Page 87 of The Dragon Queen

Swallowing,Itakeastepforwardandthenanother.Rafereachesforme,andIslipmyhandintohiswithouteventhinking,hisbig,roughfingerssostrongandsecurearoundminethatIinstantlyfeelsafer.

Voicegravelly,heasks, "Isthat--"

Itisn'treallyaquestion.HeknowsaswellasIdothatitis.Squeezinghispalm,mythroatdry,Inod.

Deepintheheartoftheconflagrationisaslowlyspinningcircle.It'smadeoffireitself,butthroughthelicksofflame,darkmetalgleamsinintricatefiligreesandswoopingarcs.

Myentirechestsucksinward.

TheCrownOfCinders.We'vefoundit.Atlast.

It'slikeadambreaksinsideme.Iledmymatesherebasedonamythfromastorybook.Myfriendsareriskingtheirlivesoutsidethistombaspartofafull-scale,kamikaze-styleattack,basedonmyhunch.

AndIwasright.It'shere.

"Goon."InudgeRafe.Allhehastodoisreachintotheflameandpulloutthecrown,andwecanfinallyendthisthing.

Whenhedoesn'tmove,Iglanceupathim.Hisbrowsarepinched,hismouthturneddownatthecorners.

Myeasyconfidencethreatenstofalter. "Rafe?"

Heblinks,andtheuncertainexpressiononhisfacemeltsaway.Herubsmyknucklewiththepadofhisthumb,aneasy,self-assuredsmilereplacinghisfrown.Histoneisallswaggerashesays, "Watchthis."

Tinglesofmagicgatherinmyfingersandmytoes,heatbloomingwithinmygut.Rafewaveshisfreehand,anddeeporangeflamesengulfhisarm.

Oneflickofhiswristandtheburningpyreatthecenteroftheroomexplodes.

Myothermatesflinchassparksshootoutward,buttheheatpassesrightthroughme,leavingblankspacearoundtheCrown.Itakeastepforward.

ButtheinstantIdo,Rafe'smagicfalters,andthere'sasuddenvoidinthepitofmyabdomen.Iturnbacktohim,stunned,andhiseyesflipwidewithnakedfear,andohGods.

"Rafe--"

Inthenextinstant,thefirecomesroaringbacktolife,biggerandhotterandmoreterrifyingthanbefore.

"I--"Rafeletsgoofmyhand,andanymagicwe'dhadleftgutters--andthengoesout.

RAFE

Whatthefuck.

What.Theactual.Fuck.

TheFireDragonwithinmeroars,andblacksmokeburnsthebackofmythroat.Wearefire.We'reflamebornofnothing.Themagicalblazebeforeusshouldbeunderourdominion.

Butitdoesn'tgiveashitaboutmymagic.

Itryagain,butthere'snospark.MyconnectionwithEmberisstrongenough;itspowerbeatsinmychest.Butthecrackleofmagicbetweenourhandshasgonesilentanddark.

Igrowl,squeezingherfingerstootightly.

"Rafe--?"

"Shh."Ishakemyhead,andIknowI'mbeingadick,butIhavetofocus.

Justlastnight,IbreathedfireintoEmber'ssoul.Shewasfreakingoutaboutthecertaindeathwewereabouttowalkinto,andIremindedherthatthere'sareasontofight.

That'swhatIdo.I'mfireandrage,andyeah--that'sgottenmeintroublemorethanonce.I'mthehot-headed,impulsivelivewire.Thedisappointmentofmyfamily;thethrowawayheirwhowasalwaysdoomedtoself-immolate.

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