The Enchantress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #6) Read Online Free PDF Page A

at the group. “But I am guessing that our enemies do not know that.” He smiled. “We can encourage them to believe that there are many more.”
    “The ghost of Juan Manuel de Ayala is trapped on the island,” Perenelle said, “forever tied to the place. There are other shades there also. They helped me escape. He would help, I’m sure of it. He will do anything to protect his island.”
    Niten smiled. “Ghosts and spirits are a useful distraction. But to battle the monsters we will need something a little more tangible. Preferably something with teeth and claws.”
    Slowly Perenelle’s lips turned up in a smile that was terrifying. “Well, of course, Areop-Enap is on Alcatraz.”
    Prometheus spun around. “Old Spider! I thought she was dead.”
    “When I last saw her, she had been poisoned by the bites of millions of flies. She’d cocooned herself in a hard shell to heal. But she is alive.”
    “If we could awaken her …,” Prometheus murmured. “She is …” He paused, shaking his head. “She is fearsome in battle.”
    “When you say Old Spider …,” Niten began, “are we talking about a big spider?”
    “Big,” Nicholas and Perenelle answered together.
    “
Very
big,” Perenelle added. “And incredibly powerful.”
    Prometheus shook his head. “I knew her when she was beautiful, before the Change took her. The Change is rarely kind, but I think it was particularly cruel to her.”
    A large party of smiling Japanese tourists gathered nearby and began photographing the island, each other and the swooping red and green parrots overhead. The immortals and the Elder took this as their signal to move farther down the pier.
    “We need to contain the monsters on the island,” Nicholas said quietly as they walked. “If they’re all in one place, it will be easier to defend the city.”
    Prometheus shook his head. “This is about more than just defending the city, Nicholas. We need to destroy these beasts. And time is not our friend. I can guarantee you that every evil thing on the West Coast of America is heading here now. Every Dark Elder and his servant are on their way. We cannot fight them all.”
    “We don’t have to,” Niten said firmly. “We should focus on one enemy at a time. Let us address what is before us first.” He tilted his head toward the island. “The Dark Elders intended those creatures to spread terror and confusion throughout the city. If we can prevent that, then already we have hurt their plans. And yes, I am sure there are others coming, but they are individuals, and we are more than capable of handling them.”
    “And we don’t have to be just four,” Perenelle said. “There are others—immortals like us, or immortals loyal to peaceful Elders or Next Generation—who will stand with us. We should get in touch with them.”
    “How?” Prometheus asked.
    “I have their phone numbers,” Perenelle said.
    “Tsagaglalal will fight with us,” Nicholas continued, “and no one knows the extent of her powers.”
    “She is an old woman,” Niten said, shaking his head.
    “Tsagaglalal is many things,” Perenelle said, “but it would be a mistake to think that she is just an old woman.”
    “If you have contacts, then call them,” Niten said decisively. “Get them all here.” He turned to the Elder. “Prometheus, you are a Master of Fire. Could you rain fire onto the island?”
    The big Elder shook his head sadly. “I could, but it would be a thin rain, and would utterly destroy me. I am old, Niten, and I am dying. My Shadowrealm is lost and I have little aura left … enough perhaps for one final blaze of glory.” He bared his teeth in a grim smile. “And I want to save that until the very end.”
    The Japanese immortal nodded. “That I understand.”
    “So we focus our efforts on the island,” Nicholas announced. “But before we do that, we need to know what’s going on over there.”
    “We could try scrying,” Perenelle suggested.
    Nicholas