Page 45 of The Dragon Queen

Iblink,tryingtoclearthestarsfrommyvision.

WhenIlookagain,thebracerisbacktoslowlyrotating.Isuckinaroughbreath,myhandgoingautomaticallytomywrist.

Thebracergleamsadark,gunmetalgray.Thepieceshaveallbeenfusedtogether,eventhesubtlestdetailinginthemetalrestored.Asitcompletesitsfinaltwistintheair,thelightfromthelampsaroundushitsthemetalatjusttherightangle,andsoftpurpleandgreeniridescenceshinesoffthesurface.

HighPriestessFanggivesagentleflickofherfingers,andthebracerfloatsthroughtheairtowardme.

Ihesitatebeforeholdingoutmyarm.

Thebracertakesthatastheopeningitis.Themetalexpands,revealingaslitdownitscenterwhereitwrapsitselfaroundmywrist.Iholdmybreath,waiting--praying--forthatflashofbrilliance,thatcloudofdarkness.Thecrackleoflightandthesensationoffloatinginaninfinitefieldofstars.

Instead,there'sonlyashiver.Afaintwhisper,deepinmychest--toofarbelowthesurfaceformetoreach.

Thedisappointmentthreatenstopullmeunder.

Islidemyfingersdesperatelyalongthegapbetweenthebracer'sedges.It'ssomesmallreliefthatitwillinglyopens.Ipullitoffmyarm,butsomehowthatdoesn'thelp.

"YourEmergencechangedyourrelationshipwiththebracer,"HighPriestessFangtellsme.

Abitternoteleaksintomytone. "Bywhichyoumeanitdestroyedit."

"Changeisnotdestruction."Slidingcloser,sheplacesherhandovermine.Deftly,shewrapsthebracerbackaroundmywristandholdsitthere. "Wearit."

"But--"

"Themagicitoncehadisgone.Butthemagicinsideyou?"Asmallhintofasmilecurlsherlips. "Thatisonlygrowing."

Chapter

Fourteen

EMBER

Thenextmorning,HighPriestessFangjoinsme,Amy,RhiannonandRookintheopenfieldbeyondthecastlewalls.WhileRookbarksatmeaboutembracingmyinnerShadowDragon,Fangremindsmetofeelthesolidityoftheearthbeneathmyfeet.

ThedullgraybraceronmyarmisquietasItrytolistentobothofthem.Theringinmypocketis,too.

Butsomewheredeepwithinme,there'saspark.

Thenextday,theFireKingdom'sEnchantressfindsherwaytothefield,too.Nottobeoutdone,anapprenticewitchfromtheWaterKingdomandajuniordiscipleoftheAirDragonKingdom'sOracletagalongthemorningafterthat.Theycoachmeonharnessingmyinnerfire,lettingmymagicflowlikeariver,tappingintothewhispersinthecurrentsofair.

Eachonehelps.

Buteachonealsomakesmemissmymatesmore.Ireachdeepinsidemyselftotouchmyelementalmagic,andallIcanthinkaboutisthetouchofJianyu,Rafe,Malik,Storm.

Itrysohardnottogetdistractedwithmypining.

Butit'simpossible.

Byday,Itrain.Intheevenings,IspendtimewithmyfriendsandtalkwiththepeopleofUnityandthegatheringnumbersofnewcomerswhohavecometojoinourcause.Iporeovermapsandancienttexts,lookingforcluesabouthowtoclaimtheCrownandstopthepower-hungrymachinationsoftheShadowKing.

Atnight,Ireturn,exhausted,tomybed.Timezonesareabitch,andIstruggletofindopportunitiestotalktomymates.I'mreassuredbythewarm,vibranthumofmyconnectiontoeachofthem,butit'snotenough.

They'redoingimportantwork.Riskingtheirlivestotravelinsecrettotheirhomes.Traversingvastlandsinamadbidtogatherourallies.

AndI'mgrateful--sograteful.

ButIalsoacheinside.Myskinisonfire,myuntouchedbodycryingout,andmysoulwitheringalone.

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