The Dark Secret

General, may I take a nap? General, I need a papaya! General, my claws are tired! General, look, a butterfly! SOMEBODY IS GETTING STABBED IN THE FACE IF YOU DON’T SHUT UP.

The look on Deathbringer’s face was so obvious — so real and sad — that Starflight had the weird experience of being able to see what his own expression must be every time he thought of Sunny.

Battlewinner spat out a shard of ice that sizzled into steam when it hit the lava. “You never wanted to be queen,” she rasped. “You’re a pathetic heir.” “I know I am,” Greatness said. “Being queen is awful.

We are not leaving Deathbringer!” Glory grabbed Fatespeaker. “Point the way and I’ll go by myself. Starflight, get out of here. Get everyone off the island.” Deathbringer? Starflight opened and closed his mouth. He hadn’t realized that rescuing the NightWing assassin was even on Glory’s agenda, let alone that it was important enough to risk an erupting volcano for. But she’s right. He risked everything for us — for her.

Glory told us everything you said in her dream, which, by the way, is crazy, visiting a dragon’s dreams,” Tsunami said to Starflight, winding her tail around his. “Well, except she didn’t tell me about the stealth RainWing bodyguards she put on me. That was pretty hilarious. Everyone should suddenly have the air turn into seven bright purple dragons yelling hysterically whenever she gets attacked.” “Yeah, I wouldn’t have minded something like that,” Starflight said.

Try a RainWing. They’re always asleep.

Um,” Starflight said as a horrifying thought struck him. “There’s no chance this volcano is about to erupt, is there?

The queen of the NightWings wants to see you.

Startled, he blinked at her. King and queen? But he couldn’t — she wasn’t — well, she wasn’t Sunny. And he’d been in love with one dragon his whole life.

I have to see Glory right now,” he said to Tsunami. “The NightWings are planning to attack tonight.” She gasped, and the trees around her all gasped at the same time. Tsunami turned to frown at the apparently empty branches. “I told you all you could go back to the village,” she said. “I don’t need a bodyguard. I can take care of myself.” Nobody answered. Tsunami sighed.

You know I don’t like giving speeches,” Glory said, “so I’ll just say this. We’re going to save our fellow RainWings, and we’re going to make this rainforest safe, and we’re going to do it like real RainWings. And by the three moons, try not to talk or sneeze or fall asleep in the tunnel on the way there, all right?

being a good dragon is about the choices you make no matter where you are or who raised you or how.

The last cage in the hallway contained a NightWing. This was where Flame stopped and rapped on the bars with one claw. Not just any NightWing: Deathbringer.

Well, except she didn’t tell me about the stealth RainWing bodyguards she put on me. That was pretty hilarious. Everyone should suddenly have the air turn into seven bright purple dragons yelling hysterically whenever she gets attacked.

Queen Glory,” he grumbled, and Starflight recognized Strongwings, his father’s burly lab assistant.

blue. True? False? What’s the coolest thing

Morrowseer shook his head. “Some NightWings think so, but none of our scientists have been able to find any when they examine our tribe’s corpses. Nor have we had any success replicating RainWing venom shooting.” He scowled at the bird and abruptly ripped off one if its wings. “You may have this,” he said ungenerously, tossing it at Starflight. Starflight

out of the foliage and crashed right into Starflight. Starflight found himself circled by strong brown wings as Clay nearly flung him into the treetops with

Feeling suddenly awkward and guilty, he let go of Fatespeaker’s talons. “You have the face you get when you’re missing your friends,” she said. He nodded, surprised that he was that transparent. “Sometimes I think there might be no other dragons like them in all of Pyrrhia.” “You’re probably right,” she said with a sigh. Well. There’s Fatespeaker. He touched her shoulder lightly. “Get some sleep.” She obediently closed her eyes, and he moved back to

Starflight had been terrified plenty of times since leaving the caves where he grew up.