Nicholas Flamel 1 - The Alchemyst

her arms. Straight on, past the post office That'sthe building with the

tower then turn right after Libbey Park at Fox Street. Find a parking space

down there. She nodded to the left, toward a row of shops nestled under the

white arches. We re going there.

Is that where your grandmother is?

Yes, Scatty said shortly.

And is she really a witch?

Not just a witch. She is the original Witch.

How do you feel? Sophie asked. She stood on the sidewalk and stretched,

standing on her toes and arching her back. Something popped in her neck.

That feels good, she added, turning her face and closing her eyes against

the sun, which was still high in the cloudless robin s-egg blue heavens.

I should be asking you that question, Josh said, climbing out of the car.

He yawned and stretched, rotating his head from side to side. I never want

to drive again, he added. His voice dropped to little more than a whisper.

I m glad you re okay. He hesitated. You are okay, aren't you?

Sophie reached out to squeeze her brother s arm. I think so.

Flamel climbed out of the car and slammed his door. Scatty had already moved

away from the car to stand beneath the shelter of a tree. She d dug a pair of

mirrored sunglasses from her pocket and popped them onto her face. The

Alchemyst went to join her as Josh hit the alarm on the key chain. The car

blipped once and its lights flashed.

We need to talk, Flamel'said quietly, though the side street was deserted.

He ran his fingers through his close-cropped hair, and strands came away on

his fingers. He looked at them for a moment, then brushed them on his jeans.

Another year was etched onto his face, subtly deepening the lines around his

eyes and the semicircular grooves on either side of his mouth. This person

we re going to see can be He hesitated and then said, difficult.

You re telling me, Scatty muttered.

What do you mean by difficult? Josh asked in alarm. After everything they

had just encountered, difficult could mean just about anything.

Cranky, cantankerous, irritable and That'swhen she s in a good mood,

Scatty said.

And when she s in a bad mood?

You don't even want to be in the same city as her!

Josh was puzzled. He turned to the Alchemyst. Then why are we going to see

her?

Because Perenelle told me to, he said patiently, because she is the

Mistress of Air, and Can'teach Sophie the basics of elemental air magic, and

because she can give Sophie some advice on how to protect herself.

From what? Josh asked, startled.

From herself, Flamel'said matter-of-factly, and turned away, heading back

toward Ojai Avenue. Scatty moved out of the shadows and fell into step beside

him. Wish I d brought sunscreen. I burn easily in this sunshine, she

grumbled as they walked away. And wait till you see my freckles in the

morning.

Josh turned back to his sister; he was beginning to have some idea of the

huge gulf of understanding that now separated him from his twin. Do you have

any idea what he was talking about? Protecting yourself from yourself? What s

that supposed to mean?

I think I know. Sophie frowned. Everything around me is so loud, so

bright, so sharp, so intense. It s like someone turned the volume up. My

senses are so acute; you wouldn't believe what I can hear. She pointed to a

battered red Toyota driving slowly down the road. The woman in that car is

talking on the phone to her mother. She s telling her she doesn't want fish

for dinner. She pointed to a truck parked in a yard on the opposite side of

the street. There s a sticker on the back of the truck; do you want me to

tell you what it says?

Josh squinted; he couldn t even read the license plate.

When we ate earlier today, the taste of the food was so overwhelming it

almost made me throw up. I could taste the individual grains of salt on the

sandwich. She stooped and picked a jacaranda leaf off the ground. I can

trace each vein in the back of this leaf with my eyes closed. But you know

what s worst of all? The smells, she said, looking deliberately at her

brother.

Hey Ever since he d hit puberty he d tried every deodorant on the market.

No, not just you she grinned though you've really got to change your

deodorant, and I think you re going to need to burn your socks. It s all the

scents, all the time. The stink of gas in the air is awful, the smell of hot

rubber on the road, of greasy food, even the perfume from these flowers is

overwhelming. She stopped in the middle of the street, and her tone abruptly

changed. She looked at her brother, and the tears she had no idea were there

started to leak from her eyes. It s too much, Josh. It s just too much. I

feel sick and my head is pounding, my eyes hurt, my ears ache, my throat is

raw.

Josh awkwardly tried to put his arms around his sister to hug her, but she

pushed him away. Please, don't touch me. I Can't bear it.

Josh struggled to find words to respond, but there was nothing he could say

or do. He felt so helpless. Sophie was always so strong, always in control;

she was the person he went to when he was in trouble. She always had the

answers.

Until now.

Flamel! Josh felt the anger flare again. This was Flamel's fault. He would

never forgive the Alchemyst for what he d done. He looked up to see Flamel

and Scathach turning back to them.

The Warrior came hurrying over to them. Dry your eyes, she commanded

sternly. Let s not draw attention to ourselves.

don't talk to my sis Josh began, but Scatty silenced him with a look.

Let s get you into my grandmother s shop; sHe'll be able to help. It s just

across the road. Come on.

Sophie obediently ran her sleeve across her eyes and followed the Warrior.

She felt so helpless. She rarely cried she d even laughed at the ending of

Titanic so why was she crying now?

Awakening her magical potential had seemed like a wonderful idea. She d loved

the thought of being able to control and shape her will, of channeling her

aura s energy and working magic. But it hadn't turned out like that. It had

left her feeling battered and exhausted from the stimulation. It had left her

in pain. That was why she was crying.

And she was terrified that the pain was not going to go away. And if it