"We need to get to the Caribbean," Nathaniel announced.

"I think if we ship out from Puerto Rico, we'l be able to sail pretty far out over the Puerto Rico Trench to the Milwaukee Deep. It's the deepest part of the Atlantic Ocean--almost as deep as Mount Everest is tal --and if dropping the sarcophagus overboard there doesn't crush it to oblivion, then at least there's no way anyone could dive in to retrieve it."

"Sounds like a good plan," Wil agreed.

I raised my hand. "Uh, guys, I can't leave for a week in the Caribbean during school. How would I explain that to my parents?"

Wil frowned. "You can't tel them it's a school trip or something?"

I laughed. "Yeah, and not give them any other information? There is a lot that goes into field trips. I don't think I could get away with them just signing a permission slip."

"Isn't Thanksgiving break coming up?" he offered. Light bulb. "Right. That would be perfect."

"Can we fly?" Nathaniel asked. "Fly down on Wednesday night and be back by Friday at the very latest? Shipping the sarcophagus wil be expensive, but we don't have a choice otherwise. I'l have to get El ie a fake ID, since she's underage. I'l make one for you too, Wil . I think you'l need a seat on the plane to protect El ie instead of traveling through the Grim. Fakes won't be that much trouble."

"I like this plan more," I said. "I can tel my parents I'm going up north to Kate's lake house for Thanksgiving."

"I won't be going," Lauren said. "I can't defend myself and I don't want to be a liability."

"That is probably for the best," Nathaniel agreed. Wil nodded firmly. "Nathaniel, can you arrange it?"

Nathaniel nodded. "Yeah. I'l look into it immediately. We should get going, Lauren."

"I'm sorry I freaked you out, El ie," Lauren said. "I needed to feel what you were feeling. You're a fearless girl."

"I don't know so much about that," I assured her with an uneasy laugh.

"Braver than I am." She smiled.

Nathaniel and Lauren left, and I listened to the car drive away.

"Are you okay?" Wil asked, laying a gentle hand on my shoulder.

I nodded. "I'l live."

In truth, I was terrified. I didn't know how this was al going to work out, or if it was going to work out. I was pretty sure I could lie to my parents about the trip to Puerto Rico, so long as they didn't talk to Kate's parents. Kate would cover for me in case they questioned her. The lying part--that bothered me. It felt like everything that came out of my mouth was another lie to my parents.

"Yeah, but are you okay?" he repeated.

I looked up at him and met his gaze. "I'm scared out of my mind. That thing freaks me the hel out. Wil , I don't want to just end like that. I don't want to never come back. I was just getting used to the idea that there real y is a Heaven and angels. I don't want to lose my soul!"

"That thing wil be gone soon," he assured me. "We'l dump it out in the middle of the ocean and it'l al be over."

"Not exactly," I said. "Even if we destroy the Enshi, we stil have Bastian and his lackeys to deal with, including Ragnuk. I don't think I'm going to make it out of this alive."

He touched my cheek sweetly. "Hey, remember what I said? I promised I'd protect you from them. I'm not about to break a promise to you."

I smiled. "I know."

Suddenly the front door blasted open, and I spun around as it crashed to the ground. Something invisible slammed into the doorway, crushing the frame and the wal s on either side.

My shock made me leap into the Grim, where I could see the dark, enormous form of Ragnuk widening the entrance with his body so that he could lumber through, as chunks of brick crumbled at his feet. He stared at me with his ravenous black eyes, and his tongue sagged over his jaws and dripped gobs of saliva onto the floor. He looked half insane with hatred and hunger.

Instinctively, I grabbed my winged necklace for comfort and stepped back toward Wil , but I couldn't take my eyes off of Ragnuk.

"I have you now, Preliator!" the reaper roared, spitting the curse at me as if the word itself were something disgusting. "I fol owed your filthy stench al the way here. This time you aren't getting away from me and we won't be interrupted. This is the end for you, and I'm taking the Enshi with me. It ends here tonight!"

27

A TREMOR OF FEAR RUSHED THROUGH ME, BUT I stood my ground. He launched forward abruptly, but Wil was right there, ducking in front of me. As Ragnuk leaped up, Wil ducked and slammed his shoulder into the ursid's chest with al his might and flipped him high over our heads. Ragnuk crashed into the wal behind us, shattering more bricks. He spun suddenly and drove his power straight into Wil 's chest, propel ing him back until he hit the far wal . Wil screamed and pul ed weakly at his bel y. My heart sank. An iron pipe protruded from Wil 's abdomen, brutal y impaling him.

"Wil !" I shrieked, and rushed to him.

Ragnuk turned toward me, slow as a serpent, with wicked triumph on his blocky face. He vanished for a moment, and I felt something powerful slam into my body and knock me back into a column, cracking my back.

"Ellie!" Wil roared from the other side of the room. My eyes misted over and I slumped dazedly, but when I looked up, the reaper's dark face was inches from mine.