Lina was suddenly at a loss, with no idea what she ought to do now. She tried to reach into the boiling water and fish the egg out, but her hand jerked to a stop just before touching it — not from fear of being scalded, but from fear that her own recklessness would make the hatching stop.
Nor did she dare throw more stones into the magic-energy furnace, afraid that the slightest flicker in the flames would disturb the dragonet's shell-breaking.
She could only stand where she was, hand clamped over her mouth to keep her sobs from sounding. In her eyes, in her heart, this was not a dragon egg — it was her life and the life of her entire tribe.
Amid the cracking sounds, Lina wept and prayed silently, "Harder! Push harder!"
Adam was busy choking the remaining dragon souls to death.