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"Airos, we have to get them out," I say.

He nods. "There's only one way we can do it. From the sky."

"Do you have enough in you?"

"I have to," he replies.

We're nearing the end of the ridge. Nowhere else to go but down into the muck. We need to make a decision, fast.

The pieces of the water elemental surge around us like raindrops on a car windshield, gathering together as they sweep in defensive arcs and then deflect the bits of Shimat that power through the force field of influence created by our dance. I know that once we stop, all hell is going to break loose. We're gonna have to be fast.

"Ready, Jackson?"

"Is it cliché to say I was born ready?"

"Grab onto me."

I'm not afraid of failing. But what I realize in that moment is that Iamafraid to lose him.

It's visceral. And it's shocking.

Yeah, of course you're afraid,I justify in my head.You've already lost too many friends.

But this time, the reasoning just doesn't land right. There's more to it, and I know it. I just don't want to see it. Irefuseto see it.

If I ignore it, then it doesn't exist, right?

That's always worked for me. But it's not working now.

"Hold on tight," Airos says, and then his phoenix form erupts out in a blaze of ruby and emerald-gold feathers. I clutch on tight, squeezing his body between my thighs as he launches into the sky.

The Shimat immediately surges forward. Airos tucks in his wings and spirals through the cresting wave just before it crashes over and engulfs the ridge. Black tentacles whip up like the arms of a giant squid, chasing us in wild loops through the air. I manage to land a hit with my new water-bending abilities and slice one clean off, but dozens more take its place. Shit. I can't waste what little of these powers remain. I have to be surgical.

From up here, I can see the encampment sitting just beyond the dune ridges. The people have gathered and it looks as though they'removing closer to the battle.

Dammit, what the hell are they doing? Why aren't they getting as far away as possible?

But where would they go? All they have are a few gryphs. There's no way they'd be able to get far enough away to escape the Shimat.

Airos pulls up and climbs straight toward the open morning sky as the Shimat reaches after us. My stomach flips as he hits the apex and does a corkscrew, spinning us around. I clench my teeth and suck in a deep, strained breath, fighting the G-forces that threaten to rip me from Airos's back and knock my lights out. The tentacles shoot past us, but then explode outward like afountain at the peak and come raining down after us in a deadly shower.

"Here we go!" Airos shouts.

Azin and Onar are right below us, directly in our sights. Airos pins back his wings, and we hurtle into a breakneck dive. All I can do in that moment is pray my grip holds until the split second I'll have to act. I force my eyes to stay open, despite the burning wind and stinging sand.

Come on. Come on.

The tentacles split again and become hundreds of strands that stretch like fingers to grasp at Airos's tail feathers.

"Faster!" I yell.

Almost there. Almost?—

Suddenly, another massive wave rises off the Shimat's body and starts to crest over Azin and Onar, shielding them from our attack.

"Shit, shit!" Airos shouts as he veers to avoid it. He swoops in a tight somersault that nearly sends me flying off his back, then pulls up as the pursuing strands crash into the top of the wave.

"We still have a chance!" I urge. "Come around, get us in there!"