Page 90 of The Dragon Queen

Iswallowhard,standingupstraighter.

Irememberthedarkstormofsmokeandshadowmyfatheronceconjured,whenIwassmallandscaredanddefenseless.HisbrandofShadowDragonmagic--thoughIdidn'tknowthatthatwaswhatitwas,atthetime--feltlikecomfort.Likebeingheldinawarmembrace,protectedfromanythreat.

AndI'veknownanotherkindofdarkness,too.ThedeeppurpleabyssthatopenedupbeforemethefirsttimeItouchedtheShadowQueen'sBracer.ItwasarushofpowerunlikeanythingelseI'veeverknown.

Butevenamidthatrushofinkyblackness,pinpointstarsshonethroughthevortex,asbrightasanysun.

Thedarknessthatenvelopsusnow?

It'snotlikeanyofthat.

There'snoterror,noloomingpower.Noreassuranceorsupport.

There'sjust...nothingness.

"Ember,"Rafegrindsout.Hisfiremagicisasearinglineofheatinourbond,buttheworldstaysstiflinglydark.

Isuckinabreath,mylungstight.Theshadowspressinonmefromalldirections.IcanfeelRafeandJianyuandMalikandStorm;Icanheartheirbreathing,sensetheirwarmth.They'rerightbehindme,besideme,allaroundme,butIcan'tfeelthem.Thedarknesscreepsalongourbonds,cloakingthemindeepblackmurk,andmylungsarecontractingfasterandfaster,butIforcemyselftoinhale.

Deep.Slow.

Thedarknessisnotabsolute.

Eveninthedeepestblackofnight,there'slight.There'sbrilliancehere,scintillatinginthespacebetweenmolecules,intheair,inmyblood,inthedead,coldrockbeneathmyfeetandinthefireofmyheart.

It'sinthechild--barelymorethanaspeckrightnow,butgrowingfromthelovebetweenmeandmymates.

Iclosemyeyes.

Thebrillianceisinsideme.

Iopenmyeyesagain,onlytobemetwiththesame,crushingdarkness,butIwillittobend.Myshadowdragonbreathesblacksmokeintothenothingness.Weareone.Herpowerismine.Webearthebloodofdragonsofstone,fire,water,air,and--yes--shadow.

Atinyflickerofmagiccracklesbetweenmyfingertips.

Andit'snottheCrown,imbuingmewithmythicalpower.Thewarmmetalissilentinmyhand,butIdon'tneedit.

MaybeIneverdid.

Betweenonebreathandthenext,asingle,faintlyglowingpurplewispdriftsthroughtheair.

Andthenanotherandanother.

Ilookdown,andtheringLordRookgaveme--theonethatbelongedtomygrandfather...Theonethatremindedhimofthemostclassic,cruelformsofShadowDragonmagic...

It'sbarelyvisibleatfirst.ButasIstare,asoftsheenslipsacrossthesleekmetalsurface.Itgrowsandgrows,untilit'sglowingapurplesobrightit'spracticallywhite,andthemagicbetweenmeandmymatesshiversbackintoexistence.

Andthenitexplodes.

Allthebrilliantlinesofconnectionburstintogloriouscolorandlight,chasingthedarknessaway.No--mergingwithit,untilthemagicissomethingentirelynew.Tearsspringintobeingatthecornersofmyeyesastheglittering,blackandgoldandpurpleandwhiteenergycascadesupmyarmsandthroughtotheverycenterofmybeing.

WhenRafegaspsmynameagainthistime,it'snotinfear.

Thewholecavernislitwithfloatingembersofcolor.Thelightscastthemostgorgeous,sparklingshadowsontherock;theyhighlightthebeloveddipsandcurvesofmymates'faces.

"Youdidit,"Jianyumurmurs,awecoloringthedeeptimbreofhisvoice.

Stormswallows,andwhenIlookbackathim,hisgrayeyesglow. "Youbroughtlighttoshadow."

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