Page 79 of The Dragon Queen

Andthenit'sover.

Thelineintheairfadestoabareshimmer,notableonlybecauseattheverycenterofitisahole.Rhiannon'sdragonrearsitsheadbackandroars.

"That'soursignal,"Freyamutters.Louder,sheyells, "Go,go."

There'snotamoment'shesitation.Thecallspreads,repeatedoverandoverasdragonsburstintotheair.Ridersmounttheirbeastsandtheirbrooms.

Inthemiddleofthescrum,Amycallsmyname.Iwhipmyheadaroundtofindhermid-transformation,blackandpinkscaleseclipsingherskin.

"Give 'emhell,"sheshouts.

"Iwill,"Ipromise,myeyesstinging.

RhiannonandRookleadthecharge,followedbyFreya,Amy,Jettandtherest.Theyflythroughthegapintheboundarywithease,MariutzaandDelayniestay,takinguptherear.Themomentthey'rethrough,theshimmerofenergysnapsclosed,leavingnosignofthegapouralliesjustchargedthrough.

"Godsspeed,"Maliksaysquietly.

Anitchinessthreatenstotakeupresidencebeneathmyskin. "Ihatethatwe'renotgoingwiththem."

"Wediscussedthis."Jianyubrusheshisknucklesagainstthebacksofmine.

"Iknow."

Weallflewheretogether,buttheothershavetocontinueonalone.

Iplacemyhandonthelocketdanglingfrommyneck.Itsmagicisfaint--nearlyexhausted.ButRookandRhiannonagreeit'llbeenough.CreatingaportaltotheinnerrecessesoftheShadowQueen'sTombwillbeeasierfromherethanitwouldhavebeenfromhundredsofmilesaway.

Wehaveeverythingweneedtocarryoutourplan.

Nowallwehavetodoiswait.

Chapter

Twenty-Four

EMBER

Everysecondthatticksbyistorture.Wetrytorest,andatmymates'insistence,Ievenmanagetochokedownagranolabar.Mystomachroils,though,andit'snotmorningsickness.Myanxietyeatsatme.

Wedecidedtogiveourfriendsanhourheadstart.ThatshouldputthemwithinstrikingdistanceofthealtaroftheShadowQueen'sTomb.Theareawillbehighlyguarded.Rook,Rhiannon,MariutzaandDelayniehaveplanstoobscuretheirapproachuntilthelastpossiblemoment,butthere'salwaysachancethatthingscouldgowrong.

Weagreedthattherewouldbenocommunicationbetweenus.Theyalllefttheirphonesathome,andwedid,too.Theirsignalsaretooeasytotrack.Andthatwassmart.Itwasagoodplan.

Butrightnow?Ihateit.

Whatifthey'vebeenspotted?WhatiftheShadowKing'sforceshavealreadytakenthemprisoner--orworse?

Mypulseraces,mybreathstooshort.

It'sonlymymates'presencethatkeepsmefromgoingoutofmyskin.Theykeeptappingthecordsofourconnections,sendingwavesofreassurancevibratingthroughmyconsciousness.Buttheycan'thidetheirownnerves,nomatterhowhardtheytry.

Afterwhatfeelslikeaneternity,theminutehandonJianyu'sold-school,analogwatchfinallypointstotwelve.

Ivaulttomyfeet.

"Oh,thanktheGods,"Rafemuttersunderhisbreath.

"Comeon."Ibeckonthemalltomysides,andnoneofthemresist.

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