The demon gave a mighty tug, nearly lifting Jeid off his feet. Yanking the creature back, Jeid stared down the mountainside. Far below upon the slopes, a good mark away, the sphinxes hadn't seen them yet. Most had already entered the cave in pursuit of Bryn; perhaps only fifty still flew outside, awaiting their turn to fly into the mountain.

Jeid glanced down to the hole at his feet, the tunnel the demon had carved. It wouldn't be long before Bryn emerged.

"Remember, Dorvin," Jeid said. "As soon as Bryn's here, we shift and blow fire into the hole. We'll roast the Widejaws chasing her, then fly off."

Dorvin nodded. He glanced down the mountainside. "Almost all the sphinxes are inside the mountain now." He tapped his foot. "Where are you, Bryn?"

The demon hissed and tugged at its harness. "Free us . . . free us . . ."

Dorvin spat. "Be quiet. Once we're done with you, I think I'll roast you like the sphinxes. Nice cooked demon on a stick."

The demon squealed. Its tongue lashed out, and its legs clawed the air. It gave such a mighty yank upward, both Jeid and Dorvin were tugged onto their toes.

"Hush!" Jeid said. "The sphinxes will hear." He glanced down below; a good forty-odd sphinxes were still outside the mountain. One seemed to look up toward the mountaintop, and Jeid's heart sank.

Oh stars . . . don't let them hear us. Not until Bryn's here.

But the demon on the harness kept struggling. Its voice rose louder. It let out a shriek.

"Damn it!" Jeid tugged the creature down. "Dorvin, we have to silence it."

The young man nodded, grinned, and drew his sword. "With pleasure."

Tugging Golgoloth's harness with one hand, Dorvin swung his blade with the other. The sword clanged against one of the creature's legs, doing it no harm.

The demon yowled and gave such a mighty pull, the wooden shaft tore free from Dorvin's hand.

Jeid tried to hold the creature down himself, but alone he wasn't strong enough. Screeching madly, Golgoloth broke loose, flew into the air, and spun in the sky. Its scream rolled down the mountainsides.

Below, near the cave, sphinxes roared and began flying up the mountain.

The Vir Requis gasped, whispered, and pointed toward the approaching beasts.

Jeid looked down into the hole at his feet.

Bryn . . . come on,

"Scum on the mountains!" rose a hoarse cry from the sphinxes. "Weredragons on the peak! Widejaws, slay them!"

Jeid cursed, shifted, and rose as a dragon.

"Rise, dragons of Requiem!" he cried. "Rise and fly!"

He beat his wings, soaring higher. Below him, the other Vir Requis took dragon forms and rose too. A silver dragon, Dorvin blew fire, roasting the fleeing tunnel demon.

The sphinxes shrieked.

Do we flee? Jeid growled. No. The sphinxes would chase them, and their comrades in the mountain would join the pursuit. It was time to fight.

"Burn them, dragons of Requiem!" Jeid shouted. "Burn them down!"