Page 36 of The Dragon Queen

Andthenextsecond,itwasallslippingthroughmyhands.

Myeyessting,andohhellno.Iamnotgoingtogogettingemotionalandcryingrightnow.

"Ihavebeenworkingmyassoff,"Iremindhim.

Heshakeshishead. "It'snotenough."

I'mnotenough.

"Whatdoyouwantmetodo?"

He'ssuddenlyonme,movingsofastIscarcelyseehimdoit.Hestaresdownatmewithhard,blackeyes. "IwantyoutobetheQueenofDragons."

Iwon'tquiver.Iwon'tbackdownorshowhimhowweakandpatheticandscaredIaminside. "WhatdoyouthinkI'mtryingtodo?"

"Ihonestlydon'tknow."Hechuckles,halflaughterandhalfsneer,andoh,boilingragebubbleswithinme.

"It'seasyforyou,"Ispit.Iflailahandtowardthepocketofhisstupidsuitjacket. "Ilostthebracer,butyoustillhavewhatevertrinketitisyoukeepsoclosetoyourchest--"

Ifit'spossible,hiseyesglowevendarker. "Trinket?"

Oh,damn,I'vestruckanerve.

ButthesamestupidinstinctthatalwayshadmerunningmymouthwhenIwasbeingtauntedbybulliesbackinWynrathCrestrearsitsheadnow. "Oh,I'msorry,Imeant 'darkmagicalartifact'."

It'stheairquotesthatreallyputitoverthetop.

Rook'snostrilsflare,andhedigsintohispocket.AndI'mnotsureexactlywhatitisthatI'mexpecting,butI'mstilltakenabackwhenhepullshishandbackoutwith...nothing.

Iscrunchmybrowstogether.

Butthenheopenshisfist.Andthere,sittingintheopenpalmofhishandisagleaming,deepebonyring.

"Thistrinket,"hegrowls, "belongedtomyfather."Histhroatbobs. "Yourgrandfather."

Oh.

Someofthewindgoesoutofmysails.

Rookcantell,too.Heexhalesdeeplyasheshiftstheringontohisindexfinger.Ashepressesitdowntotheknuckle,thedarkmetalpulseswithmagic,aninvisible,purplehaloofpoweremanatingfromit.

"Howmuchdidyourfathertellyou?Aboutourfamily?"

Itrytokeepthesournessoutofmyvoice,butIdon'tsucceed. "Literallynothing."

Itdidn'tseemweirdatthetime.Mymotherdidn'tliketotalkaboutherfamilymuch,either,butthat'sbecausemostofthemwereassholes.Inhindsight,though,myfather'ssilencehadadifferent,moreguardedqualitytoit.

"Apity."Rookflexeshisfingers,andthering'sauraseemstodancealongwiththemotions. "Ourparentsweregreatdragons.Powerful."Hisjawflexesashedartshisgazetomeetmine. "FaithfulservantsoftheShadowDragonKing."

"Nice,"Iquip,suppressingtheurgetoshudder.

Somygrandparentsweremonsters.Super.

"ThepreviousShadowDragonKing.TheonebeforeErembour."Rookletshisgazedriftoffintothedistance. "Hewasjustasruthless.Arotten,connivingoldbastard.WhenErembourkilledhimandtookhisthrone,weallthoughtlifemightgetbetter."

"Howdidthatworkout?"

Hisanswerisasharpglarebeforehelooksawayoncemore. "Inthecoup,myfatherwasoneoftheonesdefendingtheoldking.Hediedintheslaughter,andIthought..."

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