Page 57 of The Dragon Queen

She'ssmilingbroadly,butmystomachdoesalittledipatthehintofconflictinhergaze.It'samatchforthequietmixofemotionsrattlingaroundinsidemychest.Joy,pride.

Fear.

Rafekeepsanarmaroundme,andIleanintohissupport.

"Thanks,"Itellher. "Thiswas...unexpected,tosaytheleast."

"Butwelcome,"Malikinterjects.

"Ofcourse."Ithreadmyhandthroughhis.

"I'mnotsurehowunexpected,"Rhiannonmuses,raisingabrow.

Right--unlikeme,sheprobablyrememberedthatmyreproductivesystemwouldcomeonlineonceIEmerged.

Andmaybe...

Iscrunchupmybrows. "Didyouknow?"

"Isuspected."Sheshrugs.

Chuckling,Ishakemyhead,andembarrassmentheatsmycheeks.Apparently,everyoneintheworldknewbutme.

Ifeelclueless.Outoftouch,anddivorcedfrommyownsenses.

ItampdownthatshiverofinsecuritythebestIcan,reflexivelyhidingitbehindajoke. "Well,yousureshowedit,withallthoseShadowBoltsyou'vebeentossingatmeduringtraining."

"I'msuremymomwillgoalittleeasieronyounowthatsheknowsforsure."AmynudgesRhiannonwithherelbow. "Right?"

Rhiannon'seyesnarrow. "Quitetothecontrary."

Rafestandsupstraighter,andMalikmakesaquietsoundofmenace.

"Takeitfromme,"Rhiannonsays. "I'veraisedachildinthemiddleofawar."ShedartsapointedgazeatAmybeforelookingagainatme.Aknowinghalf-smilecurlsherlips,butthere'spurplefireinhereyes. "Anditwillonlymakeyoustronger."

MAYBESHE'Srightaboutthat,andmaybeshe'snot.

Butwhatsureashellmakesmefeelstrongerishavingmymatesbymyside.

Thatafternoon,asRhiannon'sdragonhurlspurpleboltsoflightninganddarkcloudsofshadowsatus,Istillstruggletosummonthekindofprotectionspellthatusedtobesecondnature--butIdodgethemwithagraceIcouldn'thaveimaginedthedaybefore.Withoutmymates,mysensesweredulled,anirretrievablepartofmyattentionspreadoutacrossthestrainedlimitsofourbonds.Withthemhere,mysensescometolife.

IfeelthebeatingbeneathRhiannon'swingsinStorm'sfingertips;feeltheheatofdangerinRafe'sheart.TheflowofmagicripplesthroughmyconnectiontoMalik,andeverymovementreverberatesthroughthesolidearthbeneathJianyu'sfeet.

"Better."HighPriestessFangnodsasJianyuandIholdhandsandcallforthathinsheetofstonetoblockanattack--whichbyhertoughstandardsisbasicallygushingpraise.

ButthatbitofmagicisnothingcomparedtowhatmymateandIcoulddowhenIhadtheShadowBraceronmyarm.Iflickmyglanceatmywrist,wherethepearlybutmutedgunmetalgrayremainsstatic.I'vebeentoldmultipletimesthatitcontainsnomagic,butIstillexpectittostartvibratingwithlifeatanymoment.Instead,itstaysutterlysilent.

SodoestheringI'vestartedwearingontheindexfingerofmyotherhand.

Butthat'sallright.Mymatesarehere.We'rehavingachildtogether.Ihaveeveryreasontofight,andIhavemoreresourcesandmorealliesonmysidethanever.Theycontinuetostreamin,guidedherebymymates,bearingoldtomesandancientmaps.OneofthemhastocontainthesecrettounearthingandunlockingtheCrownOfCinders.

Right?

AsmuchasItrytopushasidemyanxiety,itcontinuestorearitsuglyhead.

Andnevermoresothanattheendofourtrainingsession.

I'mhotandsweatyandgrossandtired--weallare.Mymates'exhaustionisparticularlyheavy.Theyflewthroughthenighttogettome,andoncewewerereunited,wesureashelldidn'tgetanysleep.Asmuchasitstinkstobepartedfromthem,IsendthemaheadtogetcleanedupwhileIstaytospeakwithHighPriestessFangandtheothers.AstheFireKingdomEnchantressisgivingameafinalfewpiecesofadvice,itoccurstomethatI'velosttrackofRhiannonandRook,butIdon'tgiveitmuchattention.

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