Aaron limped into the mansion on Ms. Octavia’s orders because he was bleeding everywhere. Since he couldn’t explain that he’d be fine soon enough, he went. Sky was looking battered and bruised too. Samheed’s shirt was in tatters, with cuts all over his chest. The pirates had heard about their captain’s death, and they reared up stronger than ever, determined to finish the fight.
Alex began thinking about surrendering again. His people were falling left and right, and the pirates were still standing. If Simber could just finish them off, they could end this. But the fighting was so close that if Simber tried to plow into a group, he’d certainly hit just as many Artiméans as pirates. So the cheetah was forced to pluck them up one by one whenever he had a chance—whenever he wasn’t helping Alex bring the injured to the mansion. Artimé was losing fighters twice as often as the pirates.
The day was waning, and so was everyone’s spirits. But when the battle seemed endless, pointless, and senseless, and Alex was ready to give up, Simber swooped down and landed next to him.
“Alex,” he said.
“Please don’t tell me someone’s dead,” said Alex. “I can’t take any more.”
“All rrright,” said Simber. “I won’t. Just look up.”
Alex frowned. “What?”
“Look up. And out towarrrd the lagoon. And then up again.”
Alex obeyed. In the sky he saw five dots growing bigger. And just beyond the lagoon, he saw something black and shimmering, coming toward them at top speed. “No!” he cried in disbelief. “It’s Pan!”
“And herrr childrrren,” said Simber. “They’rrre flying.”
“Are they . . . are they flying here? To help us?” Alex looked at Simber, his weary eyes bright. “Maybe we can win this after all,” he said.
“Believe it,” said Simber. And with that, he was thundering off to grab another pirate.
Alex ran back into the mansion and went inside the hospital ward. “Attention!” he called. “If any of you are able to return to the lawn, we need you now more than ever. And with any luck,” he said fervently, “this war will be over soon. Reinforcements of the grandest nature are on their way. Join me if you are able.”
Alex didn’t wait to see if anyone would follow. He ran back out to the lawn, picked up a sword, and began fighting with everything he had in him. Aaron joined him immediately, and other Artiméans trickled out of the mansion, limping and bandaged, ready to make a final go of it for Alex’s sake.
Minutes later, Pan reached the shore. Alex and Aaron ran toward her, fighting off pirates as they went. Pan saw them coming and curled her tail around them, lifting them up in the air, out of reach of the enemy. With a flaming roar, she got everyone’s attention.
The fighting halted abruptly, and the pirates began to grow frightened. A small band of them drew their swords, and in a concerted effort they ran at the dragon, trying to get to Artimé’s leader. They swung and connected with Pan’s chest, and she watched them in their attempt to hurt her.
When she did nothing in response, more pirates came running to attack. They surrounded the dragon, and some even climbed on her tail and ran up it, trying to fight Alex and Aaron. The brothers fought back, knocking the pirates down, and all the while Pan just glowered at the ones trying to hurt her.
“What’s happening?” whispered the Artiméans to one another. “Why isn’t she fighting them?”
No one knew the answer, but they were grateful for the chance to rest and watch in awe as the young dragons flew in and circled above their mother’s head.
“I hope this isn’t a trick,” murmured Sean to some others. “Are we sure the dragons are on our side?”
“They’d better be,” said Samheed under his breath. He’d done plenty to make them stronger.
Pan looked up at her young, signaling them to pay attention as more pirates grew brave enough to join their comrades and help attack her.
“Watch,” said Ms. Octavia to Sean and Samheed and the Artiméans around them. “She’s teaching her children.”
When fifty or so pirates had gathered to beat on her with their swords, Pan took a deep breath, then flamed them with the heat of a thousand suns, burning them to a crisp in an instant.
Stunned silence was followed by an uproar from the enemy, and new vigor in their attacks. But the pirates were smart. They left the dragon alone and turned once more against the ones they knew they could beat—the people of Artimé.
With the pirates changing focus, Pan began moving Alex and Aaron around over the lawn with her tail, wherever they were needed the most, while at the same time fighting off pirate and Warbleran attackers with her jaws and her fiery breath.