didn't, then what would she do what
Sophie looked up to find her brother staring hard at her, eyes wide with
concern. Flamel'said the Witch will be able to help you, he said.
What if she Can't, Josh? What if she Can't?
He had no answer to that.
Sophie and Josh crossed Ojai Avenue and stepped under the arched promenade
that ran the length of the block. The temperature immediately dropped to a
bearable level, and Sophie realized that her shirt was sticking to the small
of her back, ice cold against her spine.
They caught up with Nicholas Flamel, who had stopped in front of a small
antiques shop, a dismayed look on his face. The shop was closed. Without
saying a word, he tapped at the paper clock taped to the inside of the door.
The hands were set to two-thirty and a handwritten scrawl beneath it said
It was now close to three-thirty.
Flamel and Scatty leaned against the door, peering inside, while the twins
looked through the window. The small shop seemed to sell only glassware:
bowls, jugs, plates, paperweights, ornaments and mirrors. Lots of mirrors.
They were everywhere, and in all shapes and sizes from tiny circles to huge
rectangles. Much of the glass looked modern, but a few of the pieces in the
window were obviously antiques.
So what do we do now? Flamel wondered. Where can she be?
Probably wandered out to get lunch and forgot to come back, Scatty said,
turning to look up and down the street. Hardly busy today, is it? Even
though it was late Friday afternoon, traffic was light on the main street,
and there were fewer than a dozen pedestrians moving slowly beneath the
covered promenade.
We could check the restaurants, Flamel'suggested. What does she like to
eat?
don't ask, Scatty said quickly, you really do not want to know.
Maybe if we split up , Nicholas began.
On impulse Sophie leaned forward and turned the handle: a bell jangled
musically and the door swung open.
Nice one, Sis.
Saw it done in a movie once, she muttered. Hello? she called, stepping
into the shop.
There was no response.
The antiques shop was tiny, little more than a long rectangular room, but the
effect of the hundreds of mirrors some of which even dangled from the
ceiling made it look much bigger than it actually was.
Sophie threw back her head and breathed deeply, nostrils flaring. Do you
smell that?
Her twin shook his head. The number of mirrors was making him nervous; he
kept catching reflections of himself from all sides, and in every mirror, his
image was different, broken or distorted.
What do you smell? Scatty asked.
It s like Sophie paused. Like woodsmoke in the fall.
So she has been here.
Sophie and Josh looked at her blankly.
That'sthe odor of the Witch of Endor. That'sthe scent of eldritch magic.
Flamel'stood by the door looking up and down the street. She Can't have gone
far, if she left the shop unlocked. I m going to go look for her. He turned
to Scatty. How will I recognize her?
She grinned, eyes bright and wicked. Trust me; you ll know her when you see
her.
I'll be back shortly.
As Flamel'stepped out into the street, a big motorcycle pulled up almost
directly outside the shop. The rider sat there for a moment and then gunned
his engine and roared away. The noise was incredible: all the glassware in
the tiny shop shivered and vibrated with the sound. Sophie pressed both hands
to her ears. I don't know how much more of this I Can'take, she whispered
tearfully.
Josh led his sister to a plain wooden chair and made her sit down. He
crouched on one side, wanting to hold her hand, but frightened of touching
her. He felt utterly useless.
Scatty knelt down directly in front of Sophie, so that their faces were
level. When Hekate Awakened you, she didn't have a chance to teach you how
to turn your Awakened senses on and off. Your senses are stuck
moment, but it won t be like that all the time, I promise you. With a little
training and a few basic protective spells, you ll learn to turn your senses
on for just the briefest of periods.
Josh looked at the two girls. Once again, he felt apart from his twin: truly
apart. They were fraternal twins, and therefore not genetically identical.
They didn't share those feelings that identical twins often spoke
about feeling pain when the other twin was hurt, knowing when they were in
trouble but right now he could feel his sister s distress. He only wished
there was something he could do to ease her pain.
Almost as if she could read his mind, Scatty said suddenly, There is
something I can do that might help. The twins picked up on the note of
hesitation in her voice. It will not hurt, she added quickly.
It Can't hurt more than what I m feeling now, Sophie whispered. Do it,
she said quickly.
I need your permission first.
Soph Josh began, but his sister ignored him.
Do it, Sophie repeated. Please, she begged.
I ve told you I am what you humani call a vampire .
You are
over at the thought.
I ve told you before, my clan do not drink blood.
I don't care
Josh, Sophie interrupted angrily, her aura winking into existence for a
second with her anger, filling the interior of the shop with the sudden
sweetness of vanilla ice cream. A display of glass wind chimes tinkled and
rattled in an unfelt breeze. Josh, be quiet. She swiveled in the seat to
look at Scatty. What do you want me to do?
Give me your right hand.
Sophie immediately stretched out her hand and Scatty took it in both of hers.
Then she carefully matched the fingers of her left hand to the girl s
fingers, thumb to thumb, index finger to index finger, little finger to
