Page 6 of The Dragon Queen

"Cheerful,"Rafe'sdragongrumblesinmyhead.

He'snotwrong.Thewaterswegaverisetohavereceded,leavingthelanddryandhabitable,buteverythinghastheappearanceofdecayandneglect.

Deepwithinthecityisanotherillusion,though.Iflyonward,breathingintheghostly,lingeringscentsofmykingdom'sday-to-daylife.Marketairandspicesanddragonscale.Thesheerforceofnostalgiamakesmywingswobbleforamoment.

Ishakeitoff.Therewillbetimeforsentimentalitylater.

Fornow,Iglidetotheverycenteroftheruins.Theoldpalacethatoncegleamedwithpurewhitestoneisnowadusty,molderinggray.Butmydragoneyesarekeenenoughtoseetheripplesintheair;mylungstastetheliquidpulseoflong-enduringmagic.

Icircleitstopturretahalfdozentimes,gatheringthetenorofthespellinmywings.Itvibrateswithaquamarinelightlikeagiant,etherealballwithinmytalons.

Atlonglast,Iswoopinanddescend.Ialightontheroof,withspellworkwrittenonmyskin.Igathertheillusionsandpullthethreadofaprotectionspelldesignedtoweaveanetofpreservationoveramile-wideswathforcenturies.

Thefabricofthespellunravelsbeneathmyfingertips.Brilliantblueglintsofmagicrisefromthesurfaceofthepalaceanddriftupward,leavingtrailsofluminescenceintheirwake,revealingtheperfectlypreservedwhitestoneofthecastleIoncecalledmyhome.Myheartacheswiththeforceofmemory,butnowisnotatimetobelookingtothepast.

Nowisatimetobefightingforourfuture.

Asthefalseimpressionofdecaydisintegrates,Itraceafewmoresigilsintheair,removingthelastoftheenchantment,anditwashesawayinsloughsofglimmeringmist.

Simultaneously,Ifeeloutcarefullywithmysenses.Theunravelingofthespellleavesarippleintheatmosphere,butitdoesn'tseemtotravelbeyondtheabandonedcity.ThewardsIdissolvedaresilent.

We'realonehere,inthecitymypeopleoncefled.Undetected.

Safe.

EMBER

Bythetimewe'veevacuatedthelastwillingresidentofUnity,myvisionisblurringaroundtheedgesfromthestrainofthedeepmagic.Ratherthanhavingafewhundredpeoplestepthroughaportal,RookandRhiannonandIdevisedabubbleofsortsthatweexpandedoverthetown.Peoplecouldonlytakewhattheycouldcarryoratleastlaytheirhandson,butwhatotherchoicedidwehave?

Atlast,it'sdone.TheboundariesofthespellmatchtheboundariesofUnity.Myarmsshaking,sweatdrippingdownmybrow,IglanceupatRook.Hestillstandstallandproud,buthisfaceishaggard,hisknuckleswhiteasheclencheshisfistaroundsomethinghestillhasyettoletmesee.Butthatdoesn'tmatterrightnow.Asourgazesmeet,henods.

"Now,"hegritsout.

JianyuandStorminsistedonstayingbehindtolookafterme,andRhiannoninsistedonstayingbehindtokeepawaryeyeonRook.Theyknowthesignal,though.Rhiannonputsherhandonmyuncle'sshoulder,andJianyuandStormcurltheirarmsaroundmywaist,andIwantsobadlytosagintothem,butIresist.

Justafewmomentsmore.

Itstillfeelsstrange,twistingmymagictogetherwithRook's,buttogether,wecontractthespell.Inwardandinward,anditaccelerates,rushingtowarduswithcrushingforce.MyconnectionstoJianyuandStormlightupwithalarm,butIpushthrough.

Andthenthebubbleisthesizeoftheroom,purpleandshimmeringandsputtering,darkgapseatingawaythedyingmagic.Thelocketaroundmyneckgasps,andIyankhardatwhat'sleftofthespell.Brightwhitelighteruptsaroundmyfingertips,andRook'seyesflarewide.

Thespellcrashesoverus,andwe'replummeting.Thelightevaporates,leavingusinahurtlingtunnelofdarkness.Iclingtomymates,butthere'snothingtoholdontoaswefallandfallandfall.

Welandabruptlyonawarm,stonefloor.

Mybonesache,myentirebodyrattling.Thesuddenreliefofthespellcollapsingisviolentanddeliciousallatthesametime.Shuddering,Iclosemyeyesforjustamoment.

Ididit.WithRook'shelp,Ievacuatedanentiretownfullofpeople,sparingthemtheShadowKing'swrath.

Butatwhatcost?

Thetenderspotonmyarmwherethebracerusedtositpulseswithanunnerving,statickydissonance.Myconnectionstomymatesareasstrongandvividasever,butIstillfeelasifadoorhasbeenclosedinsideofme,mysensescutoffinawayIcan'texplain.Wherevividmagicburnedwithinme,there'sonlydarkashandghostlyshadows.

Iclutchthelocket.Itscracklingauraofpowerisfadedtoaflickeringwhisper.Barelyenoughforonefinalportal.

Ahollowemptinesspangsinmychest.

"Ember,love..."

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