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toward the bridge. Morgan followed, the sword at her side and her chin against her chest.
    Japheth flexed his muscles, fighting against the jerking ropes, but when Morgan tramped onto the bridge, he almost lost his grip. He cringed, grinding his teeth in pain. Should he stop her? Father had not said for sure. But with danger all around, how could he leave her behind?
    As Noah and Shem neared the ark, the shining creature landed on the deck, grabbed Japheth, and dragged him away from the bridge, locked in a vicious clench. Japheth pushed against the creature’s huge, glowing arms, but they clamped down, squeezing his breath away. Shem turned around and hustled his father off the swaying bridge, nearly knocking Morgan over on his way back to solid ground. Morgan followed them to safety.
    The two dragons stormed down to the boat, both bodies thumping the deck in awkward crash landings. Their claws scratched deep lines in the gopher wood planks as they scrambled to right themselves. Japheth fell lower in the demon’s grip, still trapped, but at least he could breathe.
    Makaidos roared. “Fight us in the sky, you coward! Are you a Watcher or a washwoman?”
    The Watcher laughed. “Who is a washwoman, the outnumbered angel, or the lizard who sputters brave words when a female is guarding his flank?”
    Makaidos glanced at Thigocia and spewed black smoke from both nostrils. “I am not afraid to fight you. You have my word that Thigocia will stay on this deck.”
    “But, Makaidos!” Thigocia said, slapping her tail on the planks, “we have been trained to fight together!”
    Makaidos spat a ball of sparks that fizzled in the wet air. “Samyaza is just Lucifer’s marionette. A little fire will scorch his puppet strings, and he will die, just like the Naphil.”
    Japheth tried to slip lower, but Samyaza hoisted him up to his massive chest and squeezed again. Japheth gasped. A popping noise sounded and stabbing pain ripped across his ribs.
    Samyaza croaked, “At least this dragon speaks more bravely than his father did. Arramos whimpered pitifully before I killed him a few minutes ago.”
    Makaidos’s scales flushed to a solid crimson. “You are a liar!”
    “True,” Samyaza said, nodding. “I am a liar when it suits my purposes, but I have no reason to lie about my conquests. Arramos whimpered for mercy like a beaten dog.”
    “Makaidos,” Thigocia hissed, “do not listen to him. He twists words. He even lies about when he lies. Arramos is alive. I know he is.”
    Makaidos growled a whisper at Thigocia. “Whether he is alive or not, I need you to stay here and guard the refuge boat! Will you do it?”
    Thigocia closed her eyes, her words barely audible. “If that is your will.”
    Makaidos whipped his neck back toward Samyaza. “Just let the human go. No matter how you demons fracture your promises, a dragon’s covenant is never broken. I will fight you alone!”
    “And if I refuse?” Samyaza replied, his brow lifting. “I could easily wait for the other Watchers to arrive. I have already signaled for them.”
    Japheth thrust his body upward just enough to push out a gasping shout. “Torch the devil!” he yelled. “I would rather die as this ark’s signal beacon than allow it to fail!”
    The demon slapped his hand over Japheth’s mouth. He grimaced at the stench as pain pierced his lungs.
    Makaidos nodded solemnly at Japheth. “You have your answer, Samyaza. If you refuse, Thigocia and I will grant the human’s wish. You will become this boat’s signal torch.”
    Japheth bit Samyaza’s broom-handle-sized finger. The demon slammed him to the deck and shook his massive hand in pain. With his ribs in agony, Japheth sat up, and as he clutched his sides, his gaze landed on Samyaza’s wounded hand. Were there five fingers and a thumb? Was the legend really true?
    With a flurry of black wings, Samyaza burst into the sky. “Come then, lizard! If you really dare!”
    Makaidos rolled an egg-shaped orb toward