Michael Scott - The Alchemyst

So if the darts don t get you, Josh began.

The blades will, Sophie finished. Well, how do we get to the door?

We don t, Flamel said, and turned to push on the wall to the left. Anentire section clicked open and swung back, allowing the trio to step into ahuge, airy room.

The twins recognized the room immediately: it was a dojo, a martial artsschool. Since they were little, they had studied tae kwon do in dojang likethis across the United States as they traveled with their parents fromuniversity to university. Many schools had martial arts clubs on campus, andtheir parents always enrolled them in the best dojo they could find. BothSophie and Josh were red belts, one rank below a black belt.

Unlike other dojos, however, this one was plain and unadorned, decorated inshades of white and cream, with white walls and black mats dotted across the floor. But what immediately caught their attention was the single figuredressed in a white T-shirt and white jeans sitting with its back to them inthe center of the room. The figure s spiky bright red hair was the only spotof color in the entire dojo.

We ve got a problem, Nicholas Flamel said simply, addressing the figure.

You ve got a problem; that s nothing to do with me. The figure didn t turn,but the voice was surprisingly both female and young, the accent soft andvaguely Celtic: Irish or Scottish, Sophie thought.

Dee found me today.

It was only a matter of time.

He came after me with Golems.

There was a pause. Still the figure didn t turn. He always was a fool. Youdon t use Golems in a dry climate. That s his arrogance.

He has taken Perenelle prisoner.

Ah. That s tough. He ll not harm her, though.

And he has the Codex.

The figure moved, coming slowly to her feet and turning to face them. Thetwins were shocked to discover that they were looking at a girl not mucholder than themselves. Her skin was pale, dappled with freckles, and herround face was dominated by grass green eyes. Her red hair was so vibrantthat Sophie wondered if she had dyed it that color.

The Codex? The accent was definitely Irish, Sophie decided. The Book of Abraham the Mage?

Nicholas Flamel nodded.

Then you re right, we do have a problem.

Flamel reached into his pocket and pulled out the two pages Josh had tornfrom it. Well, nearly all of the book. He s missing the Final Summoning.

The young woman hissed, the sound like that of water boiling, and a quicksmile flickered across her face. Which he will want, of course.

Of course.

Josh was watching the red-haired young woman intently, noting how she stoodperfectly still, like most of the martial arts teachers he knew. He glancedsidelong at his sister and raised his eyebrows in a silent question as heinclined his chin slightly toward the girl. Sophie shook her head. They werecurious why Nicholas Flamel treated her with such obvious respect. Sophie hadalso come to the conclusion that there was something wrong about the girl sexpression, but she couldn t quite put her finger on it. It was an ordinaryface perhaps the cheekbones were a little too prominent, the chin a littletoo pointed but the emerald-colored eyes caught and held one s attention andthen Sophie realized with a start that the irl didn t blink.

The young woman suddenly threw back her head and breathed deeply, her nostrils flaring. Is that why I can smell Eyes?

Flamel nodded. Rats and crows everywhere.

And you brought them here? There was a note of accusation in her voice.

I ve spent years building this place.

If Dee has the Codex, then you know what he will do with it.

The young woman nodded. She turned her wide green eyes on the twins. And these two? she asked, finally acknowledging their presence.

They were there when Dee attacked. They fought for me, and this young man managed to tear the pages from the book. This is Sophie and this is her twin, Josh.

Twins? The young woman stepped forward, and looked at each of them in turn. Not identical, but I can see the resemblance now. She turned to Flamel. You re not thinking?

I m thinking it s an interesting turn of events, Flamel said mysteriously. He looked at the twins. I would like to introduce you to Scathach. She ll probably not tell you much about herself, so I ll tell you that she is of the Elder Race and has trained every warrior and hero of legend for the past two thousand years. In mythology she is known as the Warrior Maid, the Shadow, the Daemon Slayer, the King Maker, the

Oh, just call me Scatty, the young woman said, her cheeks turning the same color as her hair.

Dr. John Dee crouched in the back of the car and attempted, not entirelysuccessfully, to control his temper. The air was heavy with the odor ofsulfur, and thin tendrils of yellow-white fire crackled around his fingertipsand puddled on the floor. He had failed, and while his masters wereparticularly patient they often instigated plans that took centuries tomature their patience was now beginning to run out. And they were definitelynot known for their compassion.

Unmoving, held by the warding spell, Perenelle Flamel watched him, eyesblazing with a combination of loathing and what might even have been fear.

This is becoming complicated, Dee muttered, and I hate complications.

Dee was holding a flat silver dish in his lap, into which he had poured a canof soda the only liquid he had available. He always preferred to work withpure water, but technically any fluid would do. Crouched over the dish, hestared into the liquid and allowed a little of his own auric energy totrickle across the surface as he muttered the first words of the spell ofscrying.

For a single moment there was just his own reflection in the dark liquid,then it shuddered and the soda began to bubble and boil furiously. When theliquid settled, the image in the bowl no longer reflected Dee s face, butshowed a curiously flat image, rendered in shades of purple-gray and greenishblack. The viewpoint was close to the ground, shifting and moving withsickening rapidity.

Rats, Dee murmured, thin lips curling with distaste. He hated using rats asEyes.

I cannot believe you led them here, Scatty said, shoving handfuls ofclothes into a backpack.

Nicholas Flamel stood in the doorway of Scatty s tiny bedroom, arms foldedacross his chest. Everything happened so fast. It was bad enough when Deegot the Codex, but when I realized there were pages missing, I knew the twinswould be in trouble.

At the mention of the word twins, Scatty looked up from her packing. They rethe real reason you re here, aren t they?

Flamel suddenly found something very interesting to stare at on the wall.

Scatty strode across the small room, glanced out into the hall, to make sureSophie and Josh were still in the kitchen, and then pulled Flamel into theroom and pushed the door closed.

You re up to something, aren t you? she demanded. This is about more than just the loss of the Codex. You could have taken Dee and his minions on yourown.

Don t be so sure. It s been a long time since I fought, Scathach, Flamel said gently. The only alchemy I do now is to brew a little of thephilosopher s stone potion to keep Perenelle and myself young. Occasionally,I ll make a little gold or the odd jewel when we need some money.

Scatty coughed a short humorless laugh, and spun back to her packing. She hadchanged into a pair of black combat pants, steel-toed Magnum boots and ablack T-shirt, over which she wore a black vest covered in pockets andzippers. She pushed a second pair of trousers into her backpack, found onesock and went looking for its match under her bed.

Nicholas Flamel, she said, her voice muffled by the blankets, you are themost powerful alchemyst in the known world. Remember, I stood beside you whenwe fought the demon Fomor, and you were the one who rescued me from thedungeons of An Chaor-Thanach and not the other way around. She came out from under the bed with the missing sock. When the Rusalka were terrorizing St.Petersburg, you alone turned them back, and when Black Annis raged acrossManitoba, I watched you defeat her. You alone faced down the Night Hag andher Undead army. You ve spent more than half a millennium reading andstudying the Codex, no one is more familiar with the stories and legends itholds Scatty stopped suddenly and gasped, green eyes widening. That s what this is about, she said. This is to do with the legend.