Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen Buildings seem to race past. The street is a blur beneath us. See, we might have the King Wretch lassoed, but he's pulling us—and I'm hanging on for dear life. Rover's feet charge, keeping up—if he slows down, I'll be yanked from the saddle.

But one tiny bit of relief: the Winged Wretches are not following. They continue swirling above the Town Square like buzzards. "This is not fantastic, Jack!" Quint shouts, as he whips past me, dragged by the King Wretch. "The King Wretch is too large! We need our own oversized monster if we have any hope of defeating him!" "We have one!" I say. "And that's where I'm trying to go!" We race farther, faster, Rover's feet pounding the ground. The King Wretch thrashes, jerking the BoomKarts and Big Mama back and forth across the street. Only Biggun's tremendous strength keeps us from being simply plucked into the sky. We need to lead this parade. "Let him have it!" I holler. "Fire! Unload! Blitz the beast with everything we've got!"

KRAKA-BOOMKART! KRAKA-BICCUN! The pounding slows the King Wretch. I pull Rover's reins tighter as we race around the next corner. But then... WHOOSH! The King Wretch's wings snap, he soars upward, and— YANK! Every lasso is ripped from our hands! My palms sting with ultimate rope burn. The King Wretch is free... Glancing back, I see Big Mama and the BoomKarts skid to a stop at the side of the road. They can no longer keep up. Quint and June and

Skaelka and Bardle and Biggun and Dirk can only watch. It's just me, Rover, and the King Wretch now.... The King Wretch loops back around, knifing through the air. The lassos dangle from his leg. I hold Rover tight, my senses suddenly hyperpeaked. I smell the nearby scrapyard... Rover lowers his head. I lean forward, crouched over him. "Rover, buddy," I whisper. "Let's do this." Beneath me, Rover stampedes faster and faster. I feel his ribs quake. He growls, an angry sound from the depths of his belly. And then—

I want to shut my eyes, but I don't. The King Wretch is screaming toward us. His wings are tremendously dark things, leathery and bony. His eyes are alight with a terrible green fury. The monster's mouth opens to devour us. I see fangs, flashing. I see goo, dripping. I see darkness, waiting. But I don't pull back. I lean forward. Rover bears down, speeding toward the enemy. And then—

I tug on the reins! My seat jerks. My arm's buck. And at the last possible second— Rover leaps! There's a deafening— SLAKKKK!!!! The King Wretch's talons slam into Rover's head. They rake his side and clip my shoulder, but I hang on tight. Rover's armor holds. I owe my man Bardle a milk shake—he just saved my monster-dog from being smashed, gashed, and brain-bashed. And when Rover lands, all six lassos are clenched tight in his teeth.