Page 69 of The Dragon Queen

Ibelieveinourmission;Ibelieveinourplan.

Butattheendoftheday,howmuchareweallreallywillingtosacrifice?

Whyiseveryonewillingtocountonme?

AndhowcanIlivewiththeguilt?

KnowingthatImaybetheone,leadingeveryoneIlovetotheirdoom?

Chapter

Twenty-One

RAFE

She'sspiraling.Ourconnectionisalivewire,throwingsparks.Anxietycrawlsandcracklesacrosseveryinchofherpsyche,andno.Hell,no.Absolutelyfuckingnot.

Isteprightuptoher,graspingherbytheupperarmsanddippingtoputusateyelevel. "Ember.Ember."

"Easy,"Jianyuwarns,butforgetthat.

Igivehereagentleshake.Malikwatcheson,impassive,armscrossed.Storm'sjawticks,butheletsmetrytogetthroughtoher.Theycanallfeelthepanicsettinginonourmate,justasclearlyasIcan.

Andokay,yeah,fine.Shehaseveryrighttobefreakingout.We'reontheprecipiceofthefightforourlivesandforalloffreakingdragonkind.TheShadowKingistheliteralboogeyman.He'sevilanddangerous,andhe'sstartedaboutahundredwars,slaughteredthousands,killedherparents,yadayada.

Butwe'vegotthis.

Ishiftmyhandshigher,cuppinghershouldersandsearchinghergaze,willinghertocomeoutofwhateverdazeshe'sin.

"Ember,baby,seriously."Istrokemythumbsagainsthercollarbones. "Whatever'sgoingoninthatamazingheadofyours--it'snotreal."

Thatgetsherattention.Hereyesfocus,andokay,yes.That'sastart.

"Ohbelieveme."Ahintofhysteriafracturesherwords. "Itis."

SoImakemyvoiceascalmandlevelasitgets. "Tryme."

Sheshudders,andJianyu'smakingthatfrownyfaceofhisatmeagain,butshe'snotfragile.Shedoesn'tneedhandling.

Sheneedsme--us.

"We're--we're--"Shefalters,butIdon'tlookawayorletgoorsayagoddamnthing. "We'reallgoingtodie."

Stormcursesbeneathhisbreath,andJianyureachestointerveneagain,butI'mnothavingit.

"And?"Iprompther.

"'And?'!Thatisn'tenough?"

"Nope."

Malikalonehasmyback,whichisironic.Fireandwater--whatacombination.ButIknowshehastoburnwhateverthisisoutofher,orit'lleatheralive.Heknowsemotionsflow,andthat'senough.Fornow,ithastobe.

Anugly,hollowsnortofalaughescapesher,andhereyesgoshinyandwet. "We'reallgoingtodietomorrow,andit'sallgoingtobemyfault,andIcan't--How--Whatif--"

"Ember,"Jianyusaysquietly,andIglareathimsoharditjustaboutleavesscorchmarksonhisshirt.

Idon'tneedtostartafightwithherothermate,though.SoIreturnallofmyfocustoher.

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