Alex nodded. “I know,” he said, feeling almost miserable about it. He and Lani put the wings in Ms. Octavia’s classroom, and then Alex went to the kitchen to find Aaron and tell him he could finally go home.
When he walked into the bustling kitchen unnoticed, Alex observed the food designers discussing and admiring their beautiful presentations. He found his sisters and Crow by the tube delivering food and his brother wearing an apron and chef’s hat, knife poised as he listened carefully to what the head chef of Artimé was explaining.
Alex watched as Aaron painstakingly perfected a recipe, and then he gazed at his sisters, absorbed in their task of placing the beautiful food creations into the delivery tube. It was a rare moment, all four Stowe siblings in the same room. And one that wouldn’t happen again once Aaron was gone.
Alex felt a certain heaviness descend upon his shoulders and a loneliness rise to his throat, and instead of embracing the familial moment, he turned away, overwhelmed by it. With his head bowed, he stumbled past the dining room to the entryway, past Simber and up the stairs to the once secret hallway, past the doorways to the last one on the left, where he went in. He sat down at his desk and lowered his head, resting it on his folded arms.
A few moments later, he got up, sent a message to Aaron’s blackboard telling him they would leave the next day, and entered his private quarters to pack.
Warning Signs and Secret Good-byes
Early the next morning Alex found Simber in his usual spot by the front door to the mansion. Alex beckoned to the cheetah to go outside with him and take a walk. The cat followed the mage out the door, and the two strolled together along the shore.
“I had thought you could take Aaron and me to the Island of Dragons and then on to the Island of Shipwrecks,” Alex said. “I would have liked that, but Aaron has requested we bring some supplies with us—mainly some fresh soil so he and the scientists can get some plants growing outside now that the storms are gone. I want to give them quite a lot since we have plenty to spare. But I don’t think we’ll be able to fit all the sacks of soil on your back along with the five pairs of dragon wings. And the two of us, of course.”
“It’s all rrright,” said Simber. “The boat will be morrre comforrrtable forrr you anyway.” He paused, sampling the air as he often did, and then gazing in the direction of Warbler Island to the west. “Besides, I’m mildly concerrrned about what’s happening overrr therrre.”
Alex followed the statue’s gaze, but he couldn’t see whatever Simber was able to see. “You mean the ships that Pan told us about?”
“Prrrecisely,” said Simber. “Therrre’s some activity happening that I’m not completely comforrrtable with—ships sailing between the pirrrate island and Warrrbler. It’s out of the orrrdinary forrr them, which makes me suspicious.”
“Of course it does,” said Alex, reaching out and putting his hand on the cheetah’s neck. “I wonder if the pirates are selling sea creatures to Warbler. I honestly can’t figure it out—who else is there to buy them? Whenever I ask Pan, she gets quiet.”
“I don’t know,” said Simber. “And I don’t think Marrrcus knew, eitherrr, orrr I hope he would have told me.” Simber didn’t sound like he had much faith in that, though. The original head mage of Artimé, Marcus Today, had kept many secrets that went to the grave with him.
Alex shrugged. “At least we freed the sea creatures—some of them, anyway.”
Simber frowned. “The pirrrates neverrr came afterrr us. I admit I’m surrrprrrised by that.”
“Ah, but they did—they just went to the palace by mistake and retaliated against the wrong guy,” Alex reminded him.
“Trrrue,” said Simber. “I wonderrr if they’ll everrr rrrealize theirrr errror. With theirrr rrrelationship with Queen Eagala on Warrrblerrr, I imagine they will.”
Alex shook his head. “Please, Sim. We’re finally at peace. Give us a little chance to enjoy it before you go imagining other problems, will you? Besides, they would have attacked by now. It’s been months.”
The statue growled softly, but he let the conversation die. Soon they reached the edge of the jungle. They turned around and walked back toward the mansion. The lawn was beginning to fill up with residents of Artimé. Mr. Appleblossom held a fencing class there, where he had Kaylee teach some moves since she was well trained in the sport.
Ms. Morning was on the lawn meeting with Lani, who was showing off some new spell components she’d invented. And quite far away, Liam Healy, former governor to the former high priest Aaron and rescuer of Thisbe and Fifer, was standing near the front door of the mansion with Aaron himself. Both appeared to be scanning the lawn in search of someone.
Alex waved, and Aaron waved back. Alex climbed on Simber’s back. “They look like they need something,” he said.
“Let’s go,” said Simber. He began to run with Alex holding on around his neck. Soon they reached the mansion and Alex hopped off.