The Enchantress (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel)

flurry of movement in the narrow huts on either side of the bridge, and shapes appeared. Sunlight winked off metal.
    “I was right,” Sophie said. “Guardhouses.”
    “With guards,” Josh added nervously.
    “I was born in a simpler time,” Virginia continued. “I ran free in the forest, living off nature, killing only what I needed, sharing what I left with the other forest dwellers. I had no money, and my only possessions were the clothes I wore on my back. I lived in treetops and caves. And I was happy, truly happy. I wanted for nothing. And then I came to civilization.”
    The immortal walked along the edge of the curved canal toward the bridge. The guards kept pace with her across the glassy water; others gathered at the bridge, and it was clear now that they were not human. They had the heads of jackals and were clad in semitransparent black armor. When they looked across the canal, their eyes were a solid bloodred.
    “Anpu,” Sophie breathed.
    Virginia stopped at the edge of the bridge. “And what lessons had civilization for me?” she continued. “I learned that it ruled by creating classes and dividing people, by making some better than others.”
    “Hasn’t it always been that way?” Josh asked. “Every civilization is divided. . . .”
    “Not every civilization,” Virginia snapped. “Only the so-called advanced ones.” She stepped onto the bridge and the anpu took up position at the far end.
    One was bigger than the rest. He wore black armor polished to mirror brightness. He stepped forward and held out his right hand. It took the three humans a moment to realize that the creature wasn’t actually wearing a metal glove. His hand had been replaced by a construction of metal and gears. A kopesh dangled loosely in his left hand.
    “And here we have this great civilization of Danu Talis,” Virginia continued bitterly, “ruled by a collection of immortal Great Elders and Elders . . . and what do we find?” Without waiting for an answer, she continued. “We find that nothing is different. The poor live beyond the outer canals, the rich live safe within the inner circles, protected by bridges guarded by dog-headed monsters. The poor cannot even walk these streets. I guess they must be paved with gold.”
    “Actually, I think they are,” Josh murmured. The flagstones and pavements on the other side of the canal shimmered with liquid golden light.
    Virginia Dare ignored him. She walked down the center of the bridge and all the guards pulled out their curved swords. “Is it any wonder that the world we lived in was such a mess?” She spread her arms wide. “This is what it came from . The humani modeled more than their buildings on this place. The human world was doomed from the very beginning. When I have my world to rule, things will be very different, I promise you.”
    “They’ve got swords, Virginia,” Josh said.
    “So they have,” she answered lightly.
    Guards were streaming left and right along the canal banks, racing in to support those already in position on the bridge.
    “So how many guards do you need to protect the precious streets of gold from a woman and two teenagers?” Virginia asked.
    Josh did a quick head count. “Thirty.”
    “Thirty-two,” Sophie said.
    Virginia had reached the midpoint. The anpu were spread out, all with weapons drawn. Muzzles gaped, revealing ragged teeth, making it appear as if the creatures were grinning. The leader tapped his kopesh against his metal claw. The sound rang like a bell.
    Virginia continued marching straight ahead. “And do you know what I despise more than anything else?” she snapped. “Bullies. Especially bullies who think a fancy sword and a suit of armor make them invulnerable.” Reaching under the billowing white robe, Virginia lifted her flute off her back. She shook it out of its cloth case and pressed it to her lips.
    She blew a single note. The sound started high and climbed until even Sophie and Josh with their enhanced hearing could no longer make it out. The effect on the anpu was immediate . They stiffened, jerked upright as if they were pulled on strings, arms wide on either side, fingers spread. Kopesh dropped rattling to the stones.
    Virginia’s delicate fingers moved swiftly across the flute and the anpu danced. The creatures rose up on their toes and staggered left and right, crashing into each other, armor clashing and ringing. The immortal laughed, the sound high-pitched, uncomfortably close