The Key (The Magnificent 12 3)

“Halk-ma exel azres!”

There was a cracking sound, like the earth itself was opening up. It was a sound like cars crashing, and a separate straining, snapping, twanging sound as the iron of the tower twisted.

The four massive concrete pylons that held the Eiffel Tower were ripping from the ground, lifting!

Down below, Paddy Nine Iron fell onto his back as the ground before him ripped open. Valin raced to grab onto the lowest handhold, but something, maybe Paddy’s helpless cry, turned him back.

He glared hatred up at Mack.

“You’ve grown strong, Mack!” Risky said in a snarl. “Now you will pay the price!”

She typed into her phone.

A text message that read, “Be the Destroyer!”

“If I hit Send, Mack, there will be no stopping the death and horror.”

Mack noticed Stefan standing beside him, waiting, an expectant look on his face. He had no doubt what Stefan had in mind.

To both Risky and Stefan, Mack said, “Go for it.”

Risky’s face distorted into a lion’s open mouth, filled with teeth. She roared her anger.

Stefan took three quick, running steps, leaped, and hit her feetfirst, very Jackie Chan.

Risky windmilled backward off the railing.

Mack ran to see, and she fell, facing upward, her hair a storm of red, laughing cruelly up at him. She held out the phone and he saw her thumb move.

Risky did not hit the ground. She had more tricks than that. Instead she slowed, and as she slowed she began to change shape.

Have you ever seen a sailboat suddenly flash out its sails all at once? It’s very impressive. The wind will come up and the sailors will unfurl the sails and the wind will—whoosh—snap those sails open.

That’s what Risky did with her vast, leathery wings.

Which slowed her fall.

As did the long, barbed tail that stretched out from the base of her spine.

Her legs twisted forward, and toes became ripping, tearing talons.

Her arms were smaller, but there, too, fingers became talons.

She kept her eyes on Mack—malevolent, furious green eyes—but the rest of her face stretched forward, elongating into a long snout. A lizard’s snout.

No.

“A dragon,” Xiao said. “A western dragon!”

MEANWHILE …

“What’s happening with you, Mack?” Camaro demanded.

The golem ran for the exit, desperate suddenly to get out of the school and away from the kids.

“I will become the Destroyer!” the golem cried, anguished.

“Hey!” Camaro said. “If anyone’s becoming the destroyer, it’s me!”