Part 11 (1/2)

”If you even think about using your powers, you will draw everything in this city right here,” Dare reminded him, ”and this time, I won't rescue you.”

Dee looked at her quickly. ”You? Rescued me? Is that what you think you did?”

Virginia twirled the flute like a baton in her fingers. ”I rescued you. You might have been able to fight one or two of them-but there were hundreds of the creatures closing in on you. Every cucubuth clan in Europe must be in the city. I even saw some rogue Torc Madra in there, and you know how dangerous the dogmen are. You would have been captured, and most of you would have been delivered to your masters.”

”Most of me?” Dee swallowed hard at the sudden image.

Virginia's smile was savage. ”I'm sure they'd have taken a few bites out of you on the way. Just a little taste.”

Dee shuddered. ”I hate cucubuths.”

”And you can be a.s.sured that at this moment, they hate you too. Your enemies are multiplying by the hour.”

”You're their enemy too,” Dee said.

”Not I.” Virginia twirled the flute again. ”They never even saw me. They'll blame you.”

Dee shook his head in admiration. ”I had forgotten what a ruthless foe you are. We should have joined forces generations ago; together we could have ruled the world.”

”We still can,” Dare agreed, ”but right now you need to work out a way to open the gates. We're being watched.”

Dee didn't move; only the sudden tightening of his shoulders betrayed his tension. ”Where? Who?”

The woman nodded into the reflective black water in front of them.

Dee looked, staring hard, before finally saying, ”Two birds, flying high... and yet birds don't fly at night, and certainly not in perfect circles.”

”Too high to see what they are,” Virginia said, ”but I'll wager they're ravens.”

”Ravens?” Dee licked his lips nervously. ”Well, there are ravens in the Tower of London...”

”Whose wings are clipped so they cannot fly,” Virginia reminded him. ”These birds are not natural. Which means...”

”Odin's birds,” Dee whispered.

”Which also means that Odin's wolves, Geri and Freki, are probably not far behind.” Virginia smiled sweetly. ”What are they called, again? Oh, yes: Ravenous and Greedy. I'm so glad they're not hunting me.”

Abruptly, the English Magician's aura blazed bright yellow around him, painting the walls in amber light and black shadow; the stench of sulfur polluted the night air.

”What are you doing?” Virginia Dare cried in alarm. ”You've betrayed our location!” Even as she was speaking, the sound of distant howls and triumphant screaming filled the sky. The cucubuths had awakened.

”I killed Hekate and destroyed the World Tree,” Dee snapped. ”Odin loved her. He won't want to capture me for the Elders, he'll want to destroy me, and he'll take a long time doing it. The time for subtlety and subterfuge is past: we need to get out of here now!” Dee's yellow aura rolled off his body and onto the dark water, instantly freezing it to foul yellow ice. The Magician leapt over the edge of the rail and landed surefootedly on the frozen surface. It creaked, and a tiny network of cracks appeared beneath his feet, but it held. The Magician looked up at the woman. ”Last chance to make up your mind.”

”Have I a choice now?” Dare's pretty face twisted into an ugly mask of rage. ”I'm tainted with your stink.” She sailed lightly over the edge of the rail and landed beside the Magician. Stepping close, she pressed the end of the flute against Dee's throat, pus.h.i.+ng hard against his Adam's apple, driving his chin up and his head back. The Magician tried to swallow, but failed. ”Do not betray me, John Dee,” Virginia Dare whispered. ”Do not make the mistake of adding me to your list of enemies.”

”I made you promises,” Dee gasped out.

”Make sure you keep those promises: I want to rule this world.”

Dee started to nod... but suddenly became aware of the two huge ravens plummeting silently out of the night sky, pointed beaks and razor claws extended.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE.

Josh sat beside Niten, who steered the black town car with his left hand. His right hand cradled a long dagger in a black-lacquered case that rested on his lap. In the seats behind, Nicholas was slumped beside Perenelle; Sophie and Aoife sat facing them. The Alchemyst's eyes were closed and his head was resting on Perenelle's shoulder, his fingers lightly touching the back of her hand.

”How long has he left?” Aoife asked bluntly.

Flamel's pale eyes opened and he straightened. ”Long enough,” he answered, his voice cracking. He coughed and tried again, his voice stronger. ”And he's not dead yet, and certainly not deaf.”

Aoife bared her teeth in a quick smile and, in that instant, was the image of her sister.

”Why are you here?” Perenelle snapped.

”I want my sister back,” Aoife said, her voice as icy as the Sorceress's.

”It seems she may be trapped in the past,” Nicholas said.

”My uncle Prometheus will take me to Chronos; I'll have him pull Scathach-”

”And Joan,” Perenelle said quickly.

”And Joan,” Aoife added reluctantly. ”I'll have him pull them both from the past and bring them back here.”

Sophie pushed up against the door and turned in her seat to look at the warrior. The name Chronos had filled her head with the Witch's thoughts. The Witch of Endor knew the Elder Chronos, knew what he was and what he was capable of doing. She had bargained with him before and paid a terrible price. ”Will Chronos not want some sort of payment?” she asked carefully, struggling to keep her voice level.

”He will.” Aoife shrugged and pushed her dark gla.s.ses up onto her nose again. ”My uncle will take care of it. He is one of the most powerful of all the Elders,” she added proudly.

”And you expect Chronos to bring your sister and Joan through time because Prometheus asks him?” Flamel coughed a laugh. He tried to smile, but failed. ”And if he refuses?”

Aoife exposed her savage vampire teeth. ”Then I will speak with him myself. No one has ever refused me anything.”

”Except Scathach,” Sophie said very softly.

The red-haired warrior turned to look at the girl, and for a long time the only sound in the car was the humming of the tires on the road. ”Except Scathach,” she acknowledged finally, a note of terrible loss in her voice.

”What happened?” Sophie asked.

Aoife blinked, and for an instant, her green eyes winked bloodred. Then she swiveled in her seat to look at Josh. ”He is your twin,” she said. ”What would you do if you lost him?”

”Lost him?” Sophie shook her head, not understanding. ”What do you mean, lost him?”

”If he turned against you, hated you...”

Josh started to laugh, until he realized that the vampire wasn't joking. ”I would never...,” he began.