Page 55 of The Dragon Queen

DeeplinesformbetweenStorm'sbrows. "Butpeopleareterrified--sameasusual.Youknowhowheavy-handedmyfathercanbe."

"Aftereverythingshe'sdonetoprotectus,theWaterDragonstrustmymotherimplicitly,"Maliksays. "Somequestionher,buttheyarefewandfarbetween."

"Buttherearetremblings,deepbeneaththesurface."Jianyutraceshisfingertipsupanddownmyleg,thesoftgravelofhisvoicestirringsomethingwithinme. "Eventhemostcowedwouldwelcomeanewleader."

Raferises,proppinghimselfuponhiselbowandfixingmewithasmolderinggaze. "They'llwelcomeyou.Theirqueen."

Inside,Iquake.

InthebattleagainsttheShadowandAirDragonforces,Iembracedthatdestiny--alongwithmyShadowDragonnature.ButI'vebeenbroughtlowsincethat.Forcedintohiding.Strippedofmypower.

I'mworkinghardtoclawmywayback.Torebuild.

ButI'mnotready.

Iwasn'treadylastnight,andlet'sbehonest:I'mevenlessreadynow.

Iputahandovermyabdomen.

AsconfidentasIwasearlieraboutfightingformyhypotheticalchild,there'safatigueinmybonesthathasn'tbeeneasedwiththereturnofmymates.Peoplefeelawfulallthetimewhilethey'repregnant.EvenifIhavethewilltokeeptrainingandtotakeontheShadowKing--willIhavethestrength?

Sensingmydisquiet,Malikplaceshispalmovermine. "Youdon'thavetodoanyofthisalone,youknow."

"Iknow."Imeethisliquidbluegazeandtrytoabsorbsomeofhiscalm.

Softly,frommyotherside,Stormasks, "Doyouwanttotellanyone?"

IncaseIwasconfusedaboutwhathemeans,hegrazesthebacksofhisknucklesagainstmymidsection.

"Goodgods."Chuckling,Iexhaleinawhoosh. "Ihadn'tevenconsideredthat."

"There'snorush,"Malikassuresme.

Ofcourse.But... "ImayhavetoatleasttellRookandRhiannon."Andthehalfdozenothermentorswhohavestartedattendingourtrainingsessionstoguidemeinmyprogresswithmyotherformsofelementalmagic,butIdon'tfeellikegettingintothatnow.Ipullmymouthtotheside. "Oneoftheirfavoriteteachingmethodsistobasicallyflyaroundandtakepotshotsatme."

"Yeah."Rafesitsupstraighter. "That'snotokay."

Everthevoiceofreason,Jianyurollshiseyes. "Maybelet'satleasttrytalkingtoamedicalprofessionalaboutthisfirst."

LATERTHATMORNING,wefindUnity'sdoctor--amiddle-agedwitchwithlightbrownskinanddarkbluehair--attendingtoMariutzainherrooms.Afterknockingandgettingthego-aheadtoenter,Ipushopenthedoorandpokemyheadin.

I'vebeentoseeMariutzaafewtimesinthepastcoupleofweeks,andshe'sbeensteadilyimproving.ForthefirsttimesincethebattleatUnity,though,she'soutofbed,sittinginachairnearthefire.Thewindowsarestillcoveredwithgauzydrapes,buttheheavy,light-blockingcurtainshavebeenpushedaside,allowingalittlebitofsunintotheroom.

I'mnottheonlyonevisiting.DelaynieisknittingquietlyinthecornerwithRhiannon,andIgivealittlewinceofapologywhilecatchingthedoctor'seye. "Sorry--didn'tmeantointerrupt.JusthopingIcangrabyouforaminutewhenyou'redone?"

"Ofcourse,"thedocagrees.

IstarttoleavewhenMariutza'svoiceringsout. "Faltine?Isthatyou,dearie?"

Myheartsqueezes.Everytimeshecallsmebymymother'sname,ithurtsalittleless,butitstillsmarts.

"Ember,"Iremindhergently.

Herfacefallsforasecondbeforesmoothingbackout.Recognitionlightshereyes. "Ohright,right.Comein."

"Oh,Idon'twanttointrude--"

"Iinsist."Withonehand,shewavesmeover,whilewiththeother,shesteadiesherselfwiththearmofthechairandstartstorise.

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