Island of Dragons (Unwanteds #7)(45)

With a solemn look, Alex held out the robe, the book, and the note to Aaron.

Aaron stared at them. He worked his jaw as he tried to control the desire that roiled inside him. And then he held out a quivering hand and took the items. “Okay,” he said, in a voice not quite his own. “Is that it? Is it done?”

“I guess so,” Alex said, feeling very weird. “I’ll keep wearing my robe, of course. And you should just keep yours with you. If I die in battle, Artimé should continue on. But if Artimé ever disappears, the instructions for restoring it are in the book. Claire, Lani, and Sky all know the spell too.”

Aaron finally dared look his brother in the eye. “Okay,” he said. He gazed at the items Alex had given him, and then he rolled the robe tightly and bound it, and slid it inside his vest, tucking it out of sight. He clutched the book. “I’ll memorize the spell tonight so I won’t need the book, or help from anyone.”

“Good plan,” said Alex.

Aaron hesitated. “This is strange.”

“Yes.”

“I’m not sure I like it.”

Alex looked at the floor. “I’ve been in too many fights and seen too many friends die. I’m prepared for the worst. You’ve actually eased my mind quite a bit with your immortality.”

“That’s strange too. Picturing my life going on when other people are gone. I don’t know quite what to think. It’s fine for now, but what about someday? You know?”

Alex nodded. “Yeah. It’s almost too weird to imagine. But I guess there will always be the scientists for you.”

“Maybe I can convince them to move here if I end up staying mage,” Aaron murmured, more to himself than to Alex.

Alex frowned. “Hopefully that won’t happen, though,” he said. “Right?”

Aaron’s eyes widened. “Oh, right—of course!” he exclaimed. “I . . . I shouldn’t have said that.”

They stayed together for a few more moments, working out the details of the plan and promising strict secrecy regarding their mage arrangement. They didn’t need anything to detract from concentrating on the task at hand—preparing for the battle of a lifetime.





Getting Ready


That night, while Simber patrolled the skies, Aaron and Alex found Claire and Ms. Octavia at the octogator’s desk in her classroom and sat down to discuss procedures for the coming attack. Claire and Alex talked through various strategies while Ms. Octavia drew detailed sketches of them. Everyone wished for Florence’s expertise on the matter—they had never needed it more. But it was not to be had.

After a few hours of conversation deep into the night, Aaron, Claire, and Ms. Octavia retired to their rooms with plans to meet up again the next morning. They had a lot of things to discuss, mainly what to do about Quill and whether they should enlist help from them or try to protect them somehow.

When Aaron reached his room, he pulled the robe out from inside his vest. Then he glanced at his blackboard and frowned. He went into his sleeping quarters and closed the door softly. There he unrolled the robe, shook it out gently, and placed it around his shoulders, securing it at his neck. He looked at himself this way and that, and then went over to his mirror and removed the paper he’d used to cover it. He stared at his reflection. “I’m the head mage of Artimé,” he whispered.

He felt his spine straighten and his chest swell. The longing surged inside him until it felt like it was out of control. With tremendous effort, he batted it down. Slowly he removed the robe, folded it, then rolled it tight like a baton and tied it so it would be ready to stuff inside his vest in the morning. He set it down on his bedside table, within reach in case he needed it, and reluctantly put the paper up so it covered the mirror again.

When he climbed into bed, he lay on his side, staring at the bundled robe for a long while. And then he sighed and rolled over to face the wall instead.

? ? ? ?

Before turning in, Alex went to the hospital ward and found Carina Holiday sitting with the young woman who had escaped from Warbler. Asleep in the bed next to the escapee’s was Thatcher, the Warbler boy who’d been catapulted to Artimé’s shores some time ago and had become quite good at spell casting.

Alex raised an eyebrow. “Why is he here?” he asked softly.

“They’re siblings,” said Carina. “She risked her life to warn us because of her brother.”

“How is she?” Alex asked.

“She’s exhausted,” said Carina. “Dehydrated. Has a bit of a fever, too. I doubt she slept a wink as she paddled her way here.”

“Did she arrive on a raft?”

“No, it was a canoe. Her paddle had a bite out of it.”

Alex frowned. “What from?”

“We don’t know.”

Alex looked at the young woman. “Shall I take her thornament off?”

“Yes, if you’re not too tired. I asked her when we were assessing her if she’d like it removed, and she nodded quite emphatically. But Claire hasn’t had a moment to do it yet.”

“I’m not too tired,” said Alex. He took a chair and sat next to the young woman. She was similar in age to him and Sky. Her skin was dark brown like Thatcher’s, her face perfectly symmetrical and serene, and her black hair was trimmed close to her scalp. “Do we know her name?”