Dr. John Dee had crawled out of the smoke and was spinning Excalibur loosely in his left hand, turning it into a whirling circle of blue fire. His right hand dripped yellow energy. And he had taken up a position directly in front of the entrance to the compound, blocking their path.

“What-does he think I’ll not run him down?” Palamedes said.

Dee pointed the sword at the cab and then lobbed a ball of energy. It hit the sodden ground, bounced once and then rolled beneath the car. The engine cut out and all the electricity in the vehicle died, sending the car coasting to a halt, power steering locked and useless.

Sophie caught a hint of movement behind them and turned… just as the snake-wrapped Archon stepped through the thick gray clouds. “This is no good,” she muttered, tugging Josh’s sleeve.

“This is bad,” her twin agreed when he saw the Archon. “Very bad.”

“What do we do now?”

“It’s always best to fight just one battle at a time. You win more that way.”

“Who said that?” Sophie asked. “Mars?”

“Dad.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

“Josh!” Nicholas shouted.

Josh Newman pushed open the left-hand door, checked to make sure there were no snakes underfoot and hopped out. Clarent whined and keened as he brought it around to bear on Dee. “I’ll keep him busy,” he shouted. “Can you get the car started?” he asked the knight.

“I’ll try,” Palamedes said grimly. He twisted around to look at the Alchemyst. “Battery’s dead. Can you recharge it?”

“Josh Newman,” Dee said pleasantly as the boy approached. “You cannot honestly be thinking about fighting me?”

Josh ignored him. Holding Clarent tightly, both hands wrapped around the hilt, he felt the sword settle comfortably into his grip.

Dee grinned and continued patiently. “I want you to take a moment and think about what you are contemplating doing. I’ve spent a lifetime with this weapon; you’ve had Clarent for little more than a day at most. There is no way you can defeat me.”

Without warning Josh launched a blistering attack on the Magician. Clarent actually screamed when it hit Excalibur, a screeching cry of triumph. Josh didn’t even try to remember the moves Joan and Scatty had taught him; he allowed the sword to take control, to jab and thrust, to cut and parry. And somewhere at the back of his mind, he knew he was analyzing Dee’s every move, noting his footwork, how he held the weapon, how his eyes squinted just before he lunged.

Clarent tugged Josh forward as it slashed through the air. It was all the boy could do to keep both hands around the hilt. It was like trying to hold on to a lunging dog: a ravenous, rabid dog.

And for an instant, Josh had the ridiculous thought that Clarent was alive and hungry.

“Sophie!” Nicholas roared.