01_-_The_Alchemyst

Perenelle blinked away tears. She wasn’t going to give the sphinx the
satisfaction of seeing her weep. The Elders had nothing but contempt for
human emotion; they considered it their biggest weakness. Perenelle knew it
was humankind’s great strength.
She blinked again, and it took her a moment to realize what she was
seeing.
The foul dripping water running down the walls had briefly curled and
formed into a pattern. She focused, trying to make sense of what she was
seeing.
The liquid twisted and coiled into a face: Jefferson Miller, the ghost of
the security guard. The dribbling water bent into letters on the moss-streaked
walls.
Flamel. Children.
The words lasted less than a heartbeat before they flowed away.
Safe.
Now Perenelle had to blink hard to clear her eyes. Flamel and the
children were safe!
Ojai. Leygate. Paris.
“Thank you,” Perenelle mouthed silently as Jefferson Miller’s face
dissolved and ran liquid down the wall. She had so many questions—but at
least now she had some answers: Nicholas and the children were safe. They
had obviously reached Ojai and met the Witch of Endor. She must have
opened the leygate to take them to Paris, and that suggested that the Witch had
helped them and had most likely instructed Sophie in the Magic of Air.
Perenelle knew that the Witch would not have been able to Awaken
Josh’s powers—but in Paris and across Europe there were Elders and
immortal humans who would be able to help, who could Awaken Josh and
train both twins in the five elemental magics.
She rolled over on her back and looked at the sphinx, which was now
crouched outside her cell, human head resting on enormous lion’s paws,