Page 43 of The Dragon Queen

Rightnow,justseeingafamiliarfacepullsharderonmyheartstringsthanithasanyrightto.

"HighPriestessFang--"Istart.

"Ember."Tomysurprise,shethrowsherselfatme,andIsqueezemyeyesshuttightasshefoldsmeupinawarmembrace.Shereleasestheunexpectedhug,butonlytograspmebymyupperarmsandfixmewithanappraisinggaze. "You'vebeenbusy."

Iletoutaharshhintofalaugh. "Youhavenoidea."

"Actually."Sheslidesherhandsdownmyarms.Ibreatheindeeply,doingmybestnottoflinchwhenhercoolfingersgrazemyforearms.HerthumbdigsingentlyagainsttheplacewheretheShadowBracerusedtobe,andsheconnectshergazewithmine,hereyesnarrowing. "Ihavequiteagoodidea.PrinceJianyufilledmein."

Oh,thankgoodness.Idon'tknowifIcouldrecountthewholestoryyetagain.

"Tonight,"shewhispers. "Youwillshowmethepieces."

Unabletosuppresstheshiverthatpassesthroughme,Inod,andshepullsaway,seeminglysatisfied.

AsshegreetsSisterGrace,athroatclearsbehindme.Iturntofindanunexpectedface.

Furrowingmybrows,Itakeanunconsciousstepback. "LadyTsing."

AnoldflameofJianyu's--amemberofarichandpowerfulStoneDragonfamily.

AndalsoanundergroundmemberofBedrock,theextremistgroupwhohadbeenagitatingfortheStoneDragonKingdomtocloseitsbordersandcutoffcontactwiththerestofthedragonworld.

"I--"Mythroatcatches,andIswallowinavainefforttoclearit. "Ididn'texpectyou."

"ManythingshavehappenedoflatethatIdidnotexpect,either,"shesayselegantly.

Myabdomendoesalittleflip.Evenafterwhatmusthavebeenasoliddayofflying,she'sstrikinglybeautiful--notahairoutofplace.KnowingthatsheandJianyuhavehistorytweakssomethingtenderinmychest.ButIcanfeelmyconnectiontohim.It'sasstrongandvibrantasever.

Standingupstraighter,Iforceasmile. "Itmusthave,foryoutobejoiningagrouplikethis."

Igesturearoundvaguely,encompassingthewidevarietyofpeoplewho'vecomeouttoseewhatallthefussisabout.Justinmytravelingpartyalone,therearedragonsfromeverycorneroftheearth,representingthenationsofStone,Fire,Water,AirandShadow--nottomentiontheunclaimedterritoryofUnity,whichishometoevenmoredragons,aswellaswolves,bears,wizards,witches,andevenahyenaandaturtle,Ithink.

Sufficeittosay,it'snotaparadiseforaStoneDragonisolationist.

LadyTsinghuffsoutabreath. "I'mnotaracist,Ember."

"Ididn'tsayyouwere."

"IjustwanttheStoneDragonKingdomtostandonitsown."Hereyesdarken. "Anditcan'tdothatwhenit'sbeeninfiltratedbyagentsoftheShadowKing."

Isuckinaharshbreath. "Soit'strue,then."

Weimaginedasmuch,whenwewerebeingchasedoutofthecountrybytheStoneKing'sroyalguard,butwewereneversure.

LadyTsingnods. "Onthehighestlevels."Shepullsherbrowstogether. "I'mnotswearingallegiancetoyou--ortoanyflagthatwouldunitethekingdoms."

Isquirmuncomfortablyinside.Imayhaveembracedmydestinytoascendtothegrandthrone,buttheideaofaskingforfealtyisstillwaytooweirdtofullywrapmyheadaround.

"Ineveraskedyouto."

"ButIwillfightwithyou--toridthenationIloveofthosewhowoulddestroyit."

Theballofanxietyinmychestloosens--justabit.Istilldon'tknowhowanyofthiswillwork.Idon'tknowhowtodefeattheShadowKingorhowtostophisplans.

ButforthefirsttimesinceIlostthebracer,Icanseethefaintestglimmerofhope.

We'reinterruptedbyFreya,whoralliesthenewarrivals. "WelcometotheexilecolonyofUnity,andtotheWaterDragonKingdom'sancestralhome."Shegesturestowardthedoorsopeningontothecastle. "Ifyou'llfollowme,we'llattempttofindyouallquarters."

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