Mr. Today rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his fingers making a light scratching sound against the stubble. “What makes you say that?”
“It’s the raft, I think,” said Lani. “And they had nothing with them’no fishing supplies, no extra clothes. Who goes anywhere like that unless they’re in a massive hurry? And who would attempt anything at all on a junky raft like theirs?”
“Good questions, all,” mused the old mage. “Perhaps all their equipment was washed away in an unexpected storm.”
Lani considered it. “Maybe.”
“I wonder where they’re from,” Alex said for at least the tenth time since they’d drifted ashore. He stared at the girl.
“As do I,” Mr. Today said. “I can only guess they’re from one of the farther islands to the west, beyond Warbler.”
Lani raised an eyebrow, and Alex leaned forward. “Have you ever been to those other islands?” he asked.
“Yes. The two distant ones were inhabited by somewhat primitive people, as I recall, thus perhaps more capable of doing something like this. . . .” He swept his hand toward the unconscious ones, indicating their thorny collars. “I came from the nearest, Warbler, a beautiful place. Tropical and sunny, but with more rain than Quill has gotten these past years. It has majestic rocks jutting up near the center of it, like someone’s giant fist pushed a mountain through from the sea underneath. There’s a freshwater stream running through Warbler, too, and beaches all around. The people were friendly and welcoming.”
“It sounds dreamy,” Lani said wistfully.
“It was. Perhaps we were foolish to leave, but we had our plans and ideas, you know. We couldn’t have been convinced otherwise, even though we left some dear friends and family behind.” He paused. “Eva Fathom grew up there as well. It was one of the places we were hoping to visit, but now . . .” He trailed off.
Alex frowned. “But now what?”
“I’m not sure this is a good time for me to leave after all.”
The words hung in the air as if they wanted to be proven wrong, but Alex and Lani thought about everything’from the unconscious guests in the beds to the recent escalating attacks from Quill’and they couldn’t come up with a way to do it.
“I haven’t decided yet,” Mr. Today went on, “but I can hardly forgive myself for the loss of Arija. What if someone were to be killed while I was off having a holiday? There’s no room for forgiveness there.”
“But Arija died doing the job she loved, the job she was created for,” Lani said passionately. “If we all died doing the things we most believe in, we should die satisfied.”
“All the more reason for me to stay, don’t you think?” Mr. Today asked.
Alex was surprised to feel a little bit disappointed by Mr. Today’s news. “I don’t know about that,” he said. “I bet these visitors will want to leave eventually, once they’re well. Maybe while you’re gone you can figure out what island they came from, so that we know how to get them home. I mean, if that’s what they want.” Alex thought some more. “And maybe . . . well, I don’t know about this for sure, but maybe you could put the gate back up. For a short time, anyway. Just while you’re gone.” He hurried to add, “Not that Sean was right, or anything.”
Mr. Today tilted his head curiously at Alex, and he hid a smile with his fingers. “Interesting way to look at it, Alex. I’ll consider it.”
“I mean,” Alex continued, emphasizing various words as if he were just realizing his passion for the thought, “after all, I said I would help you and Ms. Morning. I think it’ll be fine if you go.”
Mr. Today scratched his chin again and then sighed. “We’ll see. But there’s no great urgency. Is there?”
Lani’s Plan
There was something about the strange visitors that made Lani uneasy. And after the talk with Mr. Today and Alex, something about “no great urgency” just didn’t sit right with her. She couldn’t stop thinking about them. And she was quite certain that those two had been trying to escape.
That would virtually rule out the nearest island to the west, where Mr. Today had come from. Mr. Today had said that island was like paradise. Who would want to escape from a place like that? It only made Lani more and more curious to see it for herself.
The thought simmered inside of her for days, and at one point she even found herself back in the lagoon, staring at the gleaming white boat again, with dreams of an adventure dancing in her head. But she was smart enough to never do anything so adventurous alone.
Finally, one day at lunch, she brought it up. “Wouldn’t it be fun to go on holiday like Mr. Today is going to do?”
Samheed raised an eyebrow. “I fink it could,” he said, mouth full.
Meghan, who had been practically listless for days, said, “I guess I never thought about it.”
“Oh, come on you guys! What about you, Alex?”
Alex shook his head. “I have enough to worry about just preparing for Mr. Today to leave. I think he’s getting more eager to do it. Could be any day now.” He shoved a forkful of sweet rice into his mouth and chewed, wiped his lips, then pushed his chair back and stood. After he had swallowed, he checked his pockets to see if Mr. Today had given him any new spells to try, and then he shrugged apologetically. “And now I’ve got to go,” he said.
“Boo,” Lani said, slumping in her chair. “You’re always running off these days. We hardly ever see you.”
“Yeah,” Samheed said. “We haven’t had a good adventure in months.”
Meghan was silent, staring at her hands as if she hadn’t even heard the conversation.
Alex blew out a disappointed breath. “I know,” he said. “I’m sorry. It’s just . . . there’s really a ton of stuff to learn. It took Mr. Today years to do all this’there are some spells he’s totally forgotten, so sometimes I spend hours looking through his journals. . . .” He trailed off, realizing he was telling secrets.
He scrambled to change the subject. “Meg, what’s going on with you? You don’t look so great. Are you all right? Did Cole Wickett and the Necessaries finally wear you out?” He laughed. “Cole Wickett and the Necessaries’hey, that would be a good name for one of Ms. Morning’s student bands.” He made a note to mention that to her the next time he saw her.
Meghan looked up at Alex and gave him a wan smile. “Sorry’I’m just distracted. Sean is acting really weird and I don’t know what to do.”
Alex hesitated. He knew he had to go, but decided Mr. Today would certainly excuse his lateness for the sake of a friend. He sat back down. Lani and Samheed turned their attention to Meghan too.
“What’s going on?” Lani asked her.
Meghan’s face was pale; she had dark circles under her eyes. Alex realized he hadn’t really looked his friend in the eye in weeks. “What is it?”
Samheed just watched her and waited.
“It’s Sean. . . . He’s been going into Quill now and then. I think he’s going back to see our parents.”
Alex thought about it for a moment, and then shrugged. “Okay,” he said. “Lots of others are doing that too. Why does it seem weird to you?”
Meghan shoved her plate aside, brought both elbows to the table, and propped her chin in her hands. “I guess what’s wrong is that he hasn’t actually told me he’s doing it. When I asked him the other day where he’d been . . . he lied and said the jungle. But I know he was in Quill, and I watched him head toward our family’s sector.”
“So you think he’s been visiting your parents without you? Why wouldn’t he want you to know that?” Lani shook her head lightly, puzzled.
“That’s what I’d like to know,” said Meghan miserably. “I think maybe they really like him now.” Her bottom lip quivered and she looked like she was about to cry. She slumped forward on the table and hid her face in her arms.
“Oh, Meg,” Lani said. She got up and went over to Meghan, giving her shoulders a hug. “I’m sorry you’re feeling bad. Maybe he’s trying to patch things up for the both of you, and he’s
protecting you from their stupid way of thinking.”
“Yeah,” Samheed said. “I can see him doing that.”
Alex frowned. He wasn’t so sure. Not after the disagreement they’d had at the assembly. In fact, he hadn’t seen Sean much at all since then, except sneaking around on the blackboards. “Are you sure he’s visiting your parents and not doing something . . . else?” he asked, and then immediately regretted it when Samheed glared at him. Lani kicked him in the shin under the table. He struggled not to say, “Ow!”
Meghan shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know. All I know is that my parents will never forgive me for ruining their lives. ‘Why didn’t you try harder to be Wanted?’ my mother kept asking me. She didn’t see anything my way. It’s like she gave Sean a free pass for his Purge, but blames me for being the second mark against them. Quill logic is so stupid!” She sucked in a shuddering sigh and let it out, laughing a little. “Good grief,” she said, wiping a tear. “I’m fine, really. I’m just tired.”
“You need a distraction,” Lani said. “An adventure. A little holiday, maybe.” Her eyes danced.
Samheed gave Lani a curious look.
Alex bit his lip and checked the clock. “So you’re okay?” he asked, feeling like a jerk, but he was getting anxious about his meeting.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Meghan said. “Go on. Learn something amazing.” She smiled.
“We’ll take good care of her, don’t worry,” Lani said, grinning wider than she had in a while. “Have fun, Alex! We’re going to go on an amazing adventure to cheer Meghan up.”
Alex, who had already turned and started walking, looked over his shoulder, a pang of jealousy slicing through him. “I wish I could go,” he said softly. “I really kind of miss you guys.”
But Lani was already chattering excitedly and pulling Meghan and Samheed in the other direction, so they didn’t hear him.
» » « «
While Alex hurried to Mr. Today’s office, Lani spilled her plan to Meghan and Samheed as she guided them across the lawn.
“So, what do you think?” she asked as they half ran down to the shore toward the jungle. “Are you guys in?”
Meghan chuckled and let Lani pull her along. “I’ll probably regret this, but okay. I’m so frazzled I don’t really care what we do at this point. Sam?”
“Duh. I’m totally in. Why didn’t we do this, like, a hundred years ago?” He grinned. “You’re so conniving, Lani. I can’t believe I didn’t know this about you.”
“It’s because you were too busy thinking I was annoying, just like Alex thought.”
“But how are we going to start it?” Meghan asked.
“Alex said it was magical. It shouldn’t be too hard to figure out. He said that once Mr. Today said the spell, he just pointed the boat in the direction he wanted it to go and it went. No components or anything needed.”
“Sounds easy enough,” Samheed said. “If anybody can figure it out, it’s us.”
When they finally reached the lagoon, the three hesitated, looking at one another for a moment.
“Are you sure Mr. Today and Ms. Morning won’t be mad?” Meghan asked.
“They never said we couldn’t use the boat,” Samheed said. “Mr. Today has only ever given us two rules. Besides, we’re just going for a little ride. It’s practically begging to be used.”
Lani grinned. “If he doesn’t want us to use it, I’m sure he has some sort of lock on it.”
With an air of mischief, the three friends stripped off their shoes, rolled up their pants, and then waded out through the warm, shallow water to the gleaming boat.
Awake
Inside the mansion Alex started up the stairs to Mr. Today’s office, but stopped short when he heard a buzz of voices in the hospital wing. There stood the mage along with a small throng of others, including the nurses, a few residents, Ms. Morning, and Eva Fathom, with whom Mr. Today was talking earnestly.
Alex turned around and headed toward them. “What’s going on? Did something happen?” His chest tightened as he thought of the silent visitors. He hoped it wasn’t bad news.
“The girl is awake,” Ms. Morning said. She motioned for Alex to come in, and made a spot for him to stand near the bed. Alex approached, his stomach flipping with excitement, and wondered if all their questions would soon be answered.
He gazed down at the girl, who was now propped up on three fluffy pillows. But there was no way she could look comfortable with that necklace of metal thorns. Her face was turned away from Alex, toward the boy’s bed, as if she were waiting, pleading for him to wake up too.
“She’s scared,” Ms. Morning said. “Too many adults swarming around. Maybe you can talk to her.”
Alex nodded. “Hello there,” he said softly. He reached out and touched the girl’s arm to get her attention.
The girl turned her head sharply and reared up in the bed, staring at Alex, her face filled with fear.
Alex pulled his hand away and took a step back. When he saw her eyes, he sucked in a breath. The girl’s irises were a deep golden orange, like a marigold thrust into the sunset’a color Alex had tried dozens of times to perfect. He heard a reaction behind him, but it seemed very far away as he focused on the visitor, mesmerized by her odd appearance, her glittering eyes piercing into his, the necklace of thorns moving almost fluidly with the turn of her head.
They held each other’s gaze for a long moment, and the room fell silent. Alex’s heart raced. He held his hands up to show her he wouldn’t hurt her, and he smiled, hoping to appear friendly and not at all scary. “Hello,” he said again.
She didn’t move.
Alex’s eyes flitted to the bedside table. “Would you like something to drink?” he asked. He moved slowly so he wouldn’t startle her as he poured some water from a pitcher into a glass, and then offered it to her.
Her body tensed, and then she reached for it. She brought it to her nose with a shaky hand and sniffed at it carefully, her eyes never leaving Alex’s. She opened her parched lips and sipped from it. And then she leaned forward, eyes narrowed, and spat the water into Alex’s face.
“Whoa!” he cried, taking a step back. “What . . . the world!” He put his arm up to protect himself from further spewing. Then the girl opened her mouth as if to scream at him, but no sound came out. She struggled to get off the bed, her body tangled in the sheets and her neck band caught on a pillowcase. After a moment of shock the nurses reacted, coming to her side and soothing her. The girl gave another halfhearted attempt at escape, but then she sank back down, unable to do anything with so many people around. She turned away from Alex, closed her eyes, and pulled the blankets over her head.
Alex wiped his face with his sleeve and felt a strange urge to laugh now that the girl had settled down, but didn’t think that would win him any points with anyone. So he held it in and looked to Ms. Morning for answers on what to do now. She beckoned to him to follow her out of the room. Mr. Today joined them and they climbed the stairs.
“Well, that was interesting,” Mr. Today said, pulling a hankie from his robe pocket and handing it to Alex. “I’ll bet you weren’t expecting that.”
Alex laughed and wiped his face. “No. But I’m glad she’s awake, you know? I hope she doesn’t give anyone any trouble.” They turned down the mostly secret hallway.
“I imagine she was frightened to open her eyes in such a strange and different setting,” Ms. Morning said. “She was so upset at first until she saw the boy. I’m guessing he’s her little brother.”
“Speaking of eyes, did you see hers?” Alex asked. They turned in to Mr. Today’s office and sat down.
“Lovely, aren’t they?” Mr. Today said. “They’d match well with my robe.”
“Strikingly beautiful,” Ms. Morning said, looking at Alex. “I’ve never seen eyes that color before.”
“Me neither,” Alex said, and he was surprised to feel his face grow warm while he thought about her. He hurried to think of something else to sa
y. “Are the boy’s eyes that orangey-gold color too? I mean, has anybody checked?”
“Yes, I believe once the nurses saw hers, they checked the boy, and his are the same,” Mr. Today said. “It’s very curious. I spoke with Eva Fathom and she said it wasn’t a trait common to our home island, as far as she knew.”
Alex wondered for the millionth time what kind of place the two visitors could be from. It sounded like it must have been one of the more distant islands, based on what Mr. Today and Eva Fathom remembered.
Mr. Today continued, breaking into Alex’s thoughts. “I’m more than troubled by the metal neck bands, and now by the fact that the girl was unable to make a sound with her voice. I’m feeling a nagging sense that all is not right outside our little world.”
He took a deep breath. “And because of that consternation, I’ve decided to take a short trip after all. At the suggestion of trusted individuals, including you, Alex, as well as Sean Ranger and Eva Fathom, I’m going to replace the gate to Artimé temporarily to protect everyone while I’m gone. I’ve got my weekly peace meeting tonight with Gunnar, so I’ll let him know then what my plan is. After that I’ll return to the mansion to take care of a few things and pack, and leave in the morning with Eva. Just for a couple of days, perhaps three, while we investigate.” He paused and looked at Ms. Morning and Alex. “What do you think? Are you ready to hold down the fort for me?”
Allies or Enemies?
The sprightly Eva Fathom, former secretary to the High Priest Justine, smiled warmly at the girrinos at the gate as she strolled past them on her way into Quill. She walked alone for a short time until she was out of sight of Artimé, and then she was joined by a young, reddish-haired man who appeared to have been waiting for her.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“I’ve convinced him to put the gate back up. He and I are leaving first thing tomorrow for a few days.”
The young man was silent for a long moment. “I’m worried.”