01_-_The_Alchemyst

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
The twins were speechless for a moment. Then Josh began, “What did
she mean…?”
But Nicholas hurried past him, following Hekate out into the hallway.
“She’s exaggerating,” he called back over his shoulder. “Trying to frighten
you.”
“Well, it worked,” Josh muttered. He looked at Scathach, but she turned
her back and walked into the garden. “Hey,” he called, hurrying after her,
“come back. I’ve got questions.” He felt a quick surge of anger; he was tired
of being treated like a child. He—and his sister—deserved some answers.
“Josh,” Sophie warned.
But her brother darted past her and reached for Scathach’s shoulder. His
fingers never even touched her. Suddenly, he was caught, twisted, turned and
then spun through the air. He hit the ground hard enough to drive the breath
from his lungs, and he found himself staring down the length of Scathach’s
sword, the tip of which she held rock steady between his eyes. When she
spoke, her voice was little more than a whisper. “Last night you insulted a
goddess of the Elder Race; today you’ve managed to irritate one of the Next
Generation—and it’s not even dawn yet,” she added. The Warrior Maid
sheathed her sword and looked over at a stunned Sophie. She hadn’t even
seen Scathach move. “Is he always like this?” Scatty asked.
“Like what?” Sophie asked.
“Foolish, ill-advised, reckless…? Shall I go on?”
“No need. And yes, he’s usually like this. Sometimes worse.” When
they were growing up, she used to tease Josh that he got all the “doing”
genes, whereas she got the “thinking” genes. Her brother was both impulsive
and reckless, but to be fair, she thought, he was also loyal and trustworthy.