“Okay.

We’ll watch from a distance.” Her lack of resistance showed that her stomach was also in knots about what was about to happen.

I climbed onto her back and she ran into the forest.

She stopped once we reached the borders of the clearing just in front of the Port and we ducked down in the bushes.

She shuddered as we both laid eyes on the dragon.

“If that thing comes within a hundred feet of us,” she murmured, “I’m dragging you away from here.” “Okay… Charis is his name, by the way.” She shot me a bemused look before fixing her eyes back on the beast.

Our army hadn’t entered the clearing yet, but I noticed their shadows moving around in the bushes surrounding the Port as they observed Charis.

Several harrowing moments passed before my father darted out from the trees, a spear in one hand, a gun in the other, and the rest of the army followed closely after him.

The dragon let out a deafening roar, and the minutes that followed next were sheer chaos.

A blaze of fire shot from his mouth and would have burned the warriors leading the attack to ashes had the witches not manifested a wall of water to extinguish it.

As the dragon continued to spit fire, it soon became clear that this would likely be the most useful thing the witches could do—focus on dispelling the flames while the others attempted to get within shooting distance of his eyes.

By now, I could barely see what was going on with all the smoke choking the area.

“They’ve got to end him before he launches into the sky,” I said, coughing.

No sooner had I said the words than there was another roar and I could make out the outline of Charis’s wings spreading.

With three mighty beats, he launched into the sky.

“Give up the girl now,” he boomed down from above, “and I might still spare your island.” My mom began to clutch me so hard it hurt.

We both stared up at the sky through the gaps in the trees.

I was expecting to be met with a terrifying sight, but what I saw nearly gave me a heart attack.

Hanging beneath the belly of the dragon was Caleb.

He was holding onto a hook wedged into Charis’ hide, which was so thick the dragon hadn’t even noticed.

“Oh, my.” My mother covered her mouth with her hands.

I watched in horror as Caleb swung himself up the side of the dragon and, gripping his scales, climbed up onto his back.

It wasn’t until Caleb reached the back of his neck and attempted to spear the beast in the eye that Charis noticed.

I screamed as Caleb missed his mark by what looked like a fraction.

The dragon lurched downward and jerked around wildly in the sky, trying to fling Caleb from his back.

Caleb’s spear fell to the ground.

Now the only weapon he had against the monster was his claws.

Charis twisted his head back over his shoulder and heaved a blaze of fire.

If Caleb hadn’t quickly leapt on top of the creature’s head, he would have been scorched.

But as Charis began shaking his head violently, it was clear that it was only a matter of seconds before Caleb lost his grip and hurtled down to the ground.

Taking advantage of my mother’s shock, I burst out from the bushes and bellowed up at the dragon.

“Hey, you brute.

Down here!” All eyes shot toward me.

My father yelled and my mother screamed.

Yes, it was a stupid, reckless thing to do—but they didn’t realize that I was the only thing that would call Charis back to the ground, which was what we needed if we were to have any chance of ending it.

As Charis dove toward me, a dozen vampires and werewolves hurtled toward him at once, their weapons raised.

Still perched on the dragon’s head, Caleb inched closer to his eyes.

Now that the dragon’s entire focus was on me, he seemed to have momentarily forgotten about the vampire hanging from his head.

My mother’s arms closed around me, dragging me back into the bushes as my father yelled, “Caleb!” He tossed another spear toward Caleb, which Caleb caught at the last moment.

Driving the spear downward, this time, Caleb hit his mark.

The sharp tip pierced through Charis’ small eye, causing him to let out a piercing shriek as he fell onto his back and began writhing on the ground.

My eyes shot toward Caleb, who landed several feet away on the ground.

As the army closed in around the dragon to end him once and for all, Charis spread his wings and launched into the sky again.

I half expected him to lunge toward my direction again, but instead, his flight unsteady in the sky, he flew toward the sea.

“No,” Caleb shouted, running after it.

But it was too late.

The staggering dragon had reached the beach and was fast traveling toward the boundary.

We all stared after him as he was soon just a speck in the sky.

He could have been mistaken for a large bird in the distance.

Now that the danger had passed, my mother allowed me to run out from the bushes again.

I leapt into Caleb’s arms, wrapping my legs around his waist and holding him in a tight embrace.

“You did it!” I was expecting him to look at least somewhat triumphant, but instead he was just scowling.

“I didn’t.

It got away.

I should have killed it, but clearly I didn’t apply enough pressure.” “I doubt Charis will come back with that injury,” I said.

“Maybe not Charis… but if he makes it back to his realm, this island could have just made another whole horde of unwanted enemies.”