.ButIcan'ttouchthem,can'tdrawstrengthandsupportfromtheminmomentsofneed.

Iforcemyselftounclenchmyfists.

Theylefttogatherallies,andthey'redoingpreciselythat.Eachmanhasmanagedtosneakbackintohishometerritory.They'reworkingtheirconnections,tappingpeopletheyknowtheycantrust.GatheringtheforcesthatwillhelpusstoptheShadowKing'splans.

AndI'mlearningtochannelmymagic.Tobeastrongerdragon,andtowieldelementalpoweragaininmyhumanform.

I'mpracticinghowtostandonmyown.

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