Page 41 of The Dragon Queen

"YousavedthemfromShadowandAirDragons,"Amyinsists.

"Thatdoesn'tchangethefactthatIbroughtthemthere."

"Hey."Jettpointsafingeratme,histonestern. "Nooneblamesyouforthat.It'snotyourfaultahordeofsociopathicvillainswaschasingyou."

Huffingoutabreath,Idrawalineinthecondensationonmyglass. "Istillfeelbadaboutit."

"Well,don't,"Amysays,asifit'sreallythatsimple. "Anyway,onceyoukicktheShadowKing'sass,it'llallbeworthit."

Isthatsupposedtomakemefeelbetter?Mystomachchurnswithyetmoreguiltandnerves.Itakeabiggulpofmybeer,butitdoesn'thelptosettlemeatall.

Freyachangesthetopic,ventingaboutsomeissuesshe'shavingwithagroupofwolfshifterswhoapparentlydecidedthatoneoftheballroomswouldbeagoodplacetohaverugbypracticeandaccidentallybrokesomevaseorsomething.Withthefocusshiftedawayfromme,Ifinallystarttorelax,althoughIstillcan'thelpfeelinglikeeverybody'slookingatme.

Butit'sweirdly...notuncomfortable?ImayfeelguiltyabouthavingforcedeveryoneinUnitytofleefortheirlives,butnooneseemsangryaboutit.Allthesmilesareencouraging.Evensupportive.

I'vebeensointentonpreparingforbattlethatI'vesquirreledmyselfaway.It'sgoodtogetoutandseepeople,outandaboutandhavingfun,despitebeingdisplacedfromtheirhomes,andregardlessofthecloudofdoomhangingovereverybody'sheads.

Itremindsmewhytheshifterworldisworththefight.

BrynnandJimmyandafewofJianyuandRafe'sfriendscomeovertojoinus,andbeforelong,we'vehadtopulltogetherafewextratablestoaccommodatethegroup.I'mrightinthemiddleofitall,andsuddenlythecrushinglonelinessIfeltearlierdoesn'tfeelsoheavy.Istillmissthehelloutofmymates,butit'sbearablenow.

Duringabreakintheconversation,ItapmyelbowagainstAmy's. "Thanks.Forgettingmetocomehangout."

"It'swhatfriendsarefor."Sheliftsherglass,andweclink. "Butalso,you'rewelcome."

Shereallyisagoodfriend.AndI'mnot-so-subtlyremindedthatmaybeI'vebeenlessamazingofone.Iglancearoundandscrunchupmybrows. "Where'sGrace?"

Amy'smouthtwistsdownward,andhergazeshiftsofftowardtheentrancetothecellar. "OffhangingoutwithObiandZahra."

That's...notthatunusual.GraceandourWaterKingdomcompanionshititoffreasonablywell.

ThewayAmy'stalkingaboutit,though?That'snew.

"Oh?"Mygoalistosoundnoncommittal--toleaveAmytheopeningtotalkaboutitifshewantsto,butnottopress.Buttheotherday,IthoughtIsawGraceflinchingawayfromAmy'stouch.Atthetime,itseemedweird,butpairedwiththesournessinAmy'sexpressionnow,Ican'thelpbutfeellikesomething'sup.

"Yeah."Amyblinksacoupleoftimes.Andthenshedropsherheadontomyshoulder. "Idon'tknowwhat'sgoingon."

Iwrapmyarmaroundherandgiveheragentlesqueeze.Myheartsinksinsympathy. "Wannatalkaboutit?"

"Notsurewhattosay."Sheshrugsandsniffles. "Everythingseemedfine,right?WesaidtheL-word,Iturnedintoadragon,wehadamazing'yay,wedidn'tdie'sexafterthebattle."

IchuckleattheTMI,rubbingherarminencouragement.

Shecontinues. "Butthen,afterthat,itfeelslikeshestartedpullingaway.Like,we'restilltogetherandall,andtheorgasmsarestillexcellent."

"Uh-huh."Iraiseabrow.

"Butit'sdifferent.Shedoesn'twanttohangoutasmuch,andsheactsweirdwhenItouchher.It'sbeenokaysinceI'vebeenbusytrainingwithyouandRookandmymom.ButIcan'thelpfeelinglikesomething'sjustoff."

"I'msorry."Mystomachtwists.IwishtherewassomethingIcoulddo. "It'sbeenareallystressfultime?Ormaybeyou'rejustsettlingin?"

That'sathing,right?Thehoneymoonperioddoesn'tlastforever.Eventually,youneedtohaveotherfriendshipsandfindyourownspace,eveninanawesomerelationship.

NotthatIwouldknow.IwaswithStormforever,butwenevergottospendmuchtimetogether,whatwithkeepingourattachmentasecretandall.Wehadnochoicebuttohavelivesoutsideofthebubble.

Asformeandmymatesnow?

Isuckinaroughbreath.

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