Page 46 of The Dragon Queen

ButIcandothis.Ourbondisstrong.

SoIliethere,waiting.Sleepless.

Countingdownthedaysuntiltheyreturn.

"YOULOOKlikeyoucouldusethis,"Brynnsays,settingacupofcoffeedownonthetableinfrontofme.Shepatsmyshoulderbeforeslidingintotheseatbesidemine. "Don'tworry--it'sdecaf,soitwon'tkeepyouupallnight.Butitstillhelps."

Ishootheragratefulsmileandpickupthecup,lettingitswarmthsoakintomyhands. "You'rethebest."

AmyandIhavebeenhardatworkinthelibraryforhoursnow.Myeyeshurtfromstaringattinylinesofcryptic,hand-writtentext.

Ormaybeit'sjustfromthelackofsleep.

"Anyprogress?"Brynnasksasshereachesforafolioofherown.

"Let'ssee."Amystartslistingoptionsonherfingers. "ThecrowniseitheronamountainintheAirKingdom,lostatseaafewmilesoffthecoastfromtheWaterKingdom'ssacredpools,inaFireKingdomvolcano,oramileundertheGrandStoneTemple."

"OrsomewhereintheShadowKingdom,"Iremindher, "orinanunclaimedterritory."

Brynnblinksandcommentsdryly, "Gladwe'refinallynarrowingthingsdown."

Iscrubmyeyes.Theinsidesofmylidsfeellikesandpaper.

Ibringthecupofcoffeetomylipsandtakeasip,butmystomachisqueasyfromexhaustion.Isetthecupbackdownwithasigh.

Gesturingatthepileofscrollsandbooksandpaperssplayedoutacrossthetable,Ishrug. "We'restilltryingtocastawidenet.Weneedtoknowallofouroptions.Thenwecancomparenotesandcrossideasoffourlist."

BrynnandAmysharealookthatIdon'tlike.

Delicately,Brynnnudgesmykneewithhers. "Wedon'texactlyhaveatonoftime."

Myheartleaps,butmystomachsinks.

Mymatesarescheduledtoreturninafewshortdays.Ican'twaittoseethem.Myinsidesflexatjustthethought,heatbloomingwithinme.

Buttheirreturnmarksthehalfwaypointofourstayhere.TheDragonMoonisjustaroundthecorner.

Brynnisright.Wehavetofigureoutournextstepssoon.

"Iknow."Irubmyeyesagain.Fatiguehasseepedallthewayintomybones. "ButIdon'tknowhowtoprepareanyfaster.We'realreadyworkingourselvestothebone."

Theyshareanotherglance,andarippleofuneasepassesthroughme.

It'sAmywhospeaksupthistime. "Maybeyou'reworkingtoohard."

Iwanttothrowmyhandsupintheair. "Whichisit?"IpointtoBrynn. "Firstyou'reremindingmethatwedon'thaveanytime."IshiftmyfingerinAmy'sdirection. "Next,you'retellingmeIneedtorelax."

"Notrelax,"Brynnrushestocorrectme.

"Thoughyoucouldprobablystandtodothat,too,"Amyinterjects.

"Butseriously."Brynn'skneepressesmorefirmlyagainstmyleg. "Whenwasthelasttimeyougotafullnight'ssleep?"

Ican'thelpit.Ilaugh.

Theydon'tlaughwithme,though,andIstop,awkwardnesspressinguncomfortablyonmychest. "Look,I'mnottryingtoburnthecandleatbothends.It'sjustbeenhard.I'munderalotofpressure,and..."

Apangfiresoffbehindmyribs.Thesuddenwaveoflongingmakesithardtobreatheforamoment,andIsqueezemyeyesshutbeforeforcingmyselftoopenthemagain.

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