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The world was dark and silent, the dust fro on the street

"That was close," I whispered "But I think we’re okay"

"Merit!" She screaon’s claw--four ar black talons--speared into the alley, inches fro

Trying to find us, it sla over Mallory’s scream It found the Dumpster, pushed it backward

Mallory scra crushed, and jumped out of the way, into theto reach us with the tips of its glea was different, I realized--the armor different on its toes than on the rest of its body Slimmer, smaller, probably because flexibility was needed And maybe, just maybe, vulnerable to a sword

I WILL DESTROY

"You most certainly will not destroy," I said, and raised my katana, sliced down Blood welled, the scent of it as foul as the garbage in the alley

The dragon screamed, reared back and pulled up its injured foot, stuainst an SUV parked behind it, crushing the vehicle

I knew a chance when I saw it I grabbed Mallory’s hand and dragged her out of the alley

"Bridge!" I said, scanning the neighborhoods on the other side, and spotting the stairs that led down to the El platform There was no way it could fit down the concrete stairs into the tunnel We’d be free of it And with luck, we could an House

PAIN

We tore across the street, were steps onto the bridge, when the dragon found its footing again It reached the tower at the end of the bridge, long nails gripping the stonework as its wings flapped, sending brick and gravel flying

Fear speared throughway, on behind us, and water beneath us We had to keep running We had to get to the stairwell

"Run!" I told Mallory, and we pounded pavehts began flashing ahead of us, and the entire roadway began to vibrate I glanced back at the river, where an icebreaker--one of the ships sent out by the city to keep the river flowing--was heading out to the lake

It took

This was a bascule bridge, a roadway that could actually be opened in theinto the air, weighted by huge blocks on the shore

They were raising the bridge

The ship couldn’t stop without rae, the bridge won, even though ere still on it

I looked ahead at the growing gap between the decks, and the rising incline of pavement above the water I didn’t knoide the river was here--a hundred feet? e’s decks would soon be nearly that wide, and the decks nearly vertical