01_-_The_Alchemyst

that way!” She raised her hands threateningly. “You know what I can do to
you.”
“You would not dare,” Flamel said with a calm that he did not feel.
“And why not?” Hekate asked, surprised. She was not used to being
contradicted.
“Because I am the Guardian of the Book.”
“The book you lost…”
“I am also the Guardian who appears in the prophecies in the Book,”
Flamel snapped. “The next-to-last Guardian,” he added. “The twins also
appear in the book. You say you knew Abraham—you know then how
accurate his prophecies and foretellings were.”
“He was often wrong,” Hekate muttered.
“As Guardian, I am asking you to do something I believe to be essential
to the survival of not only the Elder Race, but humani, too: I want you to
Awaken the twins’ magical potential.”
“It could kill them,” the goddess stated flatly. She didn’t really care if
the humani cattle lived or died.
“That is a possibility,” Flamel admitted, feeling something icy settle in
the pit of his stomach, “but if you do not help us, then their deaths are a
certainty.”
Hekate turned and walked to the window. Across the sloping lawn,
Scathach was demonstrating a series of punches for the twins. They were
smoothly mimicking her moves. Flamel went to join Hekate by the window.
“What a world we live in,” he commented, sighing, “when everything—
possibly even the continuance of the human race—lies on the shoulders of
those teenagers.”
“You know why the humani triumphed and the Elder Race was
ultimately banished?” Hekate asked suddenly.
“Because of iron, wasn’t it?”