THE PERFECT TEN (Boxed Set)

that for so long before he gave out or made a mistake and got caught.
    I couldn’t leave him to deal with the croggle alone, not when he could’ve gotten away with the others if I hadn’t stayed to save the scout. Callan’s enemy.
    Clenching my teeth, I clamped a hand on the wound gouged deepest at my side and struggled to my feet. Where had the power within me gone? What had brought it on?
    The scout heading toward the child.
    If that’s what it took to bring on the energy, I imagined the croggle turning on that little boy after it killed me and Callan.
    At once, heat churned in my middle. I staggered toward the croggle now down on all its limbs, pounding the ground and snorting, snapping at Callan. Power swirled inside me, building. I started jogging.
    Callan split his attention for a second, glancing my way, and roared, “Stop. Nooo! ”
    I couldn’t look. No distractions. Moving my feet faster, I felt blood gush around my fingers. I felt dizzy and shook it off, growling. The power coiled tight then expanded. I yelled at Callan. “ A spear! ”
    Fury made the veins stand out on his forehead.
    Two more steps and I’d reach the croggle.
    I jumped on the monster’s tail that was taller than me at its thickest part. And almost fell off. Grabbing a scale, I hoisted myself back to my feet. Would the monster notice something that weighed little more than one of its scales? I climbed toward the air flap that moved in and out, just as it had on the smaller croggle, only this was like climbing a mountain, not a hill.
    Callan dodged right and left, keeping the monster confused as he worked his way around to the monster’s side. He yelled at me. “Catch!”
    I braced my feet to free one hand. If I moved my hand from the gash, I’d bleed out faster. When Callan threw the spear, I caught it and flipped the spear around, ready to stab the monster the second its breathing hole flapped open again.
    The beast howled, shaking its bulk and snapping its jaws, the sound of giant teeth grinding. Massive feet stomped and the smell of raw sewage reeked in the air. Its twenty-foot tail lashed back and forth then curved, the tip swatting me off like an annoying fly.
    I cartwheeled in the air and landed on my back with a dull thud when I hit the ground, my fingers still clutching the spear.
    Callan had raced away, yelling and waving his hands to hold the monster’s attention. Even with his speed, he was too far away to reach me in time to offer any help.
    Jaws as wide as the transender pod swung around to me. Black eyes streaked with yellow rage turned on me.
    Callan’s voice reached me above all the noise. “ Rayen! ”
    He said my name.
    A small thing, but hearing that gave me a renewed surge to fight. I had to tap the red-hot energy I felt spinning inside me, but how? 
    Callan bellowed at the top of his lungs, running straight at the monster.
    The croggle paused, head swinging over to Callan for just an instant before whipping back around to lunge at me. Razor-teethed jaws opened to cut me in half.
    That was the extra second I needed.
    Power detonated inside me once more. I knew it wouldn’t last.
    I rolled to my feet, pain lashing my middle and the world spinning around me. I yelled, “ Tenadori! ” and grasped the spear with both hands, ramming the lethal point into the croggle’s massive foot.
    I focused all my thoughts on die and burn!
    An inferno of heat pulsed through me into the spear and blasted into the foot. Blue flames and smoke shot from the monster’s air flap. It bellowed in anguish. Scales glowed fiery red.
    I released the spear and fell backwards. Warm liquid gushed from my wound and ran across my stomach and chest. My heart thumped slower and slower.
    The croggle kicked its legs then crashed over on its side, shaking and emitting a screech that rattled the trees.
    Closing my eyes, I drew a gurgly breath, sick of smelling the stench of death.
    What about Callan and the others?
    Footsteps pounded up. I peeled my eyes open.
    Callan walked up to me, chest heaving for air. He dropped down beside me, his eyes now reddish-golden. “You look worse than the croggle.”
    “I don’t want...to hear grief...for killing him.”
    Shaking his head, he released a breath that almost sounded like a chuckle, but raspy as if he hadn’t done it in a while. Warm hands covered my stomach. I gasped and jerked at the pain racking my body.
    What humor I’d seen in Callan’s face a moment ago fled quickly beneath a grim