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"Get water!"

"Where's my brother?"

"Someone find—"

After-battle silence. I understand it now. It isn't silence. It is simply quieter than dying.

I stand in the dragon grounds. Dagger still in my hand. Don't remember why. My body shakes. Not fear. Exhaustion. Probably both.

Smoke drifts across the Academy. Without magic flashing through it, I can finally see. I wish I couldn't.

The western tower is half gone. Not collapsed entirely. Enough. Rooms exposed to sky. Stone scattered across courtyard. Part of the village beyond the wall burns bright orange. People move between buildings carrying buckets. One roof falls inward.

Someone screams from somewhere far away.

Bodies. Everywhere. Hollowborn. Soldiers. Students.

Villagers. Some covered. Most not yet.

A first-year lies near the wall. I recognize his coat. Not face. Don't look.

Another body— Meral. The girl I killed. Someone has closed her eyes. Good.

My stomach twists. Nothing comes up. Nothing left.

Then a sound. Not human. Low. Broken. Dragon.

Theryn.

I turn. She's alive. Barely. Vyrael has moved away.

Not far. His head lowered. Other dragons gathering around the perimeter. None approach. They know.

Theryn lies on her side. White gone from her eyes. Her eyes. Actual. Dark. Tired. Blood pooling beneath her body. One wing twisted. Her chest rises. Stops.

Rises. "Eddy!" Someone screams. Oh gods.

Her Rider. Eddy comes running through the smoke.

No helmet. Blood down his face. He sees her. Stops. Just— stops.

Then runs.

"No." The word leaves him before he reaches her.

"No." He drops beside her head. Hands against scales. "Theryn." Her eye moves. Finds him.

"No, no, no, stay with me." Eddy's voice breaks.

"I'm here." His hands are everywhere. As if there is somewhere he can press to keep an entire dragon alive. "I'm here. I'm here."

Professor Kaelis reaches them. Stops. He knows.

Eddy looks up. "Help her." Kaelis doesn't move. "HELP HER!" Theryn tries to lift her head.

Can't. Eddy catches it. Or tries. Too large. He presses his forehead against her scales. "No." Again. Quiet now. "No."

Theryn moves. Barely. Her nose shifts across the stone. Touches Eddy's chest. Once.