The Sorceress Read Free Page B

and knew that she was thinking exactly the same thing he was. In Flamel’s aging and weakened state, his powers were fading. Josh nodded slightly and saw Sophie tip her head in return, then flex her fingers. “Nicholas, you saw what we did to the gargoyles,” Josh continued, sure of his sister’s and his own powers. “Together, Sophie and I can stand against anyone … and anything.”
    “The line between confidence and arrogance is very fine, Josh,” Flamel said quietly. “And the line between arrogance and stupidity even finer. Sophie,” he added, without looking at her, “if you use your power, you condemn us to death.”
    Josh shook his head. He was disgusted at Flamel’s obvious weakness. Stepping away from the older man he shrugged off his backpack and tugged it open. Sticking up out of one side of the backpack was a thick cardboard tube, usually used to carry posters and rolled maps. Ripping off the white plastic cap, he reached in, grabbed the bubble-wrapped object inside and pulled it out.
    “Nicholas …?” Sophie began.
    “Patience,” Flamel whispered, “patience …”
    The largest of the Hooded Ones dropped to all fours and took a step forward, filthy long-nailed claws clicking on thepavement. “You have been given to me,” the beast said in a voice that was surprisingly high-pitched—almost childlike.
    “Dee is very generous,” Flamel said evenly. “Though I am surprised that the Genii Cucullati would deign to work for a humani.”
    The creature took another clicking step closer. “Dee is no ordinary humani. The immortal Magician is dangerous, but he’s protected by a master infinitely more so.”
    “Perhaps you should fear me,” Flamel suggested with a thin smile. “I am older than Dee, and I have no master to protect me—nor have I ever needed one!”
    The creature laughed and then, without warning, leapt for Flamel’s throat.
    A stone sword hissed through the air, slicing cleanly through the parka hood, cutting away a huge chunk of green cloth. The creature yelped and twisted its entire body in midair, curling away from the returning blade, which slashed across the front of the coat, chopping through buttons and destroying the zipper.
    Josh Newman stepped directly in front of Nicholas Flamel. He was holding the stone sword he’d pulled from the cardboard tube in both hands. “I don’t know who you are, or what you are,” he said tightly, voice trembling with adrenaline and the effort of holding the weapon steady. “But I’m guessing that you know what this is?”
    The beast backed away, blue-black eyes fixed on the gray blade. Its concealing hood was gone, cut to ribbons, the remnants hanging around its shoulders, revealing its head. Therewas nothing even vaguely human about the planes and angles of its face, Josh noted, but it was extraordinarily beautiful. He’d been expecting a monster, but the head was surprisingly small, with huge dark eyes sunk deep behind a narrow brow ridge, cheekbones high and sharp. The nose was straight, nostrils flaring. The mouth was a horizontal slash that now hung slightly open to reveal misshapen yellowed and blackened teeth.
    Josh’s eyes flickered left and right at the other creatures. They too were focused on the stone sword. “This is Clarent,” he said quietly. “I fought the Nidhogg in Paris with this weapon,” he continued. “And I’ve seen what it does to your kind.” He moved the sword slightly and felt it tingle, the hilt growing warm in his hands.
    “Dee did not tell us that,” the creature said in its childlike voice. It looked over Josh’s shoulder to the Alchemyst. “It is true?”
    “Yes,” Flamel said.
    “Nidhogg.” The creature almost spat the word. “And what happened to the legendary Devourer of Corpses?”
    “Nidhogg is dead,” Flamel said shortly. “Destroyed by Clarent.” He stepped forward and put his left hand on Josh’s shoulder. “Josh killed it.”
    “Killed by a humani?” it said