Page 66 of The Dragon Queen

Imaynothaveeveryone'sfullsupport,butjustlikethat,thedecisionismade.

Wehaven'tclosedourmindstootheroptions,ofcourse.AfewofFreya'sandZahra'sbestoperativeshavebeensenttoallfourcornersoftheglobe,pursuingthehandfulofadditionalleadswehadonpossiblelocationsfortheCrown.Asthedaystickby,theyeachreturnempty-handed,though.

ThelinesofworryaroundRhiannon'seyesgrowandgrow.

ButI'mnotdisappointedbytheirlackofsuccess.Iknewinmyboneswhattheoutcomewouldbe.We'llfindtheCrownofCindersintheShadowQueen'sTomb,onthenightoftheDragonMoon.

Mymateswereonboardrightaway.Butastherestofourtheoreticaloptionsdisappear,everyoneelsebeginstocomearound,too.

Andnowhereisthatmoreevidentthaninourtrainingsessions.

Amy'sbeenpracticingwithmeandmymatesfromthestart,andafterourbattleplanbeginstotakeshape,BrynnandJimmybeginshowingup,too.Thenextday,afewofmymates'friendsmeetusatthefield,andthenthedayafterthat,it'safewoftheirfriends,too.RefugeesfromUnityjoinourranksingrowingnumbers,alongwiththedragonsmymatesrecruitedfromtheirnativekingdoms.Whiletheycan'texactlypickupanytipsonShadowDragonmagic,orthefusingofdifferentkindsofelementalabilities,theygleanwhattheycan,pushingtheirdragonstonewheights.

AndbeforeIknowit,thecircleexpandstoincludenon-dragons,too.Unity'swerewolvesandbearshiftersputawaytheirUltimateFrisbeegeartotakeupgrappling.Witchesandwizardspracticeillusionsandenchantments,andbrewuppotionsinariotofcolorsandscents.

Oneday,Ilandinthemiddleofitallandlookaround,realizingwehaveaveritablearmyofsupernaturalbeingsdoingdrillsinpreparationforourattack.Mythroatgoesdry,theweightofexpectationfallingonmesoharditcouldbecrushing.

They'reallputtingtheirtrustinme.Inmyplan.

Inmyabilitytotakeadvantageoftheirfull-frontalassault.

Iclenchmyhandsintofists.

MymatesandIneedtobereadytosneakintothetombitself.

Asmoreandmoresupportersgathertopractice,Ipushmyselfharderandharder.MymagicremainsafractionofwhatitwasbeforeIlostthebracer,butwithmymates'handsentwinedwithmine,Icanconjuresparksthathintatgreaterpower,lyinguntappedwithinme.

OnceIfindtheCrown,they'llbeunleashed.

Untilthen,IlearneverythingIcan.Irecitespellsandincantations,practiceposturesandstancesandsigilsandforms.Mydragonthrowsherselfintotheworkwithaferocitythatburnsinmychest.Icansummonherwithathoughtnow,transforminginmid-air.Sheflieswithgrace,slicingthroughtheskywithglitteringwings.ShecanevokeballsofShadows,andtogetherwithhermates,shecanmanipulateheat,earth,waterandwind.

IpraytotheGodsforherstrength,eveninmyhumanform.

Mydragoncan'tgointothetombforme.Ineedtodothatonmyown.

Rather--Ineedtodoitwithmymates.

AswecompleteanothersetoftrialssetforthforusbythemastersoftheElementalDragonMagics,Iglanceateachofthesebold,brave,incrediblemeninturn.

Rafe'seyesglowwithahungerforbattle.Malikmeetsmygazewithanenergythatflowsintomysoul.Astempestsswirlaroundhishead,Stormcrosseshisarmsoverhischest.

Asharpnesstohismouth,Jianyunods.

They'reansweringmysilentquestion.

We'reready.Orasreadyaswecanbe.

Andit'sadamngoodthing.

Becausewe'rejustaboutoutoftime.

THENIGHTbeforetheDragonMoon,I'muplateinthelibrarywithAmyandBrynnandahandfulofotherswhocan'tsleep.I'mnotexactlysurewhatI'mlookingfor,poringoverthescrollsIstolefromtheShadowKing'sCitadelfortheumpteenthtime.

Whatifthere'ssomethinginherethatImissed?Somekernelofwisdomorinsightthatcouldgiveusanedge?

ButeverythingIfindjustgivesmethecreeps.

IshudderataparticularlyShadow-Dragon-ypassageaboutbestpracticesformanipulatingyourenemies--orbetteryet,yourfriends!--usingthepowerofillusions.

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