Page 4 of The Dragon Queen

Apangfiresoffbehindmyribs.Thelossofthebracerisanacutepain.ButIneedtokeepmynewvulnerabilityasecret--atleastfornow.IfKingErembourbelievesI'mstrongerthanever,Ican'tdisabusehimofthatnotion.

Unawarethatanythingisamiss,Rookgestureswithhisuninjuredarm. "TheShadowKing'sforcesmayhavebeendefeated,buthewillretaliatewithavengeance.Hewillholdthisentiretownresponsibleforharboringyou.Evennow,hisservantswillbereturningtohimtofeedhiminformationaboutyourvictory."

He'sright.Inmyrage,fueledbythebracer'smagicandthepowerofmyEmergence,Ifelledahordeofhisminions,butenoughescapedtotellthetaleofwhathappenedtoday.

Including...

Ilookaround,searchingforFuryandJasmine.Mydragonknockedmyformertormentersoutofthesky,drainingthemoftheirmagic,atleastforatime.Theyfelltotheground,humananddefeated.

Butthere'snosignofthemnow.

"Fury,Jasmine--"Already,thesinkingfeelinginmystomachtellsmeallIneedtoknow.

ImeetStorm'sgaze,andheconfirmsit. "Gone."

"Returnedtotheirmaster."Rook'smouthisagrimline. "Thereisnotimetowaste."

"Sowhatdoyoupropose?"Jianyuasks,curt.

"Youcan'tstayhere."Rookglancesamongusall. "Butneithercananyoneelse."

FREYASLAMSherfistonthebigtableinthebackroomofwhat'sleftoftheDragon'sFlagon. "No.Absolutelynot."

Ourgroup--andatleasthalfoftheremainingpopulationofUnity--hasassembledhereintheaftermathofthebattle.Whileonewall'sbeenblownout,thestructureremainsmoreorlesssound,andthekegsinthebasementwereunharmed,sothetown'spubiskeepingcalmandcarryingon.

"Freya,IhatetoagreewithRook,"Rhiannonsays,wrinklinghernose, "buthe'sright."

"Thisisourtown."Freya'seyesarefullofdragonfireandice. "Wewon'tabandonit.LettheShadowKingcome."

"Hewill,"LordRooksaysfortheumpteenthtime. "Andhewillleavenosurvivors."

Freya'smate,Jett,hasremainedcarefullyneutralthroughoutthediscussions,butRook'sdirepredictionsarestartingtogettohim. "Babe,Iknowyouwanttogodownwiththeshipandall..."

"OfcourseIdon't,"sheinsists, "butIcan'tjustleave.Ihavearesponsibility."

Herwordshitattheveryheartofme.ThatwaswhatIfelt,sittingthereintheverycenterofthecarnage.

"Wedo,"Iagreequietly,drawingFreya'sattention. "Butit'stothepeopleandshiftersandwitcheswholivehere."

"Andwhatwouldyouhavemedo?"Hergazeispiercing,hertoneanguished. "Doyoureallybelievethatwecanevacuateeveryone?"

LordRooklooksatme. "Withtheheir'spowerandmine,wehaveachance."

Hesurreptitiouslypatshispocket,andInarrowmyeyes.HeclaimedtohavecreatedaportalortwotogethimselfandMariutzaandDelaynieoutoftheCitadel.Hemusthavesomesortofmagicalobjecthe'sdrawingontosummonthatkindofspell.

Beneaththelongsleeveofmyborrowedjacket,mynakedwristthrobs,butIresisttheurgetotouchthemottledskin.GratitudeoverwhelmsmeasIreachinsteadforthelocketstilldrapedaroundmyneck.

IglanceinRhiannon'sdirection.Itwasherideatobindsomeofmymagictohermother'snecklace,allowingmetocreateteleportationspellsmorereliably.Ironicallyenough,shecameupwiththenotionbackbeforeIEmerged,whenmymagicwasstrongbuterratic.Nowthatmydragonhasrevealeditself,Ishouldbeinfullcommandofmypowers,butwithouttheShadowQueen'sBracer,Ifeelasifthey'veabandonedme.

Clutchingtheblackmetal,Inod.Ithumswithadeepwellofcracklingenergy. "I'venevertriedtocreateaportalformorethanafewpeople.Butit'sworthatry."

"Therearehundredsofus,"Freyaremindsme. "Wherewouldweevengo?"ShegesturesaccusinglyatRook. "They'vebeenfollowingyouaroundforweeks."SheshiftsherglaretoStorm. "Andtheyfoundyouinlessthanaday."Addressingthegroupasawhole,shesays, "Tellmethere'ssomeplacesafewherewecango,wherewewon'tjustendupinthesamesituationagaininsideaweek,andI'lllisten.Butifyoucan't,I'dratherdiedefendingmyhome."

"We'reworkingonit--"Istart.

It'sonlybeenafewhours,andeveryone'sexhausted,injured,overwhelmedorsomecombinationofthethree.

Unfortunately,timeisaluxurythatwedon'thave.PartofmeissurprisedtheShadowKingdom'sarmiesaren'tatourdoorstepalready.TheSorceressmuststillberegroupingafterherfightagainstMariutzaandDelaynie--ormaybethedamageIdidtotheCitadelwasevenmoreextensivethanIrealized.

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