Page 77 of The Dragon Queen

"Me,too."Reliefswampsme,butthere'sanuneasyitchinthebackofmymind.

IdismissitthebestIcan.

Aswewalkaway,Graceisquietlyapologizing,whileAmyremindsher,withfeeling, "I'mjustme."

Ishakemyheadslightlytomyself.There'sneverbeenanything 'just'aboutthat.

Bythetimewearriveinthecourtyard,it'sbuzzingwithactivity.Dragonsandwizardsandwitchesandothershiftersmillaround.IgetdrawnintoaconversationwithFreya,re-confirmingthateverythingisset.Wewaitafewmoreminutesforeveryoneelsetoarrive.WhenAmyandGraceshowup,they'rearminarm.Theystillpartways,though,GracejoiningHighPriestessFangandtheotherSistersoftheGreatStoneTemple,whileAmyheadsovertowhereRhiannon,Jett,andRookaregatheredneararowofhedges.Fromacrossthecourtyard,AmyblowsGraceakiss,though,andGracepretendstocatchitbeforeholdingittoherheart.

Finally,it'stime.

Iclearmythroat,andasuddenhushfallsovertheassembledcrowd.Everyone'sattentionturnstome,andwow.I'mstillnotusedtothat--maybeIneverwillbe.

Ibreatheouthard.

Whenallofthisstarted,Ineverdreamedofbeinginchargeofanyone.Ineverwantedpowerorachancetorule.AllIlongedforwasafamily.ForthefreedomtolovewhoIloved,andforsafetyfromthebullieswhohadtormentedmeforyears.

Ihaveallofthatandmore,now.

Gatheringmyself,Ireachoutthroughthemagicalconnectionstetheringmetomymates.Theyglowwithalovethatstillbowlsmeover.Energystirsdeepwithinme.

WhenIspeak,myvoiceisinfusedwiththevoiceofmydragon.

Withthevoiceofdragonseverywhere.

"WecometogethertodaytostrikeintotheheartofShadowDragonterritory."Iglancearound,makingeyecontactwithRhiannon. "WearejoinedinthiseffortbyShadowDragons,whowantjustasmuchasanyoneelsetoprotecttheworldfromthethreatposedbyErembourandhisforces."

Maybemore.

"Evennow,heispreparingforaritualthatwillstripthemagicfromthesupernaturalworld.Buthewillnotsucceed."

IlooktoFreya,whonodsandstepsforward. "WeflytotheedgeoftheShadowKingdom'sborder,whereourShadowDragonallieswillusetheirpowerstoslipusthroughthewards.WetakethefightstraighttoErembour.Westophimfromcompletinghisritual.Weinterrupthiswedding."

"Damnrightyoudo."Stormmuttersthewordsbeneathhisbreath,crackinghisknucklesashedoes.

"Weruinhisplanstoextendhisreignofwaranddivisionbysiringanheir,"Freyacontinues. "Andwehidethetruepurposeofourattack."

Mythroatgrates,butIswallowpastthetightnessthere. "ArmedwiththeCrownofCinders,mymatesandIwilljoinyouonthebattlefield.Andtogether,we'llendthis,onceandforall."

Awerewolfinthebackwhoops,andhe'sjoinedbyahandfulofbearshifters,andbeforeIknowit,theentirecourtyardisawashincheersandchants.

"Thehourisnow,"Iintone,andthere'sthatstrange,deepechotomytone.TheoneIhaven'theardsincetheShadowQueen'sBracerrejectedme,butIdon'tquestionitnow.

Darkpowergathersinmybreast.Mydragonsurgesforward. "Takewing.Together,weflytotheSeaOfShadow."

Withthat,myskineruptsintoscalesandglitteringpurpleandblackflames.Aroundme,dragonsofeverycolorburstforth.Thenon-dragonsboardbroomsandflyingbicycles,andtherestmountthedragonswhohaveofferedtocarrythemonward.SisterGraceridesastrideHighPriestessFangherself.

Jianyu'ssilverydragonfliesalowcirclearoundmine,whileRafe'sroarsfireintotheair.Malik'srisessinuouslyacrossthesky.Stormbreathesarushofwindthatswirlsthroughtheentirecourtyard.

Theairarounduspicksupspeed,andwithouthesitation,Ileanmywingsintothemaelstrom.

Carriedforthonthepowerofallofourdragons'magic,wetakeflight.

Andheadoffintothefaceofdoomitself.

THEBORDERtotheShadowKingdomshouldbeinvisible.

ButwiththeShadowDragonsinourmidst,thelineisastarkone--ashiningblackglimmerthatseparatesonestretchoftheseafromthenext.

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