You’ve made Nera angry,” said Castor, wiping his sword as he walked up to where Tanner lay splayed under the Beast’s vicious jaws. “Now you’ll stay down there in the dirt until I let you up.”

With a laugh, Castor allowed Nera to wrap her tail around his waist. Then he was swung up to sit astride her neck. The Beast raked the ground next to Tanner’s head, while Castor grinned and folded his arms across his chest.

Tanner looked from the Beast to Castor. He’s been chosen, Tanner realized with a jolt, just as Firepos chose me, and Gulkien chose Gwen. It couldn’t be!

I sense that my Chosen Rider is under attack — from an old friend. I break through the clouds, plummeting down on outspread wings, flames flickering at their edges. I land on the ruined market wall. I see Nera. She is wild, crazed to protect her Chosen Rider. This is not a game. Nera wants blood — I can see it in her eyes. Her loyalty has clouded her senses. Tanner is her prey.

I call to Gulkien. We must act — now!

Tanner started as the air rushed back in a whirlwind of dust. The crowd screamed, and Firepos and Gulkien burst into the square overhead on thundering wings. As Firepos shrieked, Gulkien howled a jolting, visceral cry. The villagers covered their ears, and the Beasts swooped low, huge and angry. Firepos flew at Nera, beating her wings and snapping with her hooked beak, forcing the Beast away from Tanner. Gulkien caught Nera’s leg in his jaws and yanked her into the air so that Castor lunged forward to cling to his Beast’s throat. Nera twisted, clawing Gulkien’s face in a bloody spray that knocked Gulkien off balance, but before Nera landed, Firepos had her. She clamped her beak on Nera’s neck — Nera’s claws flashed at Firepos’s eyes — and the flame bird jerked backward, releasing Nera. Gulkien roared, baring his gums and fangs, Gwen standing next to him.

Murmurs rippled around the crowd, as the people stared in astonishment at the three Beasts. “I was told about such things by my father,” Tanner heard someone say, “but I never thought they really existed.”

Castor leaped down from his Beast. Turning in a slow circle, he took in the sight of Firepos and Gulkien, looking them up and down. He tucked a stray lock of golden hair behind an ear and straightened his shoulders, facing up to the Beasts. Gulkien let out a low snarl.

“Your pets are impressive.” He paused. “If you like that type of thing.” He rested a hand in Nera’s thick fur and smiled up into her massive face. “For myself, I prefer a Beast that can actually fight.” As he spoke the last word, Nera sent out a claw toward Tanner where he was sprawled on the ground, placing its point against his chest. He didn’t dare move. Firepos cried out with an angry caw, and Nera slid her claws back into the pads of her feet and pulled her paw away from Tanner.

Don’t be fooled. Nera is a friend. Tanner heard Firepos’s message rumble through him. So why is his Chosen Rider acting like an enemy? he thought.

Gwen ran toward Tanner as he got to his feet. “Are you all right?” she asked.

Before Tanner could respond, Castor threw back his head and laughed. “This isn’t over. Get on your Beast, and let’s see who deserves to win!”

“Whatever you want,” Tanner shouted back. “I’m ready!”

Stop now, Firepos pleaded with him. End this. Tanner wouldn’t listen, pushed Firepos’s message out of his head.

Gwen grabbed his arm. “Stop it! This is stupid — you don’t have to fight! And have you forgotten — we have more important things to do.”

Castor laughed again on Nera’s back as she leaped from spot to spot, covering the entire length of the square, then back again. Tanner had never seen a Beast move so fast, her golden coat shining.

Tanner struggled to contain his anger. As Castor’s Beast paused, he stepped up.

The other boy raised his sword. “Well, Tanner, get on your bird, so I can fight you properly. Beast against Beast! Or are you too much of a coward?”

Tanner’s anger flared again, and he found himself climbing onto Firepos, disturbing her feathers as he scrambled. Let’s end this now! Tanner silently told his Beast.

“What about the mask?” Gwen cried. “What about defeating Derthsin?”

“I need to wipe the grin from Castor’s face first,” Tanner insisted, refusing to look at her. He drew his sword.

“You’re a fool,” Castor yelled. “This is going to be fun!”

The crowd was watching again from the nearby buildings, and when Nera bounded up to Firepos, the villagers scrambled onto the broken rooftops and nearby trees to get a better look.

“Let’s show him, Firepos,” Tanner said. “Fly!”

Firepos shrieked and took off, surging high above the square. As Tanner and Firepos rose, Nera circled the ground below them, raking the air with extended talons. It almost looked as though the huge cat was smiling. Tanner realized that Castor’s Beast was thinking the same as Firepos: that this was a silly skirmish they needed to get out of the way. For a moment, he felt foolish — then he spotted Castor’s mocking grin, and red spots of anger danced before Tanner’s eyes. Nera sent out a teasing paw toward Firepos’s tail feathers, and Tanner’s Beast jerked awkwardly to one side. That was all the excuse Tanner needed….

I twist in the air. Nera fights well, but so do I. We understand each other — this is not so much a fight as a game. We shall not harm each other, but these boys have so much anger running through them. They need to work it off. But I must control myself. I trust Nera to do the same. My Chosen Rider whispers into my ear, “We will win. Help me, Firepos.”

I don’t want to break Nera, and I won’t. But Tanner’s anger must run its course.

“This is your last chance!” Castor yelled. “Come down and give up, or they’ll be picking your pieces off the square in the morning!”

Tanner glanced beneath him. “You’re all talk, Castor!” he called down.

Castor laughed and raised his sword. “You coward. Taking to the air, far out of reach. What kind of a fighter does that make you?”

Tanner dug his knees into Firepos’s sides and directed her down. His Beast landed in the dust. Tanner and Castor locked eyes.

Castor leaned on Nera to urge her on. The Cat Beast surged toward Tanner and Firepos. Nera roared, her cry high and angry. Castor leveled his sword and bellowed.

“Now, Firepos!” Tanner told his Beast, leaning low over her neck.

Firepos swooped forward so suddenly that the wind knocked Tanner backward; he caught his balance and aimed his sword. The Beasts rushed closer — Nera roaring like thunder, Firepos screaming a terrible flame bird cry — and the boys braced their blades.

Tanner saw the glint in Nera’s eye and the vicious curve of her fangs. Firepos suddenly broke left, and Nera darted to the right. Tanner ducked as Castor leaned out dangerously far and slashed his blade through the air. The people watching cried out in alarm.

“Too late!” Tanner called back. He heard Castor yelling impatiently at his Beast. “Come on, Nera! Now!”

His Beast darted at Firepos. Tanner held his sword with both hands, gripping Firepos’s body with his thighs. As he rushed closer to Castor, Firepos flying low to the ground, he tensed. Their blades clashed in a shower of sparks and the impact almost wrenched his shoulder out of joint. Castor’s sword sailed through the air, clattering into the square.

“You’ve lost!” shouted Tanner.

For the first time since Tanner had met him, Castor looked uncertain, but his face set in a grim smile. “I’ve still got Nera!” he called back.

He urged the Beast around, and Firepos and Nera came at each other a third time. Firepos was flying so quickly that the air rush sucked Tanner dangerously over Firepos’s neck — he slipped, almost fell, and caught himself at the last moment.

A terrible howl cut through the air, and Gulkien flew into view. Gwen rushed to her Beast, her face full of understanding.

“Help!” she called, twisting around to look at Tanner and Castor. “The village is being attacked.”