The Sorceress felt a chill breeze ruffle her long hair in the instant before
the ghost of Juan Manuel de Ayala flickered into existence beside her. The
ghost hung in the air, taking substance and definition from a host of dust
particles and water droplets in the gathering fog. Like many of the ghosts
she d encountered, he was wearing the clothes he had felt most comfortable in
while he was alive: a loose white linen shirt tucked into knee-length
trousers. His legs tapered away below his knees, and, like a lot of spirits,
he had no feet. While they were alive, people rarely looked down at their
feet. This was once the most beautiful spot on this earth, was it not? he
asked, flat moist eyes fixed on the city of San Francisco.
It still is, she said, turning to look across the bay to where the city
sparkled and glittered with countless tiny lights. Nicholas and I have
called it home for many years.
Oh, not the city! de Ayala said dismissively.
Perenelle glanced sidelong at the ghost. What are you talking about? she
asked. It looks beautiful.
I once stood here, close to this very spot, and watched perhaps a thousand
fires burning on the shores. Each fire represented a family. In time I came
to know all of them. The Spaniard s long face grimaced in what might have
been pain. They taught me about the land, and about this place, spoke to me
of their gods and spirits. I think it was those people who bound me to this
land. All I see now are lights; I cannot see the stars, I cannot see the
tribes or individuals huddling around their fires. Where is the place I
loved?
Perenelle nodded toward the distant lights. It s still there. Just grown.
It s changed out of all recognition, de Ayala said, and not for the
better.
I ve watched the world change too, Juan. Perenelle spoke very softly. But
I like to believe that it has changed for the better. I am older than you. I
was born into an age when a toothache could kill you, when life was short and
brutal and death was often painful. Around the same time you were discovering
this island, the average life expectancy of a healthy adult was no more than
thirty-five years. Now it is double that. Toothaches no longer kill well, not
usually, she added with a laugh. Getting Nicholas to go to the dentist was
practically impossible. Humans have made astonishing strides in the last few
hundred years; they have created wonders.
De Ayala floated around to hover directly in front of her. And in their rush
to create wonders, they have ignored the wonders all around them, ignored the
mysteries, the beauty. Myths and legends walk unseen amongst them, ignored,
unrecognized. It was not always so.
No, it wasn't, Perenelle agreed sadly. She looked across the bay. The city
was fast disappearing into the mist, the lights taking on a magical, ethereal
quality. It was easy now to see what it must have looked like in the past and
what it might look like again if the Dark Elders reclaimed the earth. In past
ages, mankind had recognized that there really were creatures and other
races the Vampire, the Were, the Giants living in the shadows. Sometimes
beings as powerful as gods lived in the heart of the mountains or deep in the
impenetrable forests. There were ghouls in the earth, wolves really did roam
the forest, and there were creatures much worse than trolls under bridges.
When travelers had returned from distant lands, bringing with them stories of
the monsters and creatures they had met, the wonders they had seen, no one
doubted them. Nowadays, even with photographs, videos or eyewitness accounts
of something extraordinary or otherworldly, people still doubted dismissing
everything as a hoax.
And now one of those terrible wonders is coming to my island, Juan said
sadly. I can feel it approach. Who is it?
The Morrigan, the Crow Goddess.
Juan turned to Perenelle. I ve heard of her; some of the Irish and Scottish
sailors in my crews feared her. She s coming for you, isn't she?
Yes. The Sorceress smiled grimly.
What will she do?
Perenelle tilted her head to one side, considering. Well, they ve tried
imprisoning me. That s failed. I imagine Dee s masters have finally
sanctioned a more permanent solution. She laughed shakily. I ve been in
trickier situations . Her voice cracked and she swallowed hard and tried
again. But I ve always had Nicholas by my side. Together we were
undefeatable. I wish he were here with me now. She took a deep breath,
steadying her breathing and raising both hands in front of her face. Smoking
wisps of her ice white aura curled off her fingertips. But I am the immortal
Perenelle Flamel, and I will not go down without a fight.
Tell me how I can help you, de Ayala said formally.
You have done enough for me already. Because of you I escaped the Sphinx.
This is my island. And you are under my protection now. He smiled ruefully.
However, I m not sure the birds will be frightened by a few banging doors.
And there s not a lot else I can do.
Perenelle carefully picked her way from one side of the ruined house to the
other. Standing in one of the tall rectangular windows, she stared back at
the prison. Now that night had fallen, it was little more than a vague and
ominous outline against the purple sky. She took stock of her situation: she
was trapped on an island crawling with spiders, there was a sphinx wandering
loose in the corridors below, and the cells were filled with creatures from
some of the darkest myths she had ever encountered. Plus, her powers were
incredibly diminished and the Morrigan was coming. She d told de Ayala that
she d been in trickier situations, but right now she couldn't remember one.
The ghost appeared alongside Perenelle, its outline distorting the shape of
the building beyond. What can I do to help?
How well do you know this island? she asked.
Ha! I know every inch. I know the secret places, the half-completed tunnels
dug by the prisoners, hidden corridors, walled-up rooms, the old Indian caves
cut deep into the rock below. I could hide you and no one would ever find
you.
The Morrigan is resourceful and then there are the spiders. They d find me.
The ghost floated around to place himself directly in front of her again.
Only his eyes a deep rich brown were visible in the night. Oh, the spiders
are not under Dee s control.
Perenelle took a step back in surprise. They re not?
They only began to appear a couple of weeks ago. I started to notice the
webs over the doors, coating the stairs. Every morning, there were more and
more spiders. They d float in on the wind, carried by strands of thread.