Chapter 9: The Chase in the Clouds
The three Winged Scouts were gaining fast. Their screeches echoed like metal scraping on stone. Rohan gripped the Sky-Skipper's steering wheel, his knuckles turning white.
"They're too fast!" Rohan yelled over the rushing wind.
"Not if we lose them in the Whisper-Mist!" Pip replied, pointing to a thick, swirling bank of white clouds below. "Dive, Rohan! Now!"
Rohan pushed the helm forward. The boat's wings folded slightly, and they plummeted toward the mist. The red eyes of the scouts followed them down. Just as the dark creatures were about to grab the boat's railing, Rohan pulled back on the wheel. The Sky-Skipper leveled out inside the thick white fog.
Everything went silent. The fog was so thick Rohan couldn't see his own hands. Suddenly, a dark shape brushed past the side of the boat. Then another. The scouts were hunting them by sound.
"Don't make a noise," Pip whispered.
Rohan felt the silver key in his pocket getting colder. He realized the key wasn't just a guide; it was a sensor. It grew colder whenever a scout was near. Using the temperature of the key as a compass, Rohan silently steered the boat through the misty maze, avoiding the icy chills that meant danger was close.