where it touched Josh s aura, dirty white smoke curling up to gather at the
ceiling. It frosted over Mars s hard skin, and ice crystals sparkled in the
amber light.
The god slowly lowered his sword. Have you any idea who I am? he asked, his
voice soft, almost gentle. If you did, you would fear me.
You are Mars Ultor, Sophie said slowly, the Witch of Endor s knowledge
informing her. And before the Romans worshipped you, the Greeks knew you as
Ares, and before that the Babylonians called you Nergal.
Who are you? The Elder s hand dropped away from Josh s head, and instantly,
the boy s aura winked out and the fires died.
Josh swayed and Sophie swooped in to catch him before he hit the ground. The
moment she touched him, her own aura disappeared, leaving her defenseless.
But she d gone beyond fear now; she felt nothing, only relief that she d been
reunited with her twin. Crouching on the ground, cradling her brother in her
arms, Sophie looked up at the towering war god. And before you were Nergal,
you were the champion of the humankind: you were Huitzilopochtli. You led the
human slaves to safety when Danu Talis sank beneath the waves.
The god staggered away. The backs of his knees hit the plinth and he sat down
suddenly, the massive stone cracking beneath his great weight. How do you
know this? he asked, and what sounded like fear rattled in his voice.
Because you walked with the Witch of Endor. She straightened, hauling her
brother to his feet. His eyes were open but had rolled back in his head,
leaving only the whites showing. The Witch of Endor gave me all her
memories, Sophie said. I know what you did and why she cursed you.
Stretching out her hand, she touched the god s stone-hard skin with her
fingertip. A spark snapped. I know why she did this to your aura.
Draping her brother s arm over her shoulder, she turned her back on the war
god. Flamel, Saint-Germain and Joan had arrived and had gathered in the
doorway. Joan s sword was loosely pointed at Dee, who was lying unmoving on
the floor. No one spoke.
If you have the Witch s knowledge within you, Mars said urgently, almost
pleadingly, then you know her incantations and cantrips. You know how to
lift this curse.
Nicholas hurried forward to lift Josh from Sophie s arms, but she refused to
let her brother go. Glancing over her shoulder at the god, she said very
softly, Yes, I know how to lift it.
Then do it, Mars commanded. Do it and I will give you everything you want.
I can give you anything!
Sophie thought for a moment. Can you take away my Awakened senses? Can you
make me and my brother normal again?
There was a long moment of silence before the god spoke again. No. I cannot
do that.
Then there is nothing you can do for us. Sophie turned away and, with
Saint-Germain s assistance, helped Josh out into the corridor. Joan ducked
out, leaving only Flamel standing in the doorway.
Wait! The god s voice rose and the entire chamber trembled with the sound.
Phobos and Deimos slunk out from behind the cracked plinth, chattering
noisily. You will reverse this curse, or , the god began.
Nicholas stepped forward. Or what?
None of you will leave these catacombs alive, Mars barked. I will not
permit it. And I am Mars Ultor! The god s hidden eyes blazed bloodred and he
took a step forward, swinging the huge sword before him. Who are you to deny
me?
I am Nicholas Flamel. And you, he added, are an Elder who made the mistake
of believing that you were a god. He snapped his fingers and dust motes of
glittering emerald drifted to the bone floor. They raced across the smoothly
polished surface, leaving tiny threads of green in the aged yellow. I am the
Alchemyst and let me introduce you to the greatest secret of alchemy:
transmutation. And then he turned back to the corridor and disappeared into
the shadows.
No! Mars took a step forward and instantly sank up to his ankle in the
floor, which had suddenly turned soft and gelatinous. The god took another
shuddering step and then lost his footing as the ground melted beneath his
weight. He crashed forward, hitting the floor hard enough to send splashes of
jellylike bone onto the walls. His sword bit a huge chunk out of the wall
where, a moment earlier, Flamel had been standing. Mars struggled to regain
his footing, but the floor was a shifting quagmire of sticky semiliquid bone.
Rising to his hands and knees, Mars thrust his head forward to glare at Dee,
who was slowly crawling out of the liquid toward the door. This is your
doing, Magician! he howled savagely, the entire chamber vibrating with his
rage. Bone dust and chips of ancient stone rained down. I hold you
responsible.
Dee staggered to his feet and leaned against the doorframe, shaking glutinous
jelly off his hands, brushing it off his ruined trousers.
Bring me the girl and the boy, Mars snarled, and I may forgive you. Bring
me the twins. Or else.
Or else what? Dee asked mildly.
I will destroy you: not even your Elder master will be able to protect you
from my wrath.
don't you dare threaten me! Dee said, his voice an ugly snarl. And I don't
need my Elder to protect me.
Fear me, Magician, for you have made an enemy of me.
Do you know what I do to those who frighten me? Dee demanded, his accent
thickening. I destroy them! The room suddenly filled with the stench of
sulfur, and then the bone walls began to run and melt like soft ice cream.
Flamel is not the only alchemist who knows the secret of transmutation, he
said as the ceiling turned soft and liquid, long strands dripping down to the
floor, covering Mars in sticky fluid. Then it began to rain bone in huge
yellow drops.
Destroy him! Mars howled. Phobos and Deimos leapt from the plinth onto the
Elder s back, teeth and claws extended, huge eyes fixed on Dee.
The Magician spoke a single word of power and snapped his fingers: the liquid
bone instantly hardened.
Niccol Machiavelli appeared in the doorway. He folded his arms and looked
into the chamber. In the center of the room, caught as he tried to rise from
the floor, the two satyrs on his back, was Mars Ultor, frozen in bone.
So the catacombs of Paris have yet another mysterious bone statue, the
Italian said mildly. Dee turned away. First you kill Hekate and now Mars,
Machiavelli continued. And I thought you were supposed to be on our side.
