Page 78 of The Dragon Queen

Ourentirepartyalightsonarockyshore.Theisland'scoastliesafewhundredfeetfromtheedgeoftheShadowKing'sterritory.Darkbluewaterandabrilliant,ceruleanskygivewaytorolling,blackcloudsandacurrentthatpullsatthesandlikepure,grayice.WindwhipsatmyhairasIstandthereinhumanform.

"Goodluckoutthere,"Amytellsme,givingmeawarmhug.

"You,too."

Gracestepsforwardtoembraceme,too,andbehindherisHighPriestessFang.

"Youhavethemightoftheentiredragonworldbehindyou,"Fangremindsme.

"Butdon'tletthatgettoyourhead,"Rhiannoninterrupts.

There'sasuspiciousgleamtohereyes,butsheblinksitawayasshepullsmeintoherarms.Iholdontoherforalongmoment.Hermaternalguidanceandacceptanceandmentorshiphavemeantsomuchtome.Iwanttoputitallintowords,butwhatmoreistheretosay?

Shedrawsback,andthere'stherough,deepsoundofamanclearinghisthroat.

IturntofindLordRookgazingatmewithexpectationandasharpnessthat'swellinkeepingwiththegravityofthesituation.

"Hastheringrespondedtoyouyet?"heasks.

Mystomachstartstosink,butIrefusetoletitfullyfall. "Notyet."

"Itwill."Hereachesformyhand,andIlethimtakeit.Rubbinghisthumboverthecool,blacksurfaceofhisfather'sring,henods. "Idon'tneedtosaythisagain,butitistimeforyoutoembracewhatitmeansforyoutobepartShadowDragon."

Ashfloodsthebackofmythroat.

I'vetriedthat.

AndI'vebeenrepudiatedeverytime.Eveninmymomentoftriumph,freshlyEmergedandturningthetideinthebattleforUnity,IembracedmyinnerShadowDragon.

Secondslater,Ifell.TheShadowBracershattered.

Itstillliesonmywrist,coldanddormant--whole,butnotcomplete.

Rookshakeshishead,claspingmypalm. "Idon'tjustmeantoembracebeingaShadowDragon."Adeeppurpleglowlightshiseyes. "Embraceyourownuniqueblendofshadowandlight."

Forthefirsttime,hiscomposurethreatenstoslip.

"Youareyourownperson,Ember,andyouwerecompleteasyouwere,longbeforeyouwereaqueen.Don'tforgetthat--evenifErembourtriestocastdoubtonwhoandwhatyouare."Hismouthwobbles,andhiseyessoften. "Yourparentswouldbeso,soproudofyou."

Withthat,hereleasesmyhandandstepsaway.

Iwanttocallafterhim,butI'mstruckspeechless.Comingtostandbesideme,Malikcurlsanarmaroundmywaist,andIleanintohim,gratefulaseverforhissolidstrengthandcalm.

"Areweready?"MariutzasupportsherselfwithawalkingstickasshegatherstheotherShadowDragonstoher.

Ibitemylip,stillhatingthatshe'sherewhensheshouldbesavingherstrength.Butassheinsisted,whatwouldsheevenbesavingitfor?

Inashatteringofscalesandpurplesmoke,shetwistsandturns,risingintotheairasafadedblackdragon.Herwalkingsticktransformswithher,becomingaridgeofwoodyspikesalongherspine.

IholdmybreathasRook,RhiannonandDelaynie'sdragonsjoinhers.Together,theyflytotheinvisiblebarrierbetweenourpartoftheseaandtheShadowKing'sicydepths.

Hoveringjustwithintheboundary,theybegintobeattheirwingsinsynchronicity.Deepblackplumesdriftfromtheirtalons,formingacloudintheairthesizeandshapeofafull-growndragon.ItdriftstowardtheShadowKingdom'ssideoftheline,propelledbyaninvisiblewind.

Atthemomentofcollision,thepulsingpurplemagicofthebarrierflarestolife.Myabdomensucksin,andIputaprotectivehandonmybelly.

Thesparksoflividpowerreachintomyblood.Shadowswithinmysoulsing,andforasecond,Isweartheringonmyfingerhums.Iglancearound,butnoneoftheotherdragonsseemtoflinch--exceptAmyandJett.

MygazeconnectswithAmy's.Shewrapsherarmsaroundherself,browspinchingtogether,assensitiveasIamtotheshadowenergycascadingthroughthesky.Aplumeofblackflameeruptsfromthecenterofthecloudofmagic,adarknesssoabsoluteitburnsmyeyes.

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