I am frightened.
Not for myself, but for those I will leave behind: Perenelle and the twins.
I am resigned that we will not recover the Codex in time to save my wife and me. I have perhaps a week, certainly no more than two, left before old age claims me; Perenelle will have a few days more. And now that death is almost upon me, I have discovered that I do not want to die.
I have lived upon this earth for six hundred and seventy-six years and there is still so much that I have not seen, so much that I wish I still had time to do.
I am grateful, though, that I have lived long enough to discover the twins of legend, and proud that I began their training in the Elemental Magics. Sophie has mastered three, Josh just the one, but he has demonstrated other skills and his courage is extraordinary.
We have returned to San Francisco, having left Dee for dead in England. I am hoping we have seen the last of him, and even if his encounter with the Archon did not destroy him, I know that his masters will not tolerate failure on this scale. I am disturbed, however, to learn that Machiavelli is here in this city. Perenelle trapped him and his companion on Alcatraz along with the other monsters, but I am not sure how long the Rock can hold someone like the Italian immortal.
Both Perenelle and I are in agreement that Alcatraz is a threat we must try to deal with while we still can. It chills me to know what the prison’s cells hold. Legends tell of times in the past when the Dark Elders unleashed monsters into human cities-and I believe that Dee is insane, and desperate enough to do just that.
Even more disturbing is the news that Scathach and Joan of Arc are missing. The Notre Dame leygate should have brought them to Mount Tamalpais, but they never arrived. When I spoke with Saint-Germain earlier, he was frantic with worry, but I reminded him that Scathach is over two and a half thousand years old, and she is the ultimate warrior. Joan, too, is one of the greatest soldiers ever to walk this earth. Francis has examined Point Zero and found what he believes to be the remnants of the crushed bones of prehistoric animals. I suspect Machiavelli sabotaged the gate using the ancient alchemical spell of Attraction. Saint-Germain believes, and I agree with him, that Scathach and Joan have been pulled back in time… but to when?
My most pressing concern still lies with the twins. I am no longer sure how they view me. It was always clear that Josh harbored reservations about me, but now I am sensing that they are both fearful and mistrustful. It is true that they discovered portions of my history that I would have preferred be left uncovered. Perhaps I should have been more honest with them. I am not proud of some of the things I have done, but I regret nothing. I did what I had to do to ensure the survival of the human race. I would do it again.
The twins have returned to their aunt’s house in Pacific Heights. I will give them a day or two to rest and recuperate-but no more, for Perenelle and I do not have the luxury of time. Then we will begin again.
Their training must be completed; they must be prepared for the day the Dark Elders return.
Because that day is almost upon us.
The time of Litha approaches.