Page 20 of Circle of Death
“Good. I’ll need them.”
It’s a clear, bright day. A few blocks from campus, they reach the green expanse of St. Nicholas Park, filled with New Yorkers savoring the sun. Colorful blankets and beach towels dot the slopes on both sides of the pathway. Deva puts on a pair of sunglasses and tips her face toward the sky. Suddenly, she grabs Maddy’s arm and points up.
“What the hell is that? A freakingvulture?”
Maddy shields her eyes with her hand and squints. The huge bird is circling a few stories above them, gliding in a slow, circular descent. And rocking its wings. Maddy gets a sour, sinking feeling inside. She has a pretty good idea of what’s about to happen.Oh, shit. Why now?
“It’s a bald eagle,” she says.
“I thought they were extinct,” says Deva.
“Yeah. Not this one,” says Maddy. “Unfortunately.”
As they watch, the eagle pulls in its wings and makes a final dive toward the ground. Deva covers her head and screams. The huge bird swoops around them, so close they can feel the rush of air as it passes. It lands on a stone wall and settles like a statue, its long talons hooked over the edge.
Deva tugs on Maddy’s sleeve. “Let’s go! I’m not waiting to get my eyes pecked out!”
Maddy pulls back. “You know what?” she says. “I left my notebook in class. You go ahead. See you tomorrow, okay?”
Deva gives the raptor one last nervous look as she heads off. In a few seconds, she’s around the corner and out of sight.
Maddy walks over to the wall where the massive eagle was perched—where Dache is now sitting. He’s wearing baggy slacks with a tucked-in polo shirt.
“You look ridiculous,” says Maddy.
“Are you trying to avoid me?” asks Dache.
“If I were trying to avoid you, I’d probably just disappear.”
“Wouldn’t help. I could still see you.”
Dache hops off the wall and gestures down the path into the park. “Shall we walk?”
“It’s my afternoon off,” says Maddy. “And you’re not invited.”
“Wrong. It’s an opportunity for expanding your knowledge.”
Maddy’s frustration starts to boil. She stops and leans over her teacher. “Look. You’ve obviously studied me. My abilities. You know what I can do. I can turn invisible. I can throw lightning from my hands. I can control minds. What more do I need?”
“Your skills are rudimentary,” says Dache. “Partially developed. Inconsistent. And there are powers in the universe that extend far beyond what you know.”
“Such as…?”
Dache turns and starts walking down the path. “Such as… being able to envision the past, or the future.”
“Great,” says Maddy. “I’d like to envision a future when you’re pestering somebody else.”
Dache turns and smiles. “I treasure your wit, Madeline.”
“Again,” says Maddy. “Notmy name.” She’s pretty sure he’s doing it on purpose now. Maybe it’s part of his process. Denying her individuality. Breaking down her sense of self. Or maybe he just likes to annoy her. She follows him down the path.
Dache walks slowly with his hands clasped behind his back. “Would you like to know what I can foresee foryou?”
Maddy says nothing. Tries to pretend she’s not curious. But who wouldn’t be? Besides, Dache probably knows what she’s thinking anyway. “Okay.What?”
“What I see,” says Dache, “is a time when your powers will surpass those of Lamont Cranston. You will be a greater force in the world than the Shadow ever was.”
Maddy shakes her head. “No. Lamont’s the original. I’m just a pale copy. I’ve known that from the start.”
