Sophie nodded. She knew what he meant; she had seen her brother’s eyes turn to flat gold discs and it had been terrifying. Leaning her head back against the smooth wood, she closed her eyes. “Do you remember when you had the cast taken off your arm last year?”

Josh grunted. “Never forget it.” He’d broken his arm in a bad tackle the previous summer and had spent three months in a cast.

“What did you say when the cast was cut off?”

Josh unconsciously raised his left hand, turning it in a half circle, closing his fingers into a fist. The cast had been incredibly irritating; there were so many things he just couldn’t do with it, including tying his shoelaces. “I said I felt like me again.”

“That’s how I feel.” Sophie opened her eyes and looked at her brother. “With every magic I learn, I feel more and more complete. It’s as if parts of me have been missing all my life and now I’m becoming whole again, piece by piece.”

Josh tried a laugh, but it came out sounding shaky. “I guess by the time you learn the last magic you won’t need me anymore.”

Sophie reached out and squeezed her brother’s arm. “Don’t be silly. You’re my twin. We are the two that are one.”

“The one that is all,” he finished.

“I wonder what it means,” Sophie whispered.

“I have a feeling we’ll find out-whether we want to or not,” Josh said.

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

Saint-Germain was a rock star, famous throughout Europe, and the young police officer recognized him immediately. He came forward, snapped a quick salute and then pulled off his leather glove as the count stretched out his hand. Behind the smoked glass in the car the two women-Next Generation and human immortal-watched as Francis shook the man’s hand and then deftly turned him so that he was facing away from the road.

“Let’s go.” Joan eased open the car door and slipped out into the warm afternoon air. A heartbeat later, Scathach joined her, gently pressing her door closed behind her. Side by side the two young-looking women walked toward the cathedral. They passed close enough to Francis and the gendarme to hear part of the conversation.

“… a disgrace, a national tragedy. I was thinking I should have a concert to raise money for the repair of the cathedral…”

“I’d go,” the gendarme said immediately.

“I would insist on free entrance for our brave police, ambulance and fire officers, of course.”