“You’re doing great!” Fifer shouted to him. “Don’t get hurt!” She turned back to Florence and continued her process. “Be alive!” she said desperately. “Live!” She moved on to the next section. And the next. In a race against time, she felt like she was losing. She looked up and saw the red dragon with two spears sticking out of its nostril and Dev diving for cover as the dragon advanced with fire spraying everywhere, igniting part of the orchard and the spiderweb-covered garden. “Be alive! Live!” Fifer went on, as sobs started to break through. “Be alive! Live!”

Fifer looked up and saw the dragon pressing forward. “Dev, run! Hide in the library!” Then she went back to Florence with the last few pieces of her neck and her head. Each time she said the words, the cracks would fuse together. And when the warrior trainer’s split head was finally fused, her body came to life. Florence’s eyes opened.

“Florence,” Fifer said intensely, leaning over the startled statue, “I need you to nock an arrow and shoot that dragon up its nostril right now.”

Florence, having no idea what had happened, sat up. “Where’s my leg?” she said.

“Do it, Florence! Just roll over and do it from sitting if you can. Hurry!” She looked at Dev. “Look out, Dev!”

Florence reached for the bow that Fifer had placed near her and grabbed an arrow. She wore a pained look on her face. She nocked the arrow, twisted her hips, and took the shot. It hit the dragon’s neck, lodging between the scales, but it didn’t go deep enough to stop the attack.

“One more, please!” Fifer commanded. The dragon lunged for them. Dev scrambled for his third long spear.

Florence pulled another arrow out and aimed as the dragon’s face was looming large. The arrow found its mark and sank deep into the nostril. The dragon roared. His tail whipped around like a rope. It caught Fifer’s legs, and he threw her high into the air. With a strangled shout, Fifer went sailing and landed with a thud fifty feet away.

“Nooo!” shouted Dev. He ran at the beast as it began to stumble and threw the third spear, but overshot in his haste. When its face neared the earth, Dev leaped over flames and grabbed one of the spears sticking out of its nostril. He heaved and shoved it as hard as he could into the dragon’s brain. He did the same with the other spear.

Finally the beast’s eyes rolled back. He slumped, and his giant head flopped down on top of Dev, trapping him. Dev screamed, then went silent.