Haluki smiled. “I’ll have my drivers gather them immediately.”

» » « «

Within an hour, the six remaining original founders of Quill sat in the high priest’s palace, wondering what in Quill could have happened to cause them to be sprung from their various homes and from the Ancients Sector. It had been decades since they’d last seen Marcus. They peered at the high priest and Mr. Today, some of them still sharp, others not quite all there, but all of them fairly able-bodied.

“Two visits to the palace in one day,” grumbled one woman. “Maybe you’ve finally come around to feeding us, High Priest.”

“I’ve already told you how to find food, Mrs. Rattrapp,” Gunnar said.

Three men sat silent, along with a woman who kept nodding off in her chair.

A final woman sat rigid. She glanced around the office, noting Matilda with narrowed eyes. But she remained silent.

Mr. Today stood before them. “Friends,” he said, “You don’t remember coming to Quill. Nor did you remember the water that surrounds the land, or the homes and people you left to be here.” He looked around to gauge their reactions before continuing. “You also don’t remember the magical abilities you all have. And that’s my fault. Justine and I took those memories from you many years ago.”

He watched them. The two alert women were the only ones who had any reaction at all. Slow-motion shock registered on their faces, along with a large dose of confusion. He was using words they hadn’t heard before. “But I’m going to give you back your memories now. I’m so terribly sorry. I hope you can forgive me. I understand if you cannot.”

He lifted his hand, and then paused when he caught the eye of the rigid, silent woman. It looked like she wanted to say something. “Yes?” Mr. Today asked gently.

“Will I remember my name?” she whispered.

Mr. Today nodded. “Yes, my dear Secretary. You’ll have your name . . . right now.” He waved his hand over the group.

The four from the Ancients Sector appeared slightly puzzled, but largely unaffected.

The grumbling Wanted woman’s face turned red and she looked furious.

And the woman named Secretary burst into tears.

On the Lawn

Mr. Today walked the long route back to Artimé as he liked to do now, giving himself time alone to think about all that had just transpired. When he arrived on the lawn at sunset, he saw Alex, Meghan, Cole Wickett, and Samheed sitting by the water. He sat down with them.

“It’s a beautiful sky tonight,” he said, gazing over the water to where the islands could just barely be seen if one knew where to look. “How are things going? Are you managing studies along with your new duties helping the Necessaries?”

“Oh yes,” Meghan said, always chipper in front of the mage, even when she didn’t feel like it inside. “Things are going well.” She smiled sweetly at Mr. Today, remembering the first time they sat together on this lawn back when he had turned a flower into a music box. It felt like ages ago, though it had only been a year and a half. “It’s still funny to realize all the things we didn’t used to know.” She laughed. “If that makes any sense.”

Cole sat up straight. “It makes sense to me,” he said, fairly toppling over with admiration for every word that left Meghan’s lips.

Meghan didn’t seem to notice Cole’s attentions as she continued her update, but Samheed looked away in disgust. Alex squelched a grin. Once Lani had pointed out the love triangle, he’d been watching them closely, and found it hilarious that Meghan seemed entirely unaware of her suitors.

Alex elbowed Samheed. “Lighten up,” he muttered. And then he said for all to hear, “Where’s Lani? She’s been scarce for days.”

Samheed shrugged. “Probably working on something. Who knows.” He shifted uneasily, knowing Lani was avoiding Alex, and turned his attention back to Mr. Today.

“And where’s Sean?” Alex didn’t seem to get the picture.

Samheed shrugged and put a finger to his lips, then pointed to Mr. Today.

“Well, that’s wonderful, Meghan,” Mr. Today was saying. He got to his feet. “Alex, I’ll see you tomorrow as usual. The rest of you, thank you for your generous contributions to our Necessary guests. It means the world to me.”

Alex joined the others in a round of good-byes, but wondered secretly why Mr. Today wanted to continue meeting with him when he clearly wasn’t the leader Mr. Today was looking for.

“Did you tell him?” Samheed asked Alex after Mr. Today was gone.

“Yes, about five times.”

“Why do you keep meeting with him, then?”

“I have no idea.” Alex sighed. “I mean, I said I’d help out, so maybe that’s why.”

“Did you ever think about suggesting a different leader?”

Alex laughed. “Who, you?”

“No.” Samheed scowled. “I don’t want to do it either.”

“Then who?”

“I don’t know. Don’t you think there’s someone you know pretty well who would be a good partner for High Priest Haluki?”

“Well, sure. Lani. But she just seems mad that I said no. She hasn’t said five words to me since I told you guys about it. So I don’t think she’d want it, or she’d have said something.”

Samheed flopped back on the grass and stared at the stars that were just beginning to pop out for the evening. He sighed and muttered, “Why does everything have to be so complicated?”