Page 92 of The Dragon Queen

Yes.

Asingletearslipsfrommyeye.

"Wehavetogo,"Ibreathe.

ALLTHEANGSTthatwentintomecreatingaportal--alltheenergyweexpended,transferringpowerfromthebracertoRhiannon'snecklace.AllthetrainingsessionsIspent,practicinginvain.

Andnow,it'sbarelyathought.

Ireachformymates,gettingmyhandsonthemall.Inmymind,Ithink,thefight,andthenthere'sthatlilting,falling,impossiblefeelingofbeingflungthroughspace.

"What--"Rafeshouts.

Incredulityfloodsourconnections,butIdon'thavetimetoexplain.

IstillhaveyettoputontheCrown,butitdoesn'tmatter.ShadowDragonmagicsurgesthroughmyveins,woventhroughwiththeglitteringgiftsofalltheotherElementalDragonMagics,fuelingmeasIprojectusthrough.

Welandonablackstoneoutcropoverlookingroilingwaters,underavivid,violetsky,tingedredaroundtheedgesasafullmoonrises.

Shiversracesacrossmyskin,andthehairsonthebackofmyneckstanduponend.Thegrounditselfcrackleswithenergy.Stonesriseintotheairandhover,andtheairisrentwithlightning.Theseabeyondtherockycragwe'restandingonisaviolenttorrent.

Andeverywhere,thereisfire.

"Whatthe--"Storm'svoicecutsoffasaShadowDragonwhipspastus,itstalonsscrapingtherockandsendingupsparksasitspitsblackflamesintothesky.

ThevisionIhadofthebattleragingoutside--itwasn'treal.

Becauserealityismuch,muchworse.

Iduckasdeepblacksmokeplumestowardus.Criesandscreechesgoup.Rhiannon'sdragonisdirectlyoverhead,tanglingwithtwootherShadowDragons.Amy'spinkandblackandwhitedragonroarsthroughtheair,sendingoutshimmering,violet-streakedshadowbolts,butthewoundonhersidegushesblood.Furtheroffinthedistance,Freya'swhitedragonsnarlsoutorders.She'swobblingintheair,though,onewingtuckedintightlyagainstherside,raw,rippedfleshstreamingfromitinanauseatingweboftatteredscales.Mystomachdips.Ican'tfindMariutza,buttheseaisbubblingwithinkyblackness.

We'retoolate.

Idartmygazearoundwildly,spottingourotherallies--JettandRookandHighPriestessFang,allwagingbattleagainstanever-endinghordeofShadowDragonforces.

OnlytheShadowDragonsaren'talone.

Myeyeswiden,mystomachlurching.Stone,Fire,WaterandAirDragonsfightalongsidetheShadowKing'sforces;it'salmostimpossibletotelloursidefromtheirs,andhowdidthishappen?Howisitevenpossiblethattheworldhasbeensocorrupted?

Sobroken?

Adarkprickleofawarenessracesupmyspine.Ascentofsulfuranddecay,andtheoverwhelmingsenseofwrongness.

"Notquitewhatyouexpected?"

Thegrowling,gravellyvoicesendsajoltofterrorstraighttothecenterofmybeing,brightsparksoffearandrageshootingthroughmyconnectionstomymates.

ButIrefusetoletpanicoverwhelmme.IholdtheCrownofCindersinmyhand,andIholdtheloveoffourdragonprincesinmyheart.Thewilltofightboilsinsidemychest.

Islowlyturn.

Andthere,standingbeforethealtaroftheShadowQueen'sTomb,isKingErembour,hisSorceressbyhisside,atleastadozenguardssurroundingthem.

Buttheyaren'twhatcapturemyattention.

SlightlybehindhimisPrincessAria,lookingeventhinnerandmorefragilethanshedidthelasttimeIsawher.PuregriefswampsStorm'ssideofourmate-connection,andIreachforhim,takinghishandinmine.Intheinstantofcontact,hisguiltwantstosweepmeaway.Iforcemyselftokeepmyfooting,though,squeezinghispalm.

Butthere'snotetheringustotheearth.

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