Nicholas Flamel 2 - The Magician

experienced a hint of what it must be like to have Awakened senses. For a few

moments, he d felt truly alive, he d felt complete and more than anything

else, he wanted to experience that feeling again.

Dee led them into another tunnel, which was, if anything, even narrower than

the first. Josh felt his stomach clench and his heart start to thump. The

tunnel turned and twisted downward in a series of slender stairs. The stones

here were older, the steps irregularly shaped, the walls soft and crumbling

as they brushed past. In some places it was so narrow that Josh had to turn

sideways to slip through. He got stuck in a particularly confined corner and

immediately started to feel breathless panic bubbling in his chest. Then Dee

caught one arm and unceremoniously yanked him through, tearing a long strip

off the back of his T-shirt. Nearly there, the Magician muttered. He raised

his arm slightly and the bobbing ball of silver light rose higher into the

air, revealing the tunnel s pitted brickwork.

Hang on a second; let me catch my breath. Josh bent over, hands on his

knees, breathing deeply. He realized that as long as he concentrated on the

ball of light and didn't think about the walls and ceiling closing in on him,

he was OK. How do you know where we re going? he panted. Have you been

here before?

I was here once before a long time ago, Dee said with a grin. Right now,

I m just following the light. The harsh white light turned the Magician s

smile into something terrifying.

Josh remembered a trick his football coach had taught him. He wrapped his

hands around his stomach and squeezed hard as he breathed in and straightened

up. The feeling of queasiness immediately eased. Who are we going to see?

he asked.

Patience, humani, patience. Dee looked past Josh to where Machiavelli was

standing. I m sure our Italian friend will agree. One of the great

advantages of immortality is that one learns patience. There is a saying:

good things come to those who wait.

Not always good things, Machiavelli muttered as Dee turned away.

At the end of the narrow tunnel was a low metal door. It looked as if it

hadn't been opened in decades and had rusted solid into the weeping limestone

wall. In the white light, Josh saw that the rust had stained the off-white

stone the color of dried blood.

The ball of light bobbed in the air while Dee ran his glowing yellow

fingernail around the edge of the door, cutting it out of the frame, the

stink of rotten eggs blanketing the odor of sewage.

What s through here? Josh asked. Now that he d started to get his fear

under control, he was beginning to feel a little excitement. Once he was

Awakened, he d slip away and get back to Sophie. He turned to look at

Machiavelli, but the Italian shook his head and pointed to Dee. Dr. Dee?

Josh asked.

Dee broke open the low door and jerked it out of its frame. Soft stone

crumbled and flaked away around it. If I am correct and I almost always am,

the Magician added, then this will lead us into the Catacombs of Paris. Dee

leaned the door against the wall and then stepped through the opening.

Josh ducked to follow him. I ve never heard of them.

Few people outside Paris have, Machiavelli said, and yet, along with the

sewers, they are one of the marvels of this city. Over a hundred seventy

miles of mysterious and labyrinthine tunnels. The catacombs were once

limestone quarries. And now they are filled

Josh stepped through the opening, straightened up and looked around.

with bones.

The boy felt something twist in the pit of his stomach and he swallowed hard,

a sour and bitter taste at the back of his throat. Directly ahead, as far as

he could see in the gloomy tunnel, the walls, the curved ceiling and even the

floor were composed of polished human bones.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

N icholas had just levered up the manhole cover when Joan s phone rang, the

high-pitched warbling scale making them all jump with fright. The Alchemyst

dropped the cover back into place with a clang, dancing back before it fell

on his toes.

It s Francis, Joan told them, flipping open the phone. She spoke to

Saint-Germain in rapid-fire French and then snapped the cell closed. He s on

his way, she said. He said that on no account are we to go down into the

catacombs without him.

But we can t wait, Sophie protested.

Sophie s right. We should Nicholas started to say.

We wait, Joan said firmly in the voice that had once commanded armies. She

placed her tiny foot on the manhole cover.

They ll get away, Sophie said desperately.

Francis said he knows where they re going, Joan said very softly. She

turned to look at the Alchemyst. He said you do too. Do you? she demanded.

Nicholas took a deep breath and then nodded grimly. The early-morning light

washed all the life from his face, leaving it the color of faded parchment.

The circles beneath his eyes were bruise dark and baggy. I believe so.

Where? Sophie asked. She tried to stay calm. She d always been better at

controlling her temper than her brother was, but right now she was close to

throwing back her head and screaming in frustration. If the Alchemyst knew

where Josh was going, why weren t they heading there now?

Dee is taking Josh to have his powers Awakened, Flamel said slowly,

obviously choosing his words with care.

Sophie frowned, confused. Is that so bad? isn't that what we wanted?

Yes, it s what we wanted, but not how we wanted it. Although his face was

expressionless, there was pain in his eyes. Much depends on who or

what Awakens a person s powers. It is a dangerous process. It can even be

deadly.

Sophie slowly turned to look at him. And yet you were willing to allow

Hekate to Awaken both Josh and me. Her brother had been right all along:

Flamel had put them both in danger. She could see that now.

It was necessary for your own protection. There were dangers, yes, but

neither of you was in any danger from the Goddess herself.

What sort of dangers?