01_-_The_Alchemyst

for roots or other irregularities in the earth that could trip him. In his arms,
Sophie stirred; her eyes flickered, and she started to move. Josh tightened his
grip. “Stay still,” he said urgently, though he wasn’t sure if she could hear
him. He shifted direction, moving to the right, away from the struggling
creatures, but he couldn’t help noticing that when they were badly injured,
they reverted to their original bird and cat shapes. Two bemused-looking cats
and three ragged crows picked themselves out of the dirt and watched him
run past. Josh could hear Flamel running behind him, could smell the mint on
the morning air as the Alchemyst worked his magic. Another ten or fifteen
footsteps would take him to Scatty, and Josh knew that once he was with her,
he was safe. But when he reached Scatty, he was just in time to see her eyes
widen in horror. He looked over his shoulder and saw a tall woman with the
head and claws of a sleek feline, wearing the robes of ancient Egypt, leap at
least twenty feet and land squarely on Nicholas Flamel’s back, driving him
into the ground. A curved, sicklelike claw shot out and sliced his short staff
neatly in two, then the creature threw back her head and hissed and spat
triumphantly.