“Oh, you had to come just now and spoil my fun! I was going to get these tadpoles to mop this place for a month!”
Nigel chuckled and walked into the bathroom. Taking a silver dollar from his pocket, he went to the last sink, lifted the lid off a fat porcelain Buddha, and dropped the coin inside.
“Sorry, Jimmy. Next time, I’ll leave them to you.”
“Oh, it’s all right. Need to get hopping anyway if we’re gonna spiff ’em up for the morning session. You want a little zing of the good stuff, Nigel?”
Nigel smiled politely.
“No, Jimmy. No, thank you. I’ll, eh, tell the Director the boys are…just making your acquaintance.” Nigel paused before adding, “Boys, be sure to bring Jimmy a present later. Remember—it’s the thought that counts!”
“Okay, then! See you later!” Jimmy called out. He was already bustling about, gathering armfuls of spray bottles and jars that he laid out on a folding table. Turning to the boys, he clapped his hands.
“Right, then, who are gonna be the lucky lads to get spruced up, Jimmy-fashion?” the little man inquired. “I can’t get to you all, so who’s it gonna be?”
“Er…I don’t understand,” said Rolf, sniffing at his armpit. “We just showered.”
Jimmy looked at Rolf as though he must be daft.
“It’s your first full day, isn’t it?”
The boys nodded.
“And there’re some lookers among the ladies, aren’t there?”
The boys looked at one another and shrugged.
“Well, then, a shower’s just a start! You need the old Jimmy treatment to make ’em sit up and take notice! Quick! You six into a chair.”
Jimmy snapped his fingers, and six wicker chairs zoomed across the room and arranged themselves in a row.
“Ugh, I knew we’d be the lucky ones,” moaned Connor as Jimmy showed Max to his seat. Those without a chair before them made a hasty retreat out the door.
Max squirmed while Jimmy went to work, running up and down the line and slathering their hair, cheeks, and necks with a variety of gels and sprays. Frowning with concentration, he produced a comb and parted each boy’s hair carefully down the middle. The boys watched themselves in the mirror, sitting in silent horror as Jimmy clapped in sudden satisfaction.
“Well, boys! Now you’re looking dandy. Good material to work with, of course, but now you’ve got the special Jimmy touch!”
He whistled merrily and rearranged his bottles as the six boys filed out, looking glum.
Max ran to his room and dressed quickly, rejoining the others in the hallway as Old Tom’s chimes started ringing. They sprinted down the stairs and skidded to a halt in the little theater. All of their other classmates were already seated. Several girls giggled as they saw the boys’ old-fashioned hairdos. Even Ms. Richter, leaning against a piano, had an amused expression on her face as she casually reached for a handkerchief.
“Be seated, gentlemen. As I was telling your classmates, today is a very important day. You will be visiting the Sanctuary for the first time. There you will be paired with a good friend for the next six years. Perhaps even longer.”
Ms. Richter frowned and waved the handkerchief before her face. A group of girls giggled as they whispered to one another. Pinching their noses, Cynthia and Lucia moved several seats farther away while David coughed into his hand and blinked at the boys. Avoiding his classmates’ stares, Max reached up and patted the shellacked mass on his head. He was amazed that hair could be so smooth and brittle.
After a momentary silence, Ms. Richter breathed deeply into her handkerchief and continued. “Yes, well, after this morning’s visit to the Sanctuary, you’ll receive your semester schedules and meet with your class advisors, who will—oh dear Lord, it’s simply overpowering!”
The girls shrieked with laughter. Max blushed and turned to Connor, whose neck was now bright red from scratching.
Ms. Richter rose from the piano. “Boys, I assume that Jimmy is responsible for your…grooming?”
They nodded. Cynthia’s shoulders pumped like pistons as she laughed. Lucia’s face was scarlet. Ms. Richter motioned for quiet.
“Jimmy has been with us for some time and he means very well, but the sad truth is that his sense of smell seems to be waning. Strike that—it is gone. In the future, I’d recommend that you politely decline his grooming services. He will undoubtedly pressure you, but you must be strong—for all our sakes. Now, let’s continue this conversation outside.”
Handkerchief pressed to her nose, Ms. Richter led them through some French doors and out onto the orchard patio. Their classmates ran ahead giggling; Jimmy’s victims shuffled sheepishly in tow.
Exhaling, Ms. Richter folded her handkerchief and waited for the students to gather round. Clouds were building in the sky; the wind had picked up.
“That’s better! Now, as I was saying, the Sanctuary is a very special place at Rowan. There is nothing more important on this entire campus. You see, children, we champion not only our fellow man, but many other creatures and spirits that inhabit this world. Not all mystical creatures are aligned with the Enemy. Those that wish may find refuge here at Rowan—in fact, you’ve already met some of them. Unfortunately, many of these creatures are very young or vulnerable and require your care. Today, you will be paired with one of them.”
Ms. Richter fixed a stern eye on the students.
“This is a great honor being conferred upon you. Many of these creatures are exceedingly rare. Some may be the last of their kind. It is important that you take this responsibility very seriously; it is a critical aspect of your education. There is no greater shame than having to relinquish one’s charge.”
The idea that Max would have to care for something mystical made him very nervous. He had never even owned a pet. Most of his classmates, however, looked enchanted and gossiped in excitement as Ms. Richter led them through the woods. When they reached the high, mossy wall near the stables, Ms. Richter stood by its stout wooden door set with a heavy brass ring.
“I know you are nervous, children. After all, there are so many new things! Take a deep breath and enjoy this next experience. For many students, the Sanctuary is their favorite place. Many forge lifelong bonds with their charges. Just be yourselves and trust your charge’s instincts.”
The door creaked open. Beyond it, Max saw a narrow way hemmed so closely by low trees and hedges that it was more of a dark tunnel than a path. Following after the others, Max stumbled along for twenty or thirty yards when he suddenly felt a drop of rain on his nose. They had emerged into an enormous clearing whose tall grasses rippled in the wind.
Max looked back through the tunnel; it hadn’t been raining on the other side of the door. Several of his classmates were already commenting on it.
Turning back to the clearing, Max squinted at a distant backdrop of forest and the surprising sight of snowcapped hills. Clumps of trees and great rock formations dotted the clearing at irregular intervals. A herd of cows grazed and lowed in the distance. Directly ahead was a long, low building set near a lagoon that was bordered by a strip of beach and royal palms.
Suddenly, something enormous plummeted from the sky to seize one of the distant cows in its talons. With a screech, a bird the size of a small airplane soared off with its struggling prey, making for the far hills.
“Good to see Hector’s eating again,” exclaimed Ms. Richter with satisfaction. “He hasn’t touched a thing in weeks!”
A number of children retreated into the leafy tunnel until the Director beckoned them back out.
“Don’t worry about any Sanctuary inhabitants mistaking you for food,” she assured them. “Nothing here normally preys upon humans, and they’re all very well fed.”
Rolf scoffed loudly, drawing a warning glance.
“Hey,” said Connor, trotting a few steps and peering east. “Where’s the ocean?”