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My chest constricts with a tangle of emotions.

Gratitude. Fear. Love. Despair. Too many to separate and name.

They merge with the emotions of the dragons. Rage, anger, glee, territorial and protective instincts.

Above it all, bloodlust.

If we fail, they’ll die too. Everything I love, everyone I’ve fought to protect, will be lost.

A moment of warning is all I get as Ryu dives low again.

I peer up into his open maw. As the largest of the dragons, his teeth are longer than my legs. And I’m staring right down his throat as fire boils up from it.

Mygist is right behind him.

Nailah is on his left.

Three dragons wide. Enough to cover the fighting arena.

Inside me, hope battles desperation, both fighting for dominance.

As a plan formulates in my head, I cup my mouth. “Come to me! Huddle up!”

Sterling flies to me, leaving Tanwen to his own devices.

Rafe ducks low behind me. Bastian and Agnar carry Leesa as they sprint toward us.

I can only hope I have enough magic left to do what needs to be done.

Dragonfire, hotter than any elemental magic, hits the field like a river. Earth starts to boil and blaze.

Dragonfire is indiscriminate. It destroys everything while it’s being channeled. Only a fire-wielding dragoncaller has a chance of surviving.

I’ve done it before. When I wasn’t worn out from fighting.

I take a deep breath and wish for the best.

Power gushes toward me as Agnar, Rafe, Bastian, and Sterling give me everything they have left. My entire body trembles with exertion. The edges of my vision turn white.

Still, I reach deeper. To that second fire I have.

Phoenix fire.

I wrap every human in those flames as the river of dragonfire hits us.

With a trembling heart, I wait. I counted how many groups I covered. Hopefully the numbers will match after the dragons pass.

We’re like rocks on the beach as the tide of destruction surges around us. My hair, clothes, and mouth are all instantly dried as the flame passes over.

Sacred animals and divine monsters alike fall screaming, the fire pouring over them like water.

I pivot, keeping that wave in sight. At every pool of phoenix fire wrapped around our allies, I reach out. With my arms turning to lead and my mind screaming with exhaustion, I grab the dragonfire and part it.

Over. And over. And over.

My eyes burn, but I dare not blink.

The fire on my wings snuffs out as I lose control over it.