Page 93 of The Dragon Queen

Notwhenfourmoredragonsswoopdownoutofthesky.They'rehuge--sobigIalmoststaggerbackward,myowndragonreadytolungetowardthesurfaceofmyconsciousness.

Beforeshecangetthere,thebeastsintheairdropdowntoland,sendingshockwavescrashingoutwardthroughtherock.

"No,"Jianyubreathes,butthere'snodenyingit.

Nofightingit.

Glitteringscalestwistandmorph,leavingfleshandboneintheirwakes.Betweenoneblinkandthenext,theenormouscreaturesaregone.

AndintheirplacearetheQueenofWaterandtheKingsofStone,Fire,andAir.

Thefourremainingmonarchsofthegreatdragonnations--allstandingsidebysidewiththeShadowKing.

Chapter

Twenty-Eight

JIANYU

Thenightmyfathersenttheroyalguardafterme,mymate,andourfriends,IthoughtIreconciledmyselftomyfather'sbetrayal.Ihadofferedhimdecadesofserviceandself-sacrifice.Iputdutyaboveallelse.

Andhespitinmyface.

TheinstantIsteppedoutoflineintheslightest--determinedtoprotectthewomanIlovedandtodiscoverthetruthaboutwhateverhiddenenemyhadsabotagedourbestattemptatpeace--hehadmehunteddownlikeadog.

Iwasangry,ofcourse.FuriousinawayI'dneverbeenbefore.ButthankstoEmber,Ifoundharmonywithinmyself.Mywrathwasclean,directedsolelyatmyfatherandwhateverforceshadworkedtoturnhimagainstme.Againstourkingdomandourpeople.

Now,though?

Myfuryisaraginginferno,bubblingthroughthestonemyfathertaughtmetobelieveencasedmyheart.HisinstructionmademethemanIamtoday.Thequietone,thethoughtfulone,thepatient,reserved,repressedone.I'veshedtheconstraintsofthatidentity,butIamwhatIam.

Now,though,afreshcrackappearsinmylegendaryreserve.Istareatmyfather--theStoneDragonKing.Myhero,myidol.

AndIexplode.

"Whatdidheofferyou,"Ispit,theearthrumblingbeneathmyfeet.Ithrowahandouttotheside,andtheblackstonesplinters.Recklessragetakesovermypsyche. "Whatcouldhavepossiblytemptedyoutogiveupeverything.Yourpower,ourpeople,ourmagic."

Yourson,Iwanttoscream.Yourgrandchild.

ButI'mnotthatfargone.Notyet.

Butmyfatheris.

KingHaoyuofthemightyStoneDragonEmpirelaughs,andhemightaswellbehurlingjaggedshardsintomyheart. "Youstillknownothingofpower,boy."

"Jianyu--"Emberputsherhandonmyarm,sendingwarmthhummingthroughmyskin.She'surgingmetowardcaution,andshe'sright.Thisismadness.

Allofit.

"You'velostyourmind."Myrecklessrageistemperedonlybymydespair.

Ifthisweretemporaryinsanity,atleastIcouldempathize.Butit'snot.Myfatherhasbeenjoinedbyalltheotherrulersofthedragonworld,andforwhat?

Iturnmywrathonthetruevillainhere.

"Sowhatwasit?"IdemandofKingErembour--andforgetreckless.Thisisfoolhardy,vergingonsuicidal. "Whatdidyoutellthemyouwouldgivethemiftheywentalongwiththis?"

AndthentheShadowKingfixesmewithhisblackgaze,andeverythingabouthimiswrong.Iflinchinside,mychestwantingtotwistinonitself,justlookingathim.

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