Page 98 of The Dragon Queen

Alarmbellsfireoffinmyhead.Jianyumoans,andoneverysideofme,mybrokenmatesarewrithinginpain,andIcan'tbearit.

ButIcan'tstophim.

Ican'tbreathe.

Newwavesofsmokechokeme,andmyeyesflarewide.Themagicisreachingintome--intomyverylungs.Acidscoursmyveins.Flailingoutward,IsummoneverybitofprotectionmagicIknow,buthebatsthemallaway.

Myvisioncloudsover,goingdarkaroundtheedges.

Onlyit'snotjustdarkness.Specksoflightdanceacrossmyclosingeyes,andsomethingiswrong.Mylimbsgohorrifyinglynumb,andI'msagging.Blinking,Istrain,gaspingforair,butallIbreatheinispoison.

Erembourstepscloser,flashesofmaniacalgleelightinghiseyes.Hislipscurlupintoatwisted,awfulsmile.

IglanceoverhisshoulderattherisingDragonMoon.

Butevenitfadestoblack.

Ilandonmybackontheground,spasming.

Crouchingbesideme,theShadowKingscrapesonelong,pointedtalonundermychin.Hisvoicedripsacidashemuses,"Whyforcehertogiveitup?"Hisvoiceisdissolvingintostatic,butIcanstillhearhim. "Wheninstead,Icanmakeherhanditovertomeherself."

IWAKEWITHASTART,myheartpounding,ascreaminmythroat.There'ssomethingIhavetodo--we'reindanger,Ihaveto--

Haveto...

Italldisappearsinacloudofblacksmoke,fillingmyhead.Irubmyeyessohardtheyhurt.

Anightmare.Itmusthavebeenanightmare,butitfeltsoreal.There'saflashofadecayedvisage,blackeyes,purplelightingandgreatblackwings.

Butthenit'sgone.

Itrytochaseit--whateverthehellthatwas,itfeelsimportant,butIcan'tgrabontoit.

BeforeIcantry,thedoortomyroomslamsopenwithabang.

Startled,IlookuptofindmyAuntHelenascowlingatme.

"Lazy,"shespits. "Youthinkbreakfastisjustgoingtomakeitself?"

Breakfast.Iblink,butmyskullispounding.

AuntHelenashakesherhead. "Nowonderyourparentsdidn'twantyou."

Herwordshitmelikeaslap.Deep,blackshamesettleslikearockinmyheart.

Right.Becausemyparentsleftmehere.Theyabandonedme.They'reofflivingtheirbestlifewithoutme.

Only...

Theknowledgethattheyditchedmetobealonetogethersitsdifferentlyinmystomach,whichdoesn'tmakesense.

"Well?"MyauntclapsherhandslikeI'madog. "Chop,chop."

"I'mcoming,"Imumble,becausethat'swhatIalwayssay.Everytimesheordersmearound.

Shegrumblessomethingelsebeneathherbreath,butshe'salreadywanderingaway.AssoonasIhearherfootstepsonthestairs,Islumpbackwardinmycreaky,oldbed.Itdoesn'tfeelright,somehow.Iglancearound,buteverything'sthesameasever.

Nothingchanges.

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