She was coming to her feet when a monstrous spider erupted from the shaft
below her and landed squarely on the side of the water tower, its huge barbed
feet biting into the metal. It scuttled toward the Crow Goddess.
The mass of birds ringing the water tower spiraled skyward, screaming
raucously and were instantly trapped in the enormous web floating overhead.
They fell back on top of their dark mistress, entangling her in a writhing
mass of feathers and sticky web. The Morrigan slashed her way free with
razor-tipped nails, gathered her cloak about her and was about to take to the
air when the spider climbed over the top of the water tower and drove her
back, pinning her down with a huge barbed foot.
Perenelle Flamel, astride the spider s back, a blazing spear in her hand,
leaned forward and smiled at the Morrigan. You were looking for me, I
believe.
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
S ophie ran.
She was no longer afraid; she didn't feel sick or weak anymore. She just had
to get to her brother. Josh was directly ahead of her, in a room at the end
of the tunnel. She could see the golden glow of his aura lighting up the
darkness, smell the mouthwatering scent of oranges.
Pushing past Nicholas, Joan and Saint-Germain, ignoring their cries to stop,
Sophie raced for the glowing arched doorway. She had always been a good
runner and held track records for the hundred-meter in most of the schools
she d attended, but now she practically flew down the corridor. And with
every step, her aura fueled by anger and determination grew around her,
sparking, crackling and metallic. Her enhanced senses flared, her pupils
shrinking to dots and then expanding to silver discs, and instantly the
shadows vanished and she could see the gloomy catacomb in all its shocking
detail. Her nostrils were assaulted with a variety of smells snake and
sulfur, rot and mold but stronger than all the others was the orange scent of
her brother s aura.
And she knew she was too late: he had been Awakened.
Ignoring the man crouching on the ground outside the chamber, Sophie raced
through the doorway and her aura instantly hardened to a metallic shell as
blazing arcs of gold fire bounced off the walls to spatter against her. She
staggered, battered by the energy. Gripping the edge of the door, she held on
to prevent herself from being pushed back out into the corridor.
Josh, she said, awed by the sight before her.
Josh was kneeling on the ground before what could only be Mars. The huge
Elder was holding a broadsword aloft in his left hand, the point touching the
ceiling, while his right was clamped onto her brother s head. Josh s aura was
blazing like wildfire, cocooning him in golden light. Yellow fire spun around
him, throwing off spheres and whips of energy. They splashed against the
walls and ceilings, cutting away chunks of time-yellowed bone to reveal the
white beneath.
Josh! Sophie screamed.
The god slowly turned his head and fixed her with glowing red eyes. Leave,
Mars commanded.
Sophie shook her head. Not without my twin, she said through gritted teeth.
She wasn't going to abandon her brother; she d never do that.
He is no longer your twin, Mars said mildly. You are different now.
He will always be my twin, she said simply.
Pushing into the room, she sent a wave of ice-cold silver fog rolling out
from her body to wash over her brother and the Elder. It hissed and sizzled
where it touched Josh s aura, dirty white smoke curling up to gather at the
ceiling. It frosted over Mars s hard skin, and ice crystals sparkled in the
amber light.
The god slowly lowered his sword. Have you any idea who I am? he asked, his
voice soft, almost gentle. If you did, you would fear me.
You are Mars Ultor, Sophie said slowly, the Witch of Endor s knowledge
informing her. And before the Romans worshipped you, the Greeks knew you as
Ares, and before that the Babylonians called you Nergal.
Who are you? The Elder s hand dropped away from Josh s head, and instantly,
the boy s aura winked out and the fires died.
Josh swayed and Sophie swooped in to catch him before he hit the ground. The
moment she touched him, her own aura disappeared, leaving her defenseless.
But she d gone beyond fear now; she felt nothing, only relief that she d been
reunited with her twin. Crouching on the ground, cradling her brother in her
arms, Sophie looked up at the towering war god. And before you were Nergal,
you were the champion of the humankind: you were Huitzilopochtli. You led the
human slaves to safety when Danu Talis sank beneath the waves.
The god staggered away. The backs of his knees hit the plinth and he sat down
suddenly, the massive stone cracking beneath his great weight. How do you
know this? he asked, and what sounded like fear rattled in his voice.
Because you walked with the Witch of Endor. She straightened, hauling her
brother to his feet. His eyes were open but had rolled back in his head,
leaving only the whites showing. The Witch of Endor gave me all her
memories, Sophie said. I know what you did and why she cursed you.
Stretching out her hand, she touched the god s stone-hard skin with her
fingertip. A spark snapped. I know why she did this to your aura.
Draping her brother s arm over her shoulder, she turned her back on the war
god. Flamel, Saint-Germain and Joan had arrived and had gathered in the
doorway. Joan s sword was loosely pointed at Dee, who was lying unmoving on
the floor. No one spoke.
If you have the Witch s knowledge within you, Mars said urgently, almost
pleadingly, then you know her incantations and cantrips. You know how to
lift this curse.
Nicholas hurried forward to lift Josh from Sophie s arms, but she refused to
let her brother go. Glancing over her shoulder at the god, she said very
softly, Yes, I know how to lift it.
Then do it, Mars commanded. Do it and I will give you everything you want.
I can give you anything!
Sophie thought for a moment. Can you take away my Awakened senses? Can you
make me and my brother normal again?
There was a long moment of silence before the god spoke again. No. I cannot
do that.
Then there is nothing you can do for us. Sophie turned away and, with
Saint-Germain s assistance, helped Josh out into the corridor. Joan ducked
out, leaving only Flamel standing in the doorway.
Wait! The god s voice rose and the entire chamber trembled with the sound.
Phobos and Deimos slunk out from behind the cracked plinth, chattering
noisily. You will reverse this curse, or , the god began.
Nicholas stepped forward. Or what?
None of you will leave these catacombs alive, Mars barked. I will not
permit it. And I am Mars Ultor! The god s hidden eyes blazed bloodred and he
took a step forward, swinging the huge sword before him. Who are you to deny
me?
I am Nicholas Flamel. And you, he added, are an Elder who made the mistake
of believing that you were a god. He snapped his fingers and dust motes of
glittering emerald drifted to the bone floor. They raced across the smoothly
polished surface, leaving tiny threads of green in the aged yellow. I am the