Page 130 of The Dragon Queen

Cynane’s head lifted then, searching the now empty cave for signs of us.

Wyrmpeak, our home, is under attack. Will we spend our time squabbling here, or will we come to our queen’s aid?

The human soldiers’s weapons went clattering to the ground, but the dragons didn’t press their advantage. Rex tried to push his dragon on. He wasn’t the one in control, we were. Each dragon turned tail and took to the sky, making a beeline for the capital.

All but ours.

The roof of the duke’s palace shook as each one landed on the tiles, the balustrade, ready to get us out of here.

“We’re not going to make it in time,” Soren warned as they scooped Glimmer and me up, carrying us out to Wraith’s back. “We’ve got a day or two’s ride ahead of us at least.”

“NO!”

I thought that was my scream, but as I turned, I saw an outraged Beatrice rush forward. The knife in her hand shone in the lamplight, making clear her intent. My focus was everywhere at once and not where it needed to be, in my body, ready to end thisfight myself. Instead, I watched blankly as she ran forward, ready to kill me. I needn’t have worried. Darkspire was querulous, having been deprived of a fight, and so he launched himself forward. His snakelike neck snatched the girl from the balcony and then whipped sideways, only to release her.

Not worth eating, he assured me.

For a second, I felt her fear, heard her scream, but I was pulling free of her mind before her body hit the ground, because there were more important matters to attend to.

Cynane.

She stared into the darkness, conjuring us from the shadows, and I wished it was that easy. Instead, our minds linked with hers. We felt her pain, her exhaustion, parts of her body already beginning to fail.

I am old.That statement was both a point of pride and pain.I lived for too long, waiting for you to come, Glimmer.

I’m sorry.My dragon’s voice was the smallest I’d ever heard it.I wanted this to be different.I tried. I tried so hard but?—

I know.Cynane’s head dropped to the sands, the need to close her eyes and surrender to the growing darkness overwhelming.We all tried, but attempting something doesn’t guarantee results.Her flanks heaved as she sucked in breaths, the contractions to expel her eggs far weaker now.I just need to… stay here until Hadrian comes. He’ll cut my daughters free. If I just… stay here.

No…

My protest was far weaker now, and I was conscious we were in the air, the wind whipping at our hair. Soren held us tightly as we remained tied psychically to the queen dragon.

You are queen here, Cynane, we told her.Your strength is ours, as ours is yours.

“Glimmer…” Soren’s voice was filled with awe. “Pippin, Glimmer’s… You’re glowing.”

I didn’t need to open my eyes to see it, because I felt it right down into my bones. A golden light filled me, my dragon, and the aging queen up, driving out pain.

Push, my daughter.I knew that voice. Tanis’ voice was just as warm, just as beautiful, as the light that filtered through us.I know you have laboured for too long, but just one more push and you can rest.

Cynane wanted to protest. Aches, pains came flooding back, but she shuffled to her feet. The change in position seemed to shift something in her, the contractions beginning again, but this time we leaned into the pain. It wasn’t something to hide from. Each stab was our body working to birth the future. Golden egg after golden egg landed in the sands until, with a scream, the final queen egg was laid. Cynane collapsed down beside them, using what strength she had left to mound sand around the eggs.

Instinctively, she knew the air was too cool for newly born queens. She climbed into the nest, careful not to dislodge an egg, the feel of the dragonstone pebbles reassuring against her skin. All of her memories, all of her experiences, they would never be lost while these stones remained. Her daughters would grow and become strong, fed by their collective memories, free to choose their own paths, armed with the knowledge of what their foremothers had done. She let out a sigh, all the tension bleeding from her body and then…

She was gone.

The bay was litteredwith wreckage as we flew into the capital many hours later, but it wasn’t the ships or even the city I was focussed on. The moment Wraith’s claws touched the keep roof, Glimmer and I were sliding out of the saddle and racing down the steps, taking them two at a time.

She was gone. I knew that, and yet I couldn’t stop my feet from moving. The heat of the hatching sands seared the soles of my boots, and yet I strode forward, not to find Cynane, but a wall of armed people. Men, women, they raised their crossbows the moment we got close, staring the two of us down.

“Hang on…” I knew that voice, though Marcus was slurring his words now. “Hang on, this one. She’s all right.”

“Many thanks to you, Marcus Lighthands,” I said, sketching anironic bow. “Now…” I swallowed and swallowed, but there was no moving the lump in my throat. “Can I…? Can I see her?”

Somehow I knew Cynane was still here. I’d know if she was gone, that’s what my heart told me and when the crowd parted, dragons shuffling out of the way, I saw it was true. Cynane lay beside Tanis’ nest, as if just sleeping.

Pippin…

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