iron-shod hooves shooting sparks from the street. His tailbone felt as if it were about to splinter. His

vision blurred with pain and he couldn't concentrate. He could barely stay on Champion's back. As they

galloped out across Cerrillos Road, another patrol car came racing toward them, siren wailing. A

collision seemed imminent.

iron-shod hooves shooting sparks from the street. His tailbone felt as if it were about to splinter. His

vision blurred with pain and he couldn't concentrate. He could barely stay on Champion's back. As they

galloped out across Cerrillos Road, another patrol car came racing toward them, siren wailing. A

collision seemed imminent.

"I'll handle this," Modred said, and Wyrdrune disappeared as the shapechange took place in the blink of

an eye. Modred's powerful legs squeezed the unicorn's flanks and Champion leapt as the driver saw

them at the last instant and tried to brake. They went sailing over the car's hood. Modred quickly found

the rhythm of the beast's racing stride as they sped across Cerrillos Road and headed south down Fifth

Street. Behind them, the police sirens wailed and suddenly there was a loud crash as Car Seventeen,

speeding down San Jose, came out across Cerrillos and plowed right into Car Twenty-one.

"Where did Tony go?" gasped Champion as he galloped away at full speed.

"That bumbling idiot probably teleported him right into Paul's living room," said Modred with disgust.

"Turn right up ahead and we'll double back. I think we've lost them."

Suddenly, something bright and gleaming came swooping down from above with a beating of metallic

wings.

"Modred! Modred!"

"Ramses!" He held his arm out, like a falconer, and the gold and silver, sculpted paragriffin perched on it.

"What is it? Is something wrong?"

"I have a message from Kira," Ramses said. "Your cover's blown! Lt. Loomis was at the house, looking

for you, with a reporter named Ginny Fairchild. Kira pretended she was Paul's girlfriend, so Loomis

wouldn't be suspicious. She said Ms. Fairchild called someone at Scotland Yard and found out they

didn't have an Inspector Michael Cornwall. So now Loomis wants to question you."

"Wonderful," said Modred wryly. "What else could possibly go wrong?"

"Kira also said to tell you that Loomis took Paul with him to question more adepts."

"What?That fool! I told them to go home and get some rest!"

"Paul said something about having some things to do with Loomis that would probably take all night,"

said Ramses.

"Damn it! Was Merlin already there when you left?"

"No, it took me a while to find you. I just followed all the sirens and the flashing lights—"

"Never mind that. He'll be there by now and he'll know something's gone wrong. Listen, Ramses, get

back to the house and tell them I've gone to find Paul and Loomis. Tell them to stay where they are until

they hear from me, understand?"

"I understand."