Simber looked at Mr. Appleblossom and Gunnar Haluki. All wore solemn expressions. “Verrry well. Therrre’s not much she can do forrr Sean rrright now. Shall we find herrr?”

Claire nodded swiftly, and the small group went into the mansion. In the hospital ward they found Meghan and Carina sitting next to Sean’s bed. Sean’s eyes were closed. He seemed to be resting comfortably now.

“How is he?” asked Simber.

“Handling the pain again, it seems,” Carina said, not looking up. “Thankfully. But he hasn’t woken up yet. He was lucky to have such a smooth ride thanks to you, Simber.” When Simber remained silent, she turned her gaze toward the group. Seeing their serious faces, she asked, “Is something wrong?”

Ms. Morning pulled a chair next to Carina and sat in it.

“What is it?” Carina asked, fear creeping into her face. “Is it little Seth? Is he all right? What’s going on?” She gripped Ms. Morning’s hand. “You have to tell me at once!”

“Your son is fine,” Ms. Morning assured her. “He’s down for his nap now. He missed you, of course, but he is doing wonderfully well. He’s taken quite a liking to Siggy.”

Mr. Appleblossom blushed. “The lad likes costume closet frippery,” he said. “He plays ‘ship,’ like Mum—quite the skipper, he.”

Ms. Morning grinned. “Yes, Siggy built a replica of the pirate ship for Seth to sail in, and one of the boys made him a costume so he’d look like Captain Ahab. Such a special one, your Seth. He’d be considered quite the Unwanted in Quill.”

Carina held a hand to her chest. “Oh, that’s wonderful. Yes, he’s showing great signs of creativity already.” She sighed in relief. “So what’s wrong, then?”

Ms. Morning offered a grim smile. “I’m afraid it’s your mother, Carina.”

Simber’s eyes narrowed.

Carina’s did too. “What of her?” she asked, her voice turning cold.

“I’m afraid she’s . . . gone.”

“Gone?”

“Dead.”

Silence hung over the room. Sean stirred in his sleep.

“Dead?” Carina asked finally.

Ms. Morning nodded. “It happened here, you see. . . .” She struggled to find the right words.

“What happened? What was she doing here?” Carina sat stiffly in her chair, her face wiped of emotion.

“She came here to tell you—to deliver a message to you, that is, that she loves you. Apparently Aaron got tired of her and sent her to the Ancients Sector. She stopped here on her way, and . . .”

Carina stared blankly. “Did you tell her I don’t care? Did you tell her I don’t need love from traitors, nor do I accept it?”

Meghan interrupted. “She didn’t actually end up going to the Ancients Sector, though. That’s not how she died.” She put her hand on Carina’s shoulder. “She died saving the Warbler children.”

“What?” Carina shook her head, trying to understand.

“She came here to say good-bye, Carina,” Meghan said, “and to tell you she loves you and little Seth, and then practically out of nowhere, from the direction of the jungle, came a horrible creature. A panther. One of the jungle creatures that Mr. Today warned us about when we first came to Artimé. The evil thing came bounding toward the lawn and all the children, and then . . .” She stopped.

“And then,” Haluki continued, “your mother saw the panther coming and she threw herself in front of it to stop it. She didn’t hesitate. She sacrificed her life for Artimé’s new children. She saved them.”

Carina sat numb, unable to comprehend the words.

Simber’s brow furrowed, but he remained silent for the moment.

“I’m sorry,” Meghan said softly.

Carina looked up. “What?”

“I’m sorry. I mean, I wouldn’t know how it feels, but I’m guessing it must be hard to hear this.” Meghan pressed her lips together.

Carina’s eyes flashed. Her head began to shake ever so slightly, and her breath escaped her nostrils in tiny bursts. “Well, I’m not sorry,” she said, perhaps louder than she intended. “I’m not sorry at all. She deserved to die after what she did.” Her face crumpled. “She’s a traitor!”

She swallowed hard, shrugged Meghan’s hand roughly off her shoulder, and stood up, her chair making a painfully loud scrape on the floor as she shoved it back. Then she turned away from the others. Her hands trembled on the bedside railing.

Haluki took a step toward her. “That’s just it, Carina. We’re no longer sure that she was a traitor, despite all the evidence.”

Carina didn’t react.

Ms. Morning and Haluki exchanged glances, while Simber looked on, skeptical.

“She said she knew we wouldn’t believe her,” Ms. Morning continued, and her own voice cooled substantially now, for she was even more skeptical than Simber, “but said she was working for Artimé all along, even when she appeared most loyal to Aaron after Artimé disappeared. She said she had proof—that someone in Artimé could vouch for her—but she wouldn’t reveal the individual’s name.”

Simber spoke for the first time. “You sound as if you don’t believe herrr, Clairrre.”

Ms. Morning raised her chin. “I admit I find it hard to believe after what she allowed to happen to me, locked in Gunnar’s pantry all that time. She was well aware of my presence, and of Gunnar’s in the closet, and she did nothing to help us. But I’m trying to keep an open mind in hopes that her so-called confidant comes forward.”