Page 84 of The Dragon Queen

"Therewasbarelyenoughmagictogetushere,"Iremindthemall. "There'snothingleft."

Inotherwords:there'snowayout.

Thegravityofthesituationisaweight,poolinginmybones,butifmymatesfeelit,theygivenosign.

Stormshakeshishead,toointense.Heplaceshishandovermine,gentlysnappingthelocketclosed. "Ember.Youalwayshaveachoice."

Istarttolaugh,butIstopmyself.He'sdeadlyserious.Theyallare.

Mythroatbobs.

"So?"Rafeasks.

Stormisright.Ialwayshaveachoice.Rightnow,it'seitherforgeaheadorretreatandtrytofindawaytogetbothusandourfriendstosafety.

Iputahandtomybelly.

Butthere'snowheresafe.

Breathingout,Isquaremyshouldersandturnbacktowardthecave. "So.Weforgeahead."

Chapter

Twenty-Five

STORM

TheentiretimetheShadowKing'sforceswereoccupyingWynrathCrest,Iwasananimaltrappedinacage.Mylifewasnotmyown.Onestepoutofline,andtheaxecouldfall.

Ifeltpowerless.Evenasthenominalprinceofthekingdom,Ihadnosayinanything.Brynnandafewothersjoinedmeingatheringintelligence,workingtosabotagewhatevertheShadowKingdominfiltratorswereupto,butallwecoulddowaswait,andhopethatwhenourmomentcame,wemightbeabletostrikeback.

Inaway,itwasthesamefortherestofmylife,too.MyfatherwasatyrantlongbeforehehandedoverthereinsofthekingdomtotheShadowKing.

ButIhadEmber--forawhile.Ourlovehadtobesecret,butshewasthebreathoffreshairthathelpedmetosurvivethesuffocatingpressureoftherestofmyexistence.WhenIwasachickenshitasshole,andIletthemtearherawayfromme,Ibarelysurvivedit.

Andthenshecameback.SheofferedmethefreedomIhadalwayscravedbutneverimaginedcouldbepossibletoclaim.

Soit'sfunnythatnow,hereIam,freetobeanywhere,andbychoiceI'mtrappedinadarkcavewithnowayout.Idon'tevenneedtothinkaboutsteppingoutofline.Anaxewillfall--threemoreofthem,infact,iftheriddlecarvedintotherockwastellingthetruth.

IglanceatEmberaswepickourwayalongadeep,blackcorridorlitonlybythepalebeamsofourflashlights.Asmygazeconnectswithhers,Icanstillheartheechoesofthestrangevoicethatpossessedherasshereadtheinscrutabletext.Itmadeallthehairsonthebackofmyneckstandup,mydragonbreathingsmokeintomylungs.Evennow,there'saprickleofuneasinessundermyskin.

ButItrusther.Itrustourbond,andthebondI'veforgedwiththeothermeninhercircle.They'remoremybrothersnowthanmyfleshandbloodoneeverwas.

I'mherenotoutofduty,orunderthreatofpunishmentfromanevilking.I'mhereoutoflove.

Here,inthedarknesswiththem,it'slikeI'mwalkingonair.

Metaphorically,ofcourse.

Untilsuddenly,it'sliteral,too.

Withoutwarning--withoutasound--thefloorfallsoutfromunderneathus.

We'replummeting.

Andallthemagicwithinmeignites.

MALIK

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