“Well, you saved Mr. Today’s life,” she said. She leaned toward him and bumped her shoulder against his.

Samheed’s eyes flickered. And for a time on a log in the small and quiet lagoon, next to the vast ocean that seemed to go on forever, the two, each silently remembering the parts that were played in battle with Quill, felt something enormous swell up inside them as they considered what might have happened without the courage of the other. Lani slid a glance his way, and he caught it, and couldn’t help but share with her a little crooked smile.

But soon the moment passed, and before things could get awkward, Samheed shifted on the log and looked out over the water once again. “So, what’s bothering you?” he asked, even though he thought he knew the answer.

Lani’s smile faded. She clasped her hands together in front of her and slipped her arms around her legs, resting her chin on her knees. “Nothing much, really.”

“Oh, right. That was obvious from the way you stormed out of the lounge, looking like you were going to hurl,” Samheed said.

“Was it really?” Lani said sarcastically. She rolled her eyes, but Sam couldn’t see it.

“I think you’re required to tell me since I’ve been so nice for, like, a whole hour.”

“That is quite an accomplishment.”

“So?” Samheed asked. “Come on. Don’t make me beg.”

Lani closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. “Okay, fine. It’s just . . . I wasn’t expecting Alex to say that. About Mr. Today, and the whole future leader thing.”

Samheed nodded, careful not to interrupt her.

“I mean, Alex is great and I, you know, I really like him and stuff, but isn’t there anyone else who might be a better choice? A stronger magician with more rounded skills? Somebody who would make a better teammate for Quill’s new high priest? Someone who could really work in harmony with him, someone who understands him really well, and who would make this whole island really gel together? Somebody who really actually wants this job?”

Samheed cringed and stayed silent.

Lani sat up straight and turned to Samheed. “If Mr. Today is going to pick somebody young, well . . .” She looked out over the lagoon. “It should have been me, Sam.” Her eyes filled and her bottom lip started to quiver. She held back the tears and swallowed hard. And then she whispered, “He was supposed to pick me.”

Samheed bit his bottom lip and nodded. And then he turned and held an arm out awkwardly. She leaned in and rested her cheek on his shoulder as he patted her on the back. “Maybe since Alex doesn’t want to do it, you could let Mr. Today know that you’re interested,” he said.

Lani just shook her head and sniffled. “I can’t do that.” She lifted her eyes and looked at Samheed in the dying light. “If he wanted me, he would have picked me.”

A Very Different Gate

Day after day in his new home, Aaron plotted and planned, working tirelessly from the desk that had once been High Priest Haluki’s. He’d scoured the drawers but came up empty-handed’the high priest had apparently packed up everything of importance and carried it with him to the palace. There was not much to be said for the giant glass cylinder in the closet behind him. It was the most curious thing, but seemingly useless, and there were no instructions or clues to hint at its purpose. It didn’t take long for Aaron to forget about it entirely.

Every morning before sunrise Aaron snuck out of the house and walked to the Favored Farm, careful to take a different path each day, listening to people’s conversations while trying to be invisible. He noted that almost no Wanteds were taking advantage of the food at the Favored Farm. They were so unfamiliar with that kind of labor, he was sure they hadn’t even thought of it. All their lives they’d had Necessaries delivering their food to them’they probably had no idea where food even came from.

Every day Aaron picked his four allotted items, sticking now to things that would keep fresh for more than a few days’beans of all kinds ( he was glad to find the allotment for berries and legumes was a handful rather than just one), potatoes and onions, oranges, coconuts. He ate the foods that were about to go bad and kept the rest in the pantry.

Each week he set out his empty water buckets and they were filled without question. Perhaps in the chaos the Halukis hadn’t been removed from the water list, or maybe there was no official list’when the water people came by with their cart, they simply filled the empty buckets. That was most likely the case here in the Wanted Sector.

Aaron went over his thoughts and ideas every night and envisioned himself back in the palace. It would be a long journey, and if he really thought about it, he knew his chances of success were small. So he chose only to press onward, not think about it too much, and try not to mess it up. If all went well, it would still take years.

Early on the morning that his plan would take action, Aaron packed his book bag with a few handfuls of beans and a dozen oranges. He snuck out of the house before dawn and made his way up the road to the palace gate just as morning broke. He found a spot by the road to sit where the giant wall would provide him with shade until noon.

He waited. Occasionally a Quillitary vehicle lurched by, heading to or from the palace. Aaron turned away from them and tried not to draw attention to himself. He didn’t think they’d do anything to him, but he didn’t want to find out. It wasn’t long before grumbling Wanteds walked up the road toward the palace, no doubt to air their grievances. Aaron stayed where he was, straining his ears to hear their conversations. When they glanced at him, he nodded politely but didn’t say anything, and they kept walking.