This was news to everyone. They all listened intently, waiting for more.

When Sean was able, he continued. “She knew Alex and the rest of us were going to be gone, but Aaron didn’t. And we didn’t want him to find out. He’s planning to fight. She convinced him to wait to attack us. I spoke to her the night before we set out, and she promised to do everything she could to keep Artimé safe for as long as possible.”

Simber and Claire Morning exchanged glances. Carina stared, unbelieving.

Sean took a sip of water and continued. “She felt her days were numbered, so she took a chance on saving Liam Healy, knowing how remorseful he was about the part he played. Eva had secretly kept him alive in the Ancients Sector, waiting for a chance to get him out of there. And it finally came. She convinced Aaron that he was loyal, and talked him into taking Liam on as a governor.”

Claire Morning stood abruptly and began to pace, visibly angry but keeping her thoughts to herself.

Sean struggled to lift himself on one elbow, and Meghan hurried to help him. “Claire,” he said. His face cracked as he watched her begin to cry. “Claire, please listen.”

Ms. Morning blew her nose in a tissue and nodded.

“Eva Fathom was our friend. And Mr. Today knew it.”

“Don’t,” Ms. Morning said.

“She and Mr. Today had a plan.”

“It’s her fault he’s dead!”

“No. No. I know it looks that way, but it wasn’t her fault.”

Ms. Morning paced a bit more, then stopped at the end of Sean’s bed and folded her arms. “All right. Tell me, then.”

Sean closed his eyes momentarily to collect his thoughts, and then opened them and spoke. “Aaron had been plotting to kill Mr. Today for a long time. When it all came down to the final planning stages, he didn’t dare. So he told Eva to do it to prove that she was truly on his side, because he didn’t trust her.” He leaned forward and winced. “And we needed him to trust her.”

“We?” Carina said sarcastically. “You mean you.”

Sean winced. “I’m sorry, Carina.”

She held up a hand to stop the apology. “Just . . . just go on.”

Sean nodded and turned back to Claire. “Like I said, we needed Aaron to trust Eva. So she and Mr. Today concocted a plan: They would go on holiday together. Eva stole heart attack spells from Carina to show Aaron she had the means to kill Mr. Today. He took some from her, so she lied and told him that one heart attack spell was deadly, in case he ever decided to use it. Then she told Aaron she’d kill Mr. Today on their holiday, and when she returned to Artimé, she’d tell everyone he’d died on the journey.”

Simber frowned but said nothing.

Sean went on. “But really, Eva and Mr. Today planned to fake his death. They were going to send Mr. Today to another island for a time, where he knew and trusted the inhabitants. He’d bide some time there until word got back to Artimé and Quill that he was dead, which would give Aaron a false sense of security, and perhaps he’d delay an attack, thinking he had more time to build up support.”

Sean looked around the room at the faces. “I promise every word of this is true.”

“Why wouldn’t my father tell me about this plan?” Claire asked, eyes blazing. “Or Simber, for that matter?”

Simber lowered his head. “If only I had known . . . ,” he said, but didn’t finish.

“He was going to tell you and Gunnar at your meeting at the palace that night,” Sean said to Claire. “And I’m sure he planned to tell you, Simber. I’m sure of it. And maybe even Alex, too.”

“So Alex doesn’t know any of this?” asked Claire.

Sean shook his head. “If he does, he never said anything to me about it.”

“Not about your secret cavorting with the enemy either?” Carina asked sharply.

“He knew I was up to something from the time Artimé disappeared, but I begged him not to ask me about it, and he trusted me. Besides, he had a lot of other stuff to handle back then.”

Claire frowned. She looked at Gunnar, who was listening intently, reserving judgment for the full story.

After a moment, Claire nodded. “All right. Go on, please, if you’re feeling up to it.”

Sean nodded and took another drink of water. He sank back in his pillows and closed his eyes. After a moment of rest, he continued, his voice softer now, and pained. “No one but you and Haluki and Mr. Today knew about the tube in Haluki’s office, Claire.”

Meghan’s eyes darted from one face to another, then back to her brother’s.

“No one expected you and Mr. Today to magically appear smack-dab in the enemy’s headquarters. Mr. Today had always walked into Quill when he met with Haluki. Always. Why would anyone expect there to be a different route?”

Claire’s face was ashen. “Did you know Aaron was working from Gunnar’s house?”

Sean shook his head. “Only a few of the Restorers knew. Eva didn’t—not until after. When Mr. Today walked out of that closet, he couldn’t possibly have been more surprised in his life to see the house lit up and Aaron standing ten feet away. And Aaron, even in a state of panic, actually managed to do it. To . . . to kill him.” He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. A tear dripped from the corner of his eye, and he didn’t wipe it away. “If Aaron had only used one heart attack spell, Mr. Today might still be alive . . . but he didn’t. He lunged for the pile and threw a handful of them. He used a lethal dose without even knowing it.”