"No!" Phoebe shrieked as they sped across the lake. "We can't leave him."
"We have no choice," Chris said. "I'm sorry."
Cassandra saw the despair on her sister's face, but Phoebe didn't cry. She merely stared behind them where the boathouse was quickly drifting out of sight, her eyes filled with horror.
Cassandra held on tightly to her seat belt, her heart pounding. "How fast are we going?" she asked Chris.
"Over a hundred at least," he answered. "These things can move as fast as one hundred forty with the wind, but only about forty against it."
Wow. She looked over at her sister, who still hadn't stopped looking behind her even though the boathouse had already faded from sight.
"He'll be okay, Phoebe," Kat said. "His father wouldn't really hurt him. Stryker may be psychotic, but he loves Urian."
Phoebe's face showed every bit of her doubt.
"Keep going north," Phoebe said to Wulf. "We have a safe place where we can hide all of you."
No sooner were the words spoken than Cassandra heard the fierce shriek of something that sounded like it came from Hollywood. It was followed by the distinct sound of wings flapping.
Looking up, she saw the dragon headed for them.
"Oh, my..." She couldn't finish the words as horror choked her.
Kat reacted instantly. She threw herself over Cassandra.
The dragon shrieked louder as if frustrated by her actions. Fire blew across the prow of the boat.
Wulf didn't slow down at all. He pulled his gun out and fired up at the dragon.
The dragon dove straight for them, screaming as it came. Cassandra could see when the bullets struck it. The dragon recoiled, but didn't really slow or veer off.
It continued toward them with a single-minded determination.
Closer.
Closer...
It swooped in so close she could feel the dragon's hot breath.
Wulf reloaded his clip and fired more rounds.
Just as Cassandra was sure it would devour them, the dragon vanished instantly.
For a full ten seconds, no one moved.
"What happened?" Chris asked.
"He must have been recalled," Kat answered. "It's the only thing that could have stopped him like that."
Wulf finally slowed a degree. "Recalled by whom?"
"The Destroyer," Phoebe said. "She won't let him hurt Kat."
"And just why is that, Kat?" Wulf asked.
Kat appeared uncomfortable with that question. "Like Stryker, I'm one of her servants."
"I thought you served Artemis," Cassandra said.