lecture at Brown University for the past two decades. On the twenty-first of
December, their birthday, the twins would be taken to New York City to see
the shops, admire the lights, look at the tree in Rockefeller Center and then
go skating. They would get lunch in the Stage Door Deli: have matzo ball soup
and sandwiches as big as their heads and one slice of pumpkin pie between
them. On Christmas Eve, they would head out to their aunt Christine s house
in Montauk on Long Island, where they d spend the holiday and then see in the
New Year. That had been the tradition for the past ten years.
And now?
Sophie took a deep breath. Now she possessed powers and abilities she could
barely comprehend. She had access to memories that were a mixture of truth,
myth and fantasy; she knew secrets that could rewrite history books. But she
wished, more than anything else, that there were some way she could turn back
time, to return to Thursday morning before all this had happened. Before the
world had changed.
Sophie rested her forehead against the cool glass. What was going to happen?
What was she going to do not just now, but in the years to come? Her brother
had no career in mind; every year he announced something different he was
going to be a computer game designer or a programmer, a professional football
player, a paramedic or a fireman but she d always known what she was going to
do. From the time her first-grade teacher had asked her the question What do
you want to be when you grow up, Sophie? she d known the answer. She wanted
to study archaeology and paleontology like her parents, to travel the world
and catalog the past, maybe make some discoveries that would help put history
in order. But that was never going to happen now. Overnight, she d realized
that the study of archaeology, history, geography and science had been
rendered useless or if not useless, then simply wrong.
A sudden wash of emotion caught her by surprise, and she felt a burning at
the back of her throat and tears on her cheeks. She pressed the palms of both
hands against her face and brushed the tears away.
Knock-knock Josh s voice startled her. Sophie turned to look at her twin.
Her brother was standing at the door, the stone sword in one hand, a tiny
laptop in the other. Can I come in?
you've never asked before. She smiled.
Josh stepped into the room and sat down on the edge of the double bed. He
carefully placed Clarent on the floor by his feet and rested the laptop on
his knees. A lot s changed, he said quietly, his blue eyes troubled.
I was just thinking the same thing, she agreed. At least
changed. The twins often found they were thinking the same thought at the
same moment, and they knew one another so well that they could even finish
each other s sentences. I was just wishing we could go back in time, to
before all this happened.
Why?
So I wouldn't have to be like this so we wouldn't be different.
Josh looked into his sister s face and tilted his head slightly. You d give
it up? he asked very softly. The power, the knowledge?
In a heartbeat, she said immediately. I don't like what s happening to me.
I never wanted it to happen. Her voice cracked, but she continued. I want
to be ordinary, Josh. I want to be human again. I want to be like you.
Josh looked down. He opened the laptop and concentrated on powering it up.
But you don't, do you? she said slowly, interpreting the long silence that
followed. You want the power, you want to be able to shape your aura and
control the elements, don't you?
Josh hesitated. It would be interesting, I think, he said eventually,
staring at the screen. Then he looked up, his eyes bright with the reflected
image of the log-on screen. Yes, I want to be able to do it, he admitted.
Sophie opened her mouth to snap a response, to tell him that he didn't know
what he was talking about, to tell him just how sick it made her feel, how
scared she was. But she stopped herself; she didn't want to fight, and until
Josh had experienced it for himself, he would never understand.
Where did you get the computer? she asked, changing the subject when the
laptop finally blipped.
Francis gave it to me, Josh said. You were out of it when Dee destroyed
Yggdrasill. He stabbed the tree with Excalibur and it turned to ice and then
shattered like glass. Well, my wallet, cell phone, iPod and laptop were in
the tree, he said ruefully. I lost everything. Including all our photos.
And the count just
Josh nodded. Gave it to me, insisted I have it. Must be my day for
presents. The pale glow from the computer screen lit his face from below,
giving his head a vaguely frightening appearance. He s switched over to
Macs; they ve got better music software, apparently, and he s not using PCs
anymore. He found this one dumped under a table upstairs, he continued, eyes
still locked on the small screen. He glanced quickly at his sister. It s
true, he said, recognizing her silence as doubt.
Sophie looked away. She knew her brother was telling the truth, and that had
nothing to do with the Witch s knowledge. She d always known when Josh was
lying to her, though, strangely, he never knew when she was lying to
him which she didn't do too often anyway, and only ever for his own good. So
what are you doing now? she asked.
Checking my e-mail. He grinned. Life goes on , he began.
e-mail stops for no man, Sophie finished with a smile. It was one of
Josh s favorite sayings, and it usually drove her crazy.
There s loads, he muttered. Eighty on Gmail, sixty-two on Yahoo, twenty on
AOL, three on FastMail
I ll never understand why you need so many e-mail accounts, Sophie said.
She drew her legs up to her chest, wrapped her arms around her shins and
rested her chin on her knees. It felt good to be having an
conversation with her brother; it reminded her of how things were supposed to
be and had been until Thursday afternoon at two-fifteen precisely. She
remembered the time; she d been talking to her friend Elle in New York when
she d spotted the long black car pulling up outside the bookshop. She d
checked the time just before the man she now knew to be Dr. John Dee had
climbed out of the car.
Josh looked up. We have two e-mails from Mom, one from Dad.
Read them to me. Start with the oldest.
OK. Mom sent one on Friday, June first.
frowned, confused.
Sophie sighed. Remember? We told Mom that the bookshop closed because
