Page 42 of The Dragon Queen

Thehoneymoonperiodhasn'tfadedabit.Maybethat'sbecausewe'reFatedMates;maybeit'sbecausebetweenShadowDragonattacksandkidnappings,wehaven'thadasecondtobreathe.

ButIstillwantthemwithayearningthatburnsmethrough.Beingawayfromthemistorture.

Willweeversettlein?

Myheartclenches.

Willwelivelongenoughtoevenhaveachanceto?

Iexhaledeeply.Thoseareallquestionsforanotherday,andrightnow,I'mtryingtoconsolemyfriend.

Sheburiesherfaceinmyshirt. "Idon'tknow.Lifehasbeenkindofawhirlwind.ButIstilldon'tunderstandwhyshe'spullingaway."

"I'msurethere'sanexplanation."Itugherincloser. "Youguyswillfigureitout."

"Ihopeso,"sheagrees.Butthere'sadoubtinhervoicethathurts. "Ilovehersomuch."

Ikissthetopofherhead. "Iknowyoudo."

Butwhentheentireworldisconspiringagainstyou,whatiflovejustisn'tenough?

Chapter

Thirteen

EMBER

We'retrainingdownbytheriveragainacoupleofdayslaterwhenasirenwailsinmyears.Iclampmyhandstomyhead,completelydisruptingthesadexcuseforashadowboltIhadbeentryingtoconjure.Mygazedartstothesky,andwhatIseestopsmyheart.

Dragons.

Instantly,Igoonhighalert.There'sacrackleofsomethinginmyblood--notquitemagicbutnotquitenotmagic,either.

"Areweunderattack?"Amyshouts.

Myeyeswiden.

Thedragons'scalesgleamsilverywhite,andthere'sanauraaboutthem.Theearthbeneathmyfeettrembleswithpower--butnotwithmenace.

"No."Idropmyhandsfrommyears.Thewardskeepblaringtheirwarning,butIdon'tcare.

Betweenonebreathandthenext,I'mlaunchingmyselfintotheair.Therestofmytraininghasbeenanongoingdisappointment,butmydragoncomestomewithouthesitationnow.Inarushofscalesanddarknessandash,mywingsandtailunfurl,andIsoartowardthecastle,hotonourvisitors'heels.

Inthemaincourtyard,Freyaandherguardsarealreadyassembled.Iwatchfromtheskyasthenewdragonsdescendpeacefully.Tomysurprise,halfofthembearhumanpassengers.Womenallofthem,dressedinwhiterobes.

SisterGraceburststhroughthecastledoors.

TheStoneTempleSistersdisembarkandsurgeforwardtomeether.Thegleamingwhitedragonsmorphintotheirhumanforms,andoneinparticularlooksskyward.

HighPriestessFang'sblackeyesconnectwithmine,andshesmiles.

Iswoopinforalandingofmyownmomentslater.IruntowardHighPriestessFang,andapartofmewantstothrowmyarmsaroundherneck,butIsomehowmanagetopullmyselfupshort.

HighPriestessFangis--oratleastwastheleaderoftheGrandStoneDragonTemple.

MythroattightensasIapproachher.

Wearen'texactlyclose,butshewasoneofthefirstpeopletorecognizethebracerforwhatitwas.TheentiretimeIwasintheStoneDragonKingdom,sheworkedtirelesslytotrainme.WhileIdidn'texactlymastermyskills,hertutelagewasinvaluableinsettingmeontherightpath,andhelpingmetobuildastrongfoundation.

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