01_-_The_Alchemyst

Sophie saw Scathach’s eyes widen in surprise or warning, but Josh
pressed on.
“Yes, the woman we met this afternoon. The younger woman—your
daughter? Or maybe she’s your granddaughter? She was going to help us.”
“I have neither a daughter nor a granddaughter!” The old woman’s dress
flared black and red in long sheets of color. Her lips drew back from her
teeth and she snarled some incomprehensible words. Her hands curled into
claws, and the air was suddenly filled with the citrus scent of lime. Dozens
of tiny spinning balls of green light gathered in the palms of her hand.
And then Scathach slammed a double-edged dagger into the center of the
table. The wood split in two with a thunderous snap that spewed splinters
into the air, and the bowls of food shattered on the ground. The old woman
reared back, the green light dribbling from her fingers like liquid. It ran
hissing and spitting down the branch before sinking into the wood.
The four Torc Allta were immediately behind the old woman, curved,
scythelike swords in their hands, and three more of the creatures in their boar
shape burst through the undergrowth and raced up the branch to assume
positions behind Flamel and Scatty.
The twins froze, terrified, unsure what had just happened. Nicholas
Flamel hadn’t moved, he merely continued to cut and eat the apple. Scathach
calmly sheathed her dagger and folded her arms. She spoke quickly to the old
woman. Sophie and Josh could see Scathach’s lips moving, but all they could
hear was a tinny, mosquito-like buzz.
The old woman didn’t respond. Her face was an expressionless mask as
she stood and swept away from the table, surrounded by the Torc Allta
guards. This time neither Flamel nor Scathach stood.
In the long silence that followed, Scathach stooped down to gather some
of the fallen fruits and vegetables from the ground, dusted them off and
popped them into the only remaining unbroken wooden bowl. She started to
eat.
Josh was opening his mouth to ask the same question Sophie wanted an
answer to, but she reached under the table and squeezed his arm, silencing