by Lisa McMann
Lani Haluki watched the interaction between Alex and the girls from the window and frowned. She rolled to the door and slipped in and out among the Artiméans who’d gathered. She went past the girls and Seth, past Alex, and headed to the lawn near Simber.
Thisbe and Fifer hung on to the doorframe and watched Lani. “Lani and Simber will protect us,” Fifer said. She bit her lip nervously—would Alex start yelling again?
“Please, Alex,” added Thisbe. “Can’t we go back out?”
Alex turned sharply and silenced them with a look. Then he turned back to the water. The approach of the dragons on this Day of Remembrance made the painful events of the past come alive again for him, and they were all too jagged and real. He trained a discerning eye on the ice-blue dragon’s wings, which he’d helped construct and bring to life before the final battle. Despite being marked with scars, they were still beautiful, though clearly too small now to carry the beast for much longer. It was just as Alex had predicted. He was certain that Hux must’ve remembered his promise to make larger wings—why else would he return?
A lump rose to his throat, and he glanced down at his left arm. It had been his spell-casting arm, but now he was unable to grip a single magical component with those fingers or perform any component-less spell with that hand. Chances were Alex wouldn’t be able to keep his promise to the growing creature—not now. Not without help. After a moment he turned slowly and glanced through the open door into the mansion, watching as more people of Artimé descended from their rooms, and he wished for the familiar sight of the woman he loved. Sky would know what to do, he thought. But Sky wasn’t here.
“Please, Alex,” said Thisbe again, and that brought him back. She grabbed her brother’s wrist and hung on him. “Come on. Nothing fun like this has ever happened before.”
Alex took in a measured breath and gave her a grim smile, refusing to argue with her out here in front of everybody. Something in her expression made him catch his breath. Her serious look resembled their mother’s in that moment, with her rare black piercing eyes and exotic features. His sisters would never remember that look—their parents had been killed by a falling wall in Quill when Thisbe and Fifer were barely a year old. Their mother had died protecting the girls.
“Sorry to break it to you,” he said lightly, pulling out of Thisbe’s grasp, “but danger isn’t fun. However, if you want to do something useful, why don’t you and Fifer zip over to the Island of Shipwrecks and find Aaron. See if he’ll come. Hux won’t be able to fly much longer without new wings. And I’m . . . I can’t do the job properly.” He lifted his chin almost angrily when he said it, then strode toward Simber and Lani and the visitors.
Thisbe sighed. Neither she nor Fifer made a move to get Aaron. They looked on in awe as the beautiful black coiled water dragon, Pan, came ashore. The renowned ruler of the sea was dedicated to tirelessly guarding the waters that surrounded the seven islands of their world. She also kept a protective eye on its sea creatures, including Spike Furious, who was Alex’s own magically intuitive whale, and Karkinos, the giant crab island who lived just offshore, among others.
The two dragons touched snouts, and the witnesses around them held their breath as the larger black dragon nuzzled the adolescent ice blue. They spoke in a strange language of their own. But the conversation didn’t sound soothing or lovely in any way. It sounded harsh and panicked.
As Alex and Lani approached them, Hux turned. The young dragon was trembling. Thisbe, Fifer, and Seth hopped off the step and crept forward so they could hear.
“It’s nice to see you as always, dear Pan,” said Alex. He turned to the ice blue. “And you, Hux. A heartfelt welcome back.” He hesitated, then held his fist out for the dragon to sniff, as he’d done years ago. “You remember me, don’t you? Are you here for new wings?”
The ice blue bowed his head in greeting, and when he spoke, his words were soft. “Greetings, Alex,” he said. “These wings have served me well until recently. You are correct—they are too small now for me to fly very far. But . . . I’m afraid new wings are not the only things I need.” He looked at his mother, whose solemn face had taken on an expression of deep concern.
“Oh?” asked Alex, his voice immediately guarded. “What else can I do for you?”
“I . . .” Hux faltered and dropped his gaze. “I hate to ask it, coming here after all these years.”
Pan nudged him. “You must tell Alex what you’ve just told me,” she said, her voice regal. “He will answer in truth.”
Alex studied the dragons, growing warier by the second.
Hux raised his head, giving Alex a sorrowful look. “I’ve been sent here to . . . ah, that is . . .” He trailed off, then snorted, unintentionally sending sparks shooting from his nostrils and singeing the leaves of a nearby willow tree that hung over the water. “I need you to come with me to the land of the dragons.”
Lani looked at Alex.
The head mage blinked. “You . . . I’m sorry. What?”
“Please. Come with me. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t for a reason of grave importance.”
Even though he’d been wondering for years where the land of the dragons was, Alex was already shaking his head. “I don’t think that’s going to be possible. I’m sorry.”
“But you must come,” implored Hux.
“Why?” asked Alex, growing irritated. “Explain yourself.”
Hux closed his eyes and gave a ragged sigh, as if he’d been through a battle. Everyone around them became quiet, waiting to hear his response. Finally the dragon opened his eyes and looked at Alex, completely dejected. “Because if you don’t come, my sister Arabis the orange will be killed.”
The Dragons’ Plight
As Alex began firing questions at the dragon, Thisbe glanced at Fifer and Seth, her eyes wide. Her bangs blew up off her forehead in the breeze. “Arabis the orange,” she whispered. “She’s the one who gave us rides when we were little, right?”
Seth nodded. Although he’d only been three at the time, he remembered a little more about the final battle and the dragons than the girls did, as they’d barely been two when it had happened. But they’d all heard the stories dozens of times.
The three edged closer, weaving among the thickening crowd of Artiméans who continued to gather as word spread about the visiting dragons.
Meanwhile, not far off in the lagoon, the twins’ former caretaker, Crow, drew up to the sandy shore standing on a sleek board boat and jumped to land. He tossed his paddle in the sand, then pulled the smooth, shiny board out of the water and left it next to the paddle. Then he started jogging up the shoreline toward the gathering. When he drew close, he spied the girls and made his way over to them.
“What’s going on?” he whispered. “That one’s Hux, isn’t it? Where are the rest of them?” Crow’s long, dark brown hair was pulled back in a knot at the nape of his neck, and his brown skin glistened with spray and sweat. Once a scrawny boy from Warbler who had escaped Queen Eagala’s reign, he was now twenty-three and had managed to put some muscles on his tall, slim frame. But his personality remained unchanged. He was a gentle homebody who didn’t apologize for avoiding the art of magic. He just didn’t care for it, unlike nearly everyone else in Artimé.
“Yes, it’s Hux,” said Fifer. “He told Alex and Lani that Arabis the orange will die if Alex doesn’t go with him! Shh.”
They listened.
“I’m not sure I understand,” Alex was saying. “Who could possibly be powerful enough to kill a dragon? Perhaps you should start from the beginning. What’s happened to all of you?”
“I’m sorry. I shall explain.” The dragon’s voice wasn’t as deep as the children expected from a dragon, but it was definitely loud enough for them to hear. “Several years ago,” Hux began, “shortly after we left this world of the seven islands and made our way to the land of the dragons, we were captured and taken as slaves—all five of us.”
Lani gasped. “What? How?”
&n
bsp; “Slaves?” exclaimed Alex. “I thought the wings were supposed to keep you safe as you journeyed there.”
Hux nodded his oversized head as Pan looked on, anguished. “They were. But they didn’t. Well, they got us there safely, but . . .” He glanced at Pan, who gave him a warning look. Pan had always been very secretive, and it appeared that she was going to continue to be that way.
“And only you’ve escaped?” asked Alex.
“No,” said Hux impatiently. “I haven’t escaped at all. As I said, I . . . I’ve been sent to fetch you.”
Alex shook his head, puzzled. “What? Why? Sent by whom?” He glanced at Lani, who appeared as puzzled as he.
“Our wings are failing now that we are growing too heavy for them, you see,” said Hux, looking rattled. “Some of us are already completely grounded. Well, all of us, except me. If we can’t fly, we are useless to our master, and by that logic, we ought to be killed. Since I’m the smallest and still able to fly, I convinced the Revinir to send me to fetch you so you can make new wings for me and the others.”
“The Revinir?” asked Alex. “Who is that?”
“The one who took us captive. The most powerful being in the land of the dragons. Even the king serves under the Revinir’s rule.” Hux swung his head around to look behind him, as if he were afraid the being would somehow magically appear. With his neck outstretched, Fifer and Thisbe and the others nearby could see striped scars on the bare patches of his skin where the scales had worn away.
Puzzled, Lani stepped in. “Are you saying that the land of the dragons is ruled by someone other than . . . dragons?”
“It is now, I’m afraid,” said Hux. “If I don’t return with Alex, Arabis will be killed first. Then the others, too, I’m sure.” He looked imploringly from Alex to his mother and back to Alex again. “And then me, when my wings are useless.”
The crowd whispered.
“Please help us, Alex. We need you to create new wings for us—all of us.”
“Why—so you can continue being slaves?” Alex asked. “Don’t you think that’s a little bit crazy?”
The dragon flinched. “It’s better than the alternative.”
“And what happens if I do accompany you and make new wings for everyone? Do you believe this Revinir overlord will allow you to freely take me back home? And then expect you to return to be enslaved again?”
Hux bowed his head, looking miserable. “I’m—I’m afraid I can’t predict that. I imagine the Revinir will threaten the lives of my siblings until I return from that trip as well. But I will do everything in my power to get you here safely.”
Lani reached out and put her hand on the dragon’s neck. “I believe you will,” she said.
Alex frowned. “Something’s very troubling about all of this.” For the first time in the conversation he sought out Simber. He held the giant cat’s gaze for a long moment, numerous untold conversations happening in that one look. The cat’s face reflected Alex’s skepticism, making the mage even more reluctant to help.
Thisbe and Fifer exchanged a fearful glance. The beloved dragon from their past was in danger of being killed, and it didn’t seem like their brother was going to do anything for her. For the first time in their memory, here was an adventure for Artimé. A chance to help, being handed to them. A chance for the girls to witness their brother’s magical power instead of being hidden from it. To see his generosity in action instead of just hearing stories about it. And Alex wasn’t having it.
To Fifer and Thisbe, this was sadly predictable—the Alex they knew was overly cautious and seemed to hate adventure. But the stories about the old days had painted a different picture of him. Compared to those brave tales, his hesitation to help seemed strange. But all of those stories had happened before Alex’s devastating fight with Queen Eagala of Warbler. And before Thisbe and Fifer had become, well, a menace to society. Alex wasn’t that person anymore, partly because of them. As if they were thinking the exact same thing, the two exchanged guilty looks.
“Al,” prompted Lani.
Alex glanced at her, a flash of agony in his eyes before he looked away. “Lani, I don’t know about this. It’s not that simple. And it feels like a trap. If I get involved . . . we’re asking for trouble. There’s no guarantee I’ll make it home again.” He shook his head again. “I can’t do that to my sisters or to Artimé. Not this time. Besides . . .” He glanced at his arm, then said quietly, “You know.”
Lani shook her head, as if refusing to decipher his intended meaning. “Let’s at least talk about it,” she said.
“Well, of course we’ll talk. I can do that much.” Alex sighed and looked sadly at Hux and Pan. “But I’m going to be brutally honest. I’m not sure I can help you.”
Hux didn’t hide the alarmed look on his face, but Pan bowed her regal head. “We understand,” she said. “Perhaps it was too much to ask.”
“You must never be afraid to ask,” said Lani.
“I’ll think about your request,” Alex promised, “and we’ll fashion new wings for Hux tonight. I’ll give you my answer in the morning. You are both welcome to remain here as long as you like.”
Hux seemed unable to speak in that moment, so Pan spoke for him. “Thank you,” she said in a soft voice. “We’ll take to the lagoon until you’ve had a chance to consider my children’s predicament.”
Alex’s face flickered. Pan most certainly felt as passionate about her children’s safety as he did for Fifer’s and Thisbe’s. He hoped that meant she would understand his position. He nodded to the dragons, ending the discussion. Then he turned around and marched through the crowd as people stepped aside to get out of his way. Catching sight of his sisters, Alex gave them a disapproving glance. “Did you fetch Aaron like I told you?”
Thisbe’s eyes widened. She grabbed Fifer’s hand. “We’re going right now,” she said. Leaving Seth stuck in the crowd, the girls ran ahead of Alex into the mansion and darted up the stairs to the same magical hallway they’d gone down before.
The hall was wide and tall, with huge wooden beams and a dark wood floor. They ran past two mysterious doors, the contents of which perhaps only Alex knew, then past the doors to Alex’s living quarters on the left and the Museum of Large opposite it. When they neared Alex’s office on the left, where they had gotten yelled at the previous day, they turned right instead, into the little kitchenette across from it. From there they went straight for the large glass tube in the corner. They squeezed inside it together, and Fifer pressed the blue button in a row of colors.
Instantly the girls’ world went dark for a second or two. And when it became light again, they were looking upon a completely different landscape. Indeed, they were on a completely different island, far from home—it would take several days’ journey by ship to get here. How they loved the convenience of magic.
While Quill, with Artimé on its southern border, made up the middle island of the seven in this world, this one was called the Island of Shipwrecks, and it was the easternmost island of the narrow triangular chain. This island had once been ruled by a constant hurricane. Back then it had been stark and ugly, but now the sun shone six days out of seven on a maze of rock structures, with blooming flower beds and gardens all around. And there were no signs of shipwrecks anywhere, but the girls knew there had been several once upon a time. There were still some under the water that they had explored many times.
Fifer and Thisbe stepped out of the tube and ran down the path toward the rock structures. “Grandfathers,” Fifer called out melodiously, sweeping one particularly wavy lock of hair out of her face. It bounced back annoyingly. “Are you home?”
Thisbe, who was quite a bit less musical than Fifer, hollered for her brother. “Aaron! Where are you?” They continued on and soon entered a large covered stone shelter, which held a maze of rooms. Automatically they turned down the hallway that led to the greenhouse, where they knew they were bound to find someone. There, hunched over a box of strangely colored gourds, w
as Alex’s identical twin.
Aaron looked up at the noise, and his smile spread and lit up his tired eyes. He set down the two gourds he was holding and opened his arms wide. The girls went to him to give him a hug. Before he could ask what had brought them there, they began talking over one another.
“Were you able to fix Panther?” Thisbe asked anxiously. “Please say yes.”
“You’ve got to come quickly!” said Fifer. “The young dragons are back!” Impatiently she wet her fingers and tucked the obstinate lock of hair behind one ear, securing it this time.
“Whoa,” said Aaron, laughing a little. He addressed Thisbe first. “Yes, I just came back from fixing Panther.”
“So she’s okay?” asked Thisbe anxiously.
“She’s perfectly alive and almost as good as new. You made a clean break, so she went back together pretty seamlessly. Ha-ha. Get it? Joke.”
Thisbe grinned. She still felt terrible about hitting the beast, but Aaron almost always made her feel better about everything. “Thank you so much,” she said, relieved.
“Now what’s this about the young dragons?” asked Aaron, turning to Fifer.
“Only one, actually. Hux, the ice blue,” said Fifer. “He says the Revinir is going to kill Arabis the orange.”
“Alex needs you to help with Hux’s wings,” said Thisbe. “Can you come?”
“You’ve got to help us save the dragons, Aaron!”
Puzzled as he was, Aaron waited for them to finish. When they quieted, he spoke reassuringly. “More excitement in Artimé? That’s a rare treat. Let’s go see what it’s all about.”
He dusted his soiled hands on his pants and started making his way through the stone structure. The girls moved quickly to keep up with his long strides. As they neared the exit, Aaron stopped at the mouth of another hallway. He shouted down it, “I’m running over to Artimé again! Back soon.”
The only reply was the startled cry of a newborn, followed by a woman’s sigh.
Living Life in Peace