Page 80 of The Dragon Queen

ButMalikputsahandonmine. "You'resureyou'reready?"

Ishekiddingme?I'mdyingtogetgoing.

Buthisconcernisechoedacrossallfourofmymate-bonds.He'snottalkingaboutmyeagerness.

He'saskingaboutmymentalstate.

Wedon'thaveanytimetowaste,butit'sstupidtorushin.

Iforcemyselftotakeafewbreaths,closingmyeyesandcenteringmyself.Myconnectionstomymatesareallbright,gleamingtethers.Idrawmystrengthfromthem.

WhenIopenmyeyesagain,I'mready.

Itakethelocketinhand.Itslowhumofmagicvibratessomethingsleepingwithinme.Forasecond,there'sapanginmychest.Imissthatspark,thatpurplefirethrummingthroughmyveins.

Butthat'sallright.We'regoingtogetitback.

Ilooktoeachofmymatesinturn.Theyreachout,handsextendingtoholdontomebymyshoulders,mywaist,mywrist.

Iopenthelocket.

Theuniverseleaksout.Wispyandtenuous,butthere.

"TheShadowQueen'sTomb,"Imurmur,holdingthevisionfromthechildren'sbookoffairytalesinmymind.

Aplacewheredarknessenshroudsancientmarvelsofwater,fire,stoneandair.Wherethelastvestigesofmagicleftbehindbythemotherofalldragonslieinwait.

Thelocket'senergyexpands.It'ssputtering,nearlyexhausted,butIholdontoitwithallthepowerleftinsideofme.Ityanksatmyhands,pullinganddisintegrating,andohgods--whatifthereisn'tenough?Ifthiswasallfornothing--

Andthenthegapbetweentimeandspaceopenswithashreddingtear,andwe'rehurtlingintoit.We'refalling,spinning.Darknessovertakesus,andtheShadowDragonwithinmeroars.

ThedeepmagicoftheShadowDragonKingdomawakensavioletsparkwithinmethatIdidn'tfeelwhenIwasbroughtthereagainstmywill.NowthatI'veEmerged,itshineswithabone-shiveringcrackleofenergy.

We'vecrossedover.

"Ember--"Jianyu'svoicebreaksthroughthehowlingwindsoftheportal,alarmedinawaythatspeakstomorethanjustourentranceintoShadowDragonterritory.

Andthenwe'recrashingintohardrock.Theimpactpunchestheairoutofmylungs,andthere'sasharpcracktothebackofmyhead.

Icryoutassomethingcoldscrapesthebackofmypalm.

Iglancearoundfrantically.We'reinacave,theentireplacedimlylitfromabovebycold,palecracksoflight--barelyenoughtoseeby.

ButIcanseetherockthat'sencasedmyhand.

Thecrystalsofitcrestingfromthewallsthemselves.

Thefloorcomesalive.Stonerisesovermyfeet,andsuddenpanicclawsatme.

"Ember,"Jianyushoutsagain,andmyconnectiontohimisscreaming.Heflingshisarminmydirection,butIcan'treach.

Myothermatesarecryingout.Coldhorrorrushesdownmyspineastherockdevoursthemaswell.Stonetendrilsarctowardmythroat,andmyheartjackhammersagainsttheinsideofmyribs.Istruggletofreemyself,butthere'snomoving,nobreakingfree.

Andthat'swhenrealitydawnsonme.

ThisistheShadowQueen'sTomb.

Andit'sabouttobeourtombaswell.

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