Josh blinked in surprise. “I can just leave?” he asked.

“Of course.” Dee laughed. “Josh, I am not your enemy. I have never been your enemy. I told you the last time we met who the Flamels were-what they were. Didn’t I?”

Josh nodded and he slowly lowered the sword.

“You’ve been with them-what?-a week. I daresay you’ve discovered some unpleasant things about them yourself.”

Josh nodded again.

“And the question is, of course: what else have they lied to you about?”

“We learned about the other twins,” Josh admitted. He was reminded again of the great difference between Dee and Flamel. The Alchemyst always seemed to be talking down to him; the Magician spoke to him as an equal.

“Did they tell you how many?”

Josh shook his head. “I got the impression that there had been a dozen, something like that.”

Dee shook his head. “Hundreds,” he said. “Well, hundreds that we know of. When they could not find twins, they went hunting individuals with gold and silver auras-and when they could not find gold, they took any shades they could find: bronze, orange, even reds, and when there was no silver to be found, they used gray, alabaster, even white. Some children went willingly with them, others they bought, some they even kidnapped.”

“What happened to them?” Josh asked in a horrified whisper. “Flamel said some survived.”

“Flamel lies.”

“Tell me what happened to them!” Josh demanded this time, his voice rising to a shout.

Dee turned away, shaking his head. “It is too horrible to even think about. Did you ask the Alchemyst?”

“He didn’t give us a real answer.”

“Well, that tells you all you need to know,” Dee said. “Josh, let me say this to you again: I am not your enemy. I have always dealt fairly and truthfully with you. And, you’ll admit, I have always answered your questions. Can you say that about the Alchemyst and his wife?”

Josh shook his head. He was frightened now-terrified-because his sister was still with Flamel and the others. He had to get her away from them. A sudden thought struck him. “What about the army of monsters on Alcatraz?”

“There are beasts on the island, that is true. But Alcatraz is, as it has always been, a prison, Josh. When someone like me comes across a monster on this earth, we capture it and imprison it on the island. That is why Perenelle-who is as monstrous as any beast-was there.”

Clarent was now pointing toward the floor, and the gold had gone from most of Josh’s hands. Only his fingertips remained metallic and bloodred where they touched the stone.

“Why did you call me?”