Page 8 of The Dragon Queen (Ember: Queen Of Dragons #6)

EMBER

We fly back to the castle in dragon form. It's mid-morning, and the place is bustling with activity. Malik's dragon leads the way, circling the main courtyard twice before landing. People give him a wide berth, but his transformation is so smooth that there really wasn't any risk of him hurting anyone.

The same isn't exactly as true for me, but it's only my second intentional landing, so I try to cut myself a little slack. It's still embarrassing to tear up a patch of grass with my talons before I can manage to find my human footing. My cheeks burn as I dust myself off. I add graceful landings to the growing list of things I need to master before I take on the Shadow King.

My insides twist.

It's a really, really long list.

I'm determined to tackle it. But first--is that bacon I smell?

As my other mates touch down behind me, I scan the courtyard and find a few dozen of Unity's citizens breaking bread at elegant stone tables. Among them are a few familiar faces, and despite all my worries, I can't help but smile.

"Looks like someone had a good morning," Amy teases as I approach. She's sitting with Grace, Rhiannon, Jett, Freya, Brynn and Jimmy, their half-eaten plates piled high with a mouthwatering smattering of bacon, pancakes, and exotic fruits, not to mention a few Water Kingdom specialties that have my stomach growling.

"It's been a mixed bag, honestly." Stealing a piece of bacon off Amy's plate, I glance over my shoulder at my mates. "We had a lot to talk about."

Amy lifts a brow. "Uh-huh. Talking. I'm sure that's what you were doing."

I roll my eyes. Her insinuation isn't wrong, obviously, but we didn't spend the entire time naked.

"I'm relieved to see you up and about," Rhiannon says. "You're feeling better?"

"Much." Physically, at least.

"Good." One corner of Rhiannon's mouth lifts. "For what it's worth, Rook slept all day, too."

That makes me feel a little better about my epic nap.

"Join us?" Brynn invites. "You must be starving."

She's right about that.

Not even bothering to demur, I take a seat on Amy's other side. When I go to snag even more of her bacon, she gives up and pushes her plate toward me, proving she really is the best friend a girl could have. To make up for her generosity, she leans closer to Grace, plucking a piece of fruit from her plate. It's subtle, but Grace flinches, and I frown.

I don't have time to dwell on Grace's reaction, though, as Malik comes to join our group, flanked by Obi and Zahra. Malik addresses Freya. "I apologize for my absence this morning, though I am pleased to see that everyone appears to be settling in."

Freya goes into Mayor mode, updating him on the logistics situation. I'm too busy scarfing down what's left of Amy's breakfast to catch everything, but from the sounds of it, we're as well provisioned as we could hope to be, all things considered. Hopefully, we won't be here long enough to have to figure out how to resupply a few hundred people with the essentials of daily life.

I mean, worst comes to worst, the Shadow King will attack and steal everyone's power in less than a month. Surely the magically preserved stockpiles will last us at least that long, right?

I let out a dark chuckle under my breath, but my nihilism really isn't that funny. Amy and Brynn both shoot me appraising looks, and I try to wave away my inappropriate laughter, forcing a smile. Even I don't believe it, though.

With immediate logistical concerns handled, Freya shifts her focus. "Any updates on the situation in Unity?"

Letting my fake smile fade away, I sit up straighter.

Quietly, Amy fills me in. "The wards we left in place after we fled all tripped mid-day yesterday." She shudders. "Rook was right. The Shadow Dragons returned in force."

"And they've left no stone unturned, looking for clues as to where we've gone," Rhiannon continues.

My heart hammers in my chest. "Thank the gods we got everybody out in time."

Gratitude is only one of the emotions twisting around inside me, though. Unity fell under attack because of me. I should be there, protecting the town. Not hiding out while Shadow Dragons burn the place to the ground.

"They've shattered any remaining security cameras and disrupted the wards," Zahra informs us. "But my spies tell me that they've mainly dispersed, leaving only a small contingent of guards."

"Waiting for our return, no doubt." Freya is slowly tearing a piece of toast apart, letting the crumbs rain down on her plate.

"We should bide our time," Jett says. "Regather our strength."

Freya drops what's left of the toast, her voice gravelly with frustration and banked rage. "I know."

"We will retake our home," Rhiannon promises. "Once we've had time to rest and heal."

The way she says the word 'heal' has me sucking in my breath. I knew we'd suffered casualties, but I was so focused on working with Rook to create the portal here that I didn't have a chance to be briefed on the details.

"How is everyone?"

"Fine," Amy says, too fast, and I narrow my eyes.

Freya exchanges a look with Rhiannon. "Most of the members of the guard are recovering. We lost a few soldiers, and there are several civilians unaccounted for."

As she lists their names, my heart squeezes with grief and self-recrimination.

But there's more. "And?"

To Freya, Rhiannon says, "She deserves to know."

"What?" Ice slips down my spine as I glance between the two of them. "What happened?"

Amy puts a hand over mine. Gently, she says, "It's Mariutza."

I GET a whirlwind tour of the old Water Dragon Kingdom castle as Rhiannon and Amy lead me to Mariutza's room. The whole place is beautiful, of course, carved from old stone and dark hardwood and decorated richly with tapestries, sculptures and paintings that don't show a bit of wear, despite a decade of neglect. I don't have the bandwidth to really take it in, though.

Back when I was working on the portal spell with Rook, Mariutza seemed fine. In hindsight, it was strange that she and Delaynie didn't offer to help; after all, it was the combination of their magic and Rook's that allowed the three of them to escape the Shadow King's Citadel in the first place.

"She's going to be fine," Amy promises me again, squeezing my hand.

"That's what you keep saying," I mumble. The more she repeats it, the less I believe her. "I just still don't understand what happened."

"Nothing has to happen at her age," Rhiannon says softly. "She's survived battling the Sorceress, escaping the Citadel, a month on the run, and now an assault by a phalanx of Air and Shadow Dragons." She shakes her head. "It was simply too much."

My throat is tight. "But she'll recover."

"Of course." Amy projects even more confidence this time, and yeah, I'm not buying it.

We're in a distant wing of the castle now, with doors that are far apart. Probably quarters for members of the extended royal family, back when the Water Dragon King held court here. Rhiannon stops at one of the last doors in the hall and knocks, and a voice gives us permission to enter.

Inside, the room is spacious and well-appointed, although it's hard to take in the details with the curtains drawn, the whole place lit by only a couple of sconces with bulbs burning low.

I blink, waiting for my eyes to adjust. As they do, I take in Delaynie sitting in a chair beside an enormous bed. And there, propped up on a couple of pillows, is Mariutza.

My whole chest threatens to cave in.

"Grandma," Delaynie says, rising from her seat. She touches Mariutza's withered hand. "Ember's here to see you."

"Who?" Mariutza's voice is raspy and weak. She lifts her head, and her eyes dart about until they land on me. A smile spreads across her face as she drops her head back to the pillow. "Faltine. I was wondering when you'd come."

The pressure on my ribs squeezes harder. Mariutza's mistaken me for my mother more than once now, but it never becomes less painful.

Delaynie gestures to the chair she's just vacated, inviting me to sit. I feel bad for taking her spot, but she's fidgeting, clearly restless, probably glad for the excuse to get up and move around.

As I sit, I inch the seat a little closer to the bed. Trying to hide my worry, I keep my voice soft and low. "Hey there, Mariutza. How are you feeling?"

"Me?" Mariutza laughs and coughs, smile lines appearing around her tired eyes. "Right as rain, dearie. Right as rain."

"Ready to take on another dozen Shadow Dragons," another, deeper voice says.

I startle, surprised to find Lord Rook lurking in a darkened corner of the room in a totally normal, not-creepy way.

I swallow hard. "Sorry--I didn't see you there."

"You weren't supposed to." Mariutza pats my hand. "Pitch likes to be dramatic, you know."

My stomach dips. Pitch. My father--Lord Rook's brother.

Rook's brows pull together, pained. "Yes," he agrees, though. "He always did." He turns his attention to me. "How are you feeling?"

I shrug, then echo Mariutza. "Right as rain."

Rook chuckles, but there's no humor in it. "It was significant magic we called upon the other day."

"No kidding." My fingers twitch, wanting to touch the still-raw, naked skin of my wrist where the bracer used to be, but I manage to stop myself. I pull down the sleeve of my jacket instead and force myself to look away.

Mariutza's eyes are drooping. She looks so small and helpless.

I reach for her hand and take it in my own. Something inside of me cracks open. "I'm so sorry."

Sorry I wasn't able to defeat the Shadow and Air Dragons that attacked us faster. Sorry I lost the bracer, and sorry we had to leave in such haste.

Sorry to drag an old woman who's spent years of her life in a Shadow Dragon prison into this conflict.

Just--sorry. For everything.

My eyes mist over, but before I can give in to the misery swamping me, Mariutza's hand turns over in mine. I lift my head, her bony fingers squeezing my palm with shocking force.

When I meet her gaze this time, it's sharp and focused, the fog of exhaustion utterly erased.

"Ember," she says, her voice strong.

"Mariutza--"

"You're out of time."

I know. Gods above, I know.

"What--"

"Gather your allies," she orders me.

I shake my head. What allies? "I don't have--"

Her grasp on my hand tightens further. "Any enemy of Erembour's is an ally of yours."

"But--"

"You'll bring them here," she orders, and yeah, okay, that sounds like a great idea in theory, but in practice, my head swims.

"Grandma--" Delaynie inserts herself at the side of the bed next to me again. "You should be resting."

Mariutza ignores her. Her hand travels up my arm until it's touching my bare left wrist, and it's like a shock of black magic shooting straight into my veins. "You must fix what's been broken."

"But--"

"Promise me." Purple flames burn in her eyes.

And what can I do? "I promise. I mean. I'll try."

With that, the flames in her eyes flicker and die. She falls back into the pillows, and her hand unclenches, releasing my wrist. I pull my arm into my chest, curling protectively around it. The imprints of her fingers are pinprick bruises, rising on my skin.

"Grandma--" Delaynie shouts.

Mariutza's eyes flutter closed, and for a second, terror strikes my heart.

But then she opens her mouth. And out comes the loudest, most ridiculous snore.

I slump back in my chair, my mind spinning.

Gather your allies.

Fix what is broken.

No pressure or anything.

As my gaze refocuses, I find Delaynie sitting on the edge of the bed, regarding me with a look that's sympathetic but firm. "Thank you for visiting--it means a lot to us both. But I think my grandmother needs to rest."

It's a very polite way of telling me to get the hell out of here; honestly, it's more polite than I deserve.

Numb, still trying to process Mariutza's directives, I nod and stand. "I'll visit again when she's feeling...stronger."

As if that's the problem. For a minute there, she was stronger than I am, rattling me with the force of her grip.

Delaynie manages a pained smile.

Gathering myself, I head for the door, where Rhiannon and Amy are waiting for me.

"What--" Rhiannon starts to ask.

I shake my head, needing some space.

But before I can go far, a broad hand wraps around my arm. I spin on my heels.

But Rook's grip is punishing, his eyes black.

I look down. His fingers are curled around my wrist, exactly where Mariutza grabbed me.

Exactly where the Shadow Bracer once lay.

"Ember." A pale note of fear cracks the deep timbre of his voice. "Tell me everything."