“Indeed. Thus, Simber lacks the spots that a cheetah normally has.”

Alex looked puzzled. “How did you bring him to life? I’ve never seen anyone do that before.”

Mr. Today smiled as if he had a secret. He whispered, “That’s because I’ve never taught it to anyone before.”

Alex leaned forward, his eyes wide, his heart pounding in anticipation. “Will you teach it to me?” he asked.

The creator of all magical life in Artimé leaned forward as well. He pressed a finger to his lips for a long moment in consideration, his eyes flickering once to the wall and then back to Alex and remaining there, holding the breathless boy’s gaze, until the weight of the question nearly toppled them both. Finally, Mr. Today whispered the answer.

“No.”

The Slightest Clue

Alex’s face fell. He looked away. “Oh.” He felt heat rising to his cheeks.

Mr. Today’s eyes were filled with pity. “I’m sorry,” he said, and it came from somewhere deep, somewhere very sincere. “As much as I want to, my dear boy, I can’t do it.”

“It’s okay.” Alex wished he could disappear into the chair cushion. Why did he even ask? Why would he think Mr. Today would teach him when he wouldn’t teach anyone else? It felt almost as bad as when Ms. Octavia told him he couldn’t advance to Magical Warrior Training last year. He raised his eyes to the old mage. “It’s because I said I didn’t want to be the next leader of Artimé, isn’t it?”

“Truthfully, yes,” Mr. Today said, sitting back in his chair once again. “I made a promise to myself a long time ago that there would be certain spells, certain properties of our particular kind of magic that I would not teach to anyone but my successor. I fear these abilities could get into the hands of people who are incapable of using common sense, and who don’t understand the value of that power.” Mr. Today eased off the desk. “So as much as I trust you, I must save this particular secret for the right person. However,” he said with a small smile, “I did give you the slightest clue.”

“You did? What was it?”

But Mr. Today only smiled and changed the subject. “So, now you know the story of Simber, who remains one of my most incredible magical creations . . . and my dearest friend. His memory is impeccable, and everything he has experienced is captured in his inner senses’it didn’t take him long at all to learn everything he knows. Such an amazing beast! He can see and hear better than any human or animal. He is capable of emotion, as you’ve witnessed more than once, and he is loyal to the end.” He gave a wry smile and added, “You may have noticed that Simber cannot perform magic, though many of my other creations can. I didn’t think of it at the time, him being my first, and now it’s too late, but he hardly has need for it. The only other thing I didn’t anticipate was that he would grow. I created him life-size, but he grew as if he were a newborn on that first day. I’m grateful for it now, but there was a time when I wondered if he’d ever stop.”

“Wow,” Alex said. “And did he? Stop, I mean? Or is he still growing?” He couldn’t imagine Simber getting any bigger.

“Oh, he’s stopped,” Mr. Today said, laughing. “Thankfully.”

“And you created Ms. Octavia too? Is she also made of sand?”

“Oh, Octavia’such a delightful creature,” Mr. Today said, his hands clasped together. “No, she’s not made of sand. She was a different sort of sculpture experiment. Simber is of the earth, Octavia is of the water. Clay, seaweed, lily pads, shells. That sort of thing.”

“So her parts aren’t . . . aren’t real? Like, not from a real octopus and alligator?”

“Good heavens, no. I’d never behead a living creature to create something magical. How heartless.” Mr. Today clutched his robe dramatically. “No, she is purely fabricated. But I’m honored that you can’t tell.”

“I can’t! Honest. She’s amazing.”

“Don’t tell her I told you, but her eyeglasses are purely for show. She’s quite vain about them.” He chuckled.

Alex grinned. And then he grew thoughtful. “Why can’t Ms. Octavia or Simber or Florence be the next leader of Artimé?” Alex asked.

Mr. Today was taken aback, as if the answer was obvious. “Why, because my dear boy. They were created by me. They exist only at my command.”

Alex furrowed his brow. “So how do they die? Or don’t they?”

“Aha! Another excellent question,” Mr. Today said, smiling.

Alex waited, and when Mr. Today didn’t speak, he said, “Aw, another secret?” Alex grinned in spite of his disappointment. He was glad Mr. Today wasn’t mad at him for turning down the job. But now he wondered whom Mr. Today would choose instead’who would get to know the answers to these secrets? And he had to admit, the thought of one of his peers getting this information, getting to spend so much time learning from this most amazing person who created all of these incredible things, and who was getting ready to hand over the key to this world . . . well, that brought the slightest twinge of jealousy to Alex’s heart. Like maybe he was missing out on the greatest opportunity of his life.

Thinking Like a Necessary

When Aaron left the Ancients Sector, full of newfound bitterness, his mind swimming with ideas, he realized what was the biggest, dumbest mistake he’d made so far. Now he walked with purpose, straight for the Favored Farm. How could he have forgotten his own creation? It must have been the disconnection between creating the idea of the farm, and actually doing the physical work of growing and harvesting. Wanteds were the thinkers, the creators, not the mindless pluckers and deliverers. If Aaron was going to be forced to walk for days with no one bringing him food or drink, he’d have to start thinking differently. He’d have to think like a Necessary. He shuddered at the thought.