Page 35 of The Dragon Queen

So--pissedoffasIamrightnow--I'mgoingtodopreciselythat.

Exhalingdeeply,Iturnbackaround,bracingmyselftogetheckledbymyuncleandbeatenupbymybestfriend'smomsomemore.Buttomysurprise,Rhiannonhasshiftedbackintoherhumanformandcomeinforalanding.

TouchingAmy'sshoulder,sheshootsaconcernedglanceinmydirection. "Perhapsit'stimeforabreak."

"Idon'tthink--"Rookstartsgruffly.

Rhiannontalksoverhim,anedgeappearinginhertone. "Isaid,it'stimeforabreak."

SheandRooksharealook,bothofthemmakingcomplicatedexpressionswiththeirbrows.Afteramoment'sstalemate,Rookheavesoutadramaticsighandscrubshisfacewithhishands. "Verywell."

Huh.Sincewhenhavethetwoofthembeenabletohavenonverbalconversationslikethat?Inthepast,they'vemostlyjustshoutedateachother.

Whatever'sgoingonwiththem,I'mgratefulforthereprieve.RightupuntilRhiannondartsanotherpointedlookmywaybeforetakingAmyaside.

Rookdropshishandsfromhisfaceandcastshisgazeskyward.Thenheapproachesme. "Let'stakeawalk."

Uh.ThatisnotwhatIhadinmindwhenIthoughtIwasgoingtogetachancetotakeabreak.Butthewayhesaysitleavesnoroomforquestionorprotest.Withoutsomuchasabackwardglance,hestartsoffalongapaththatleadsdowntowardtheriver.

Myinstinctstellmetofollow,butIjustgavemyselfthatwholepeptalkaboutlearningtostandonmyown.SoItakeaminutetograbafewsipsofwaterandahandfulofalmondsfrommybag.

BythetimeI'vemadeapointofhavingmydrinkandmysnack,Rook'sgottenprettyfarahead.Grumblingtomyself,Ijogtocatchupwithhim.AsIpullupalongsidehim,hedartsaglanceinmydirection.

"I'mpushingyou,"hestates,andyeah,I'dnoticedthat.

"Iaskedyouto."

I'mnotenjoyingitoranything.ButIwastheonetoproposeputtingallofourenergyintotrainingupmyShadowDragonskillsthisweek.

Hecastshisgazeoffintothedistance. "Iamnotaccustomedtobeingateacher."

"Really,"Isay,andIcan'tkeepthesarcasmoutofmyvoice.

Hisowntonegrowschillier. "Iwastrainedbyadragonwhoburnedthehairoffhistraineeswithhisbreath."Hisjawflexesbeneathhisgraybeard. "I'mpushingyou,butnotnearlyashardasyoucouldbepushed."

"Maybethat'sourmistake."AllthetimesIaccidentallysummonedmagicwhenIhadthebracer,mylifewasbasicallyontheline.Urgencyisahellofamotivator.

"You'llhaveenoughchancestoflirtwithdeathsoonenough,"hewarns. "Itismygoaltokeepyoualiveandintactuntilthen."

"Thanks--Ithink."

"Butyouneedtoworkharder.Putmoreofyoursoulintoit."Hecurlshishandsinfrontofhisabdomen. "EmbracetheShadowswithinyourheart."

Embrace,embrace,embrace.

It'sallIcandojusttoswallowmygrowloffrustration.

"That'swhatIdid,"Iexplode,stoppingwhereIam,throwingmyhandouttotheside.

We'vereachedtheriver'sedge,andIglancearound.We'realone,exceptforAmyandRhiannon,butiftheycanhearusrightnow,they'veatleastdecidedtostayoutofsight.

Rookstops,too,turningtostareatmeappraisingly.Hisblackgazeseemstopeerrightthroughme,butnotinagoodway.He'sunimpressed,andthat'sfine.Ididn'tstartthisinsomesortofabidtowinhimover.

Butdoeshehavetobesofuckingaloofallthetime?

"Theminutebeforethebracerrejectedmeandfelloffmyarm,IembracedtheShadowDragonwithinme,anditwasamazing."

Ifeltsopowerful--likeIcouldtakeontheShadowKingandhisarmyallonmyown.

---