Island of Fire

Sean raised an eyebrow as Meghan took a closer look at Henry’s injuries. “Crow?”

“The Silent boy,” Alex said. “Henry named him.” “That is his name,” Henry said. “He showed me. He drew  a bird in the sand and I guessed it.”

“I’m going after him,” Alex said, finding it a little easier now to take charge than he had just a few short weeks ago.

“Sean, you want to get the story?”

Sean nodded. Alex started off toward the gate and then stopped, turned, and called back, “We need to have a meeting. You, me, Meg, Henry, and the Silents. See if you guys can find out if Mr. Appleblossom and Carina are available too. They’ve had their hands full with the fish catchers the last few days.”

“Got it,” Sean said.

Alex’s best friend, Meghan, whose skin was mostly healed around the band of metal thorns on her neck, could only nod in response.

Alex didn’t have to go far before he saw Crow walking back toward the gate. He caught up with the boy and turned around, walking with him. “You okay, little guy?” Alex asked. Crow nodded and punched his fist into his other palm. “I know,” Alex said. “But I don’t want you to fight. I shouldn’t have sent you guys out in the open with food like that. People are mean when they get desperate.” He pressed his hand into his own stomach, trying to batten down the hunger.

He knew he didn’t have much time before the little plot of land that had once been Artimé became a battleground of infighting. And if that happened, the Unwanteds were doomed. Who was Alex trying to fool? If he didn’t do something quick, they were already doomed.

Crow kicked the dusty road with his bare foot as they turned in at the gate.

“We’re going to have a meeting. I’d like you to be there, okay?”

The Silent boy made a fist and tapped it to his chest. It was the new Artiméan symbol of loyalty, which meant “I am with you.” Alex smiled. “Good.”

They made their way to the shack. Alex poked his head in and spied Henry sitting in the midst of dozens of other Unwanteds, most of whom were trying to get their six-hour shift of sleep. “Meet by Florence,” Alex whispered, trying not to disturb the slumbering masses. The roof was the only private place around.

The small team of Unwanteds assembled one by one around Florence. It was a strange group, since three among them were unable to make a sound, and a fourth, Carina’s baby boy, spoke only gibberish.

Henry scrambled up Florence’s limbs to the roof and then reached down to take the baby. Alex, Meghan, Crow, the Silent girl, and Carina all climbed up too, and they sat in the shade—for the moment—of Quill’s forty-foot-tall stone wall. Alex looked at the Silents. “So, your name is really Crow?” He asked the boy.

The boy nodded.

Alex smiled. “Nice.” He looked at the girl. “I wish I knew your name,” he said.

She tilted her head and both she and Crow pointed upward. Alex frowned and looked up. “Cloud?” he guessed. “Blue? Sunny? Star? Rain?”

The girl shook her head and pointed again.

Carina and Henry looked on, and then Henry piped up. “Is it Sky?”

The Silent girl nodded, her face breaking into a bright smile. “Sky,” Alex said, gazing at her. He liked the sound of that.

And then he blushed and looked down to see if Sean was coming.

On the ground, Sean appeared, along with Mr. Appleblossom. “Um . . . ,” Sean said, looking first at the man, who was one of the original Unwanteds Mr. Today had saved, then

glancing up at the roof. “Is this going to be a problem, Sigfried?” he asked the theater instructor.

“Oh my,” Mr. Appleblossom murmured, “what a predicament indeed.” He gazed imploringly at Florence’s ebony face.

“It’s not the height that bothers me, of course. I’m nimble quite enough, though lacking speed. But think of when she wakes! Severe remorse—without our gentle mage to intercede.

I may as well attempt a pommel horse.” Instead he drew back a few steps and gave Sean a measuring glance. “Or vault,” he murmured, suddenly thoughtful. “At that I may perchance succeed.” He brought a finger to his chin, calculating his odds of running and vaulting to the roof using Sean’s back, rather than disrespecting the enormous warrior trainer.

“She’ll never know. We won’t tell her, I promise,” said Sean, his eyes widening in alarm when he realized what Mr. Appleblossom was considering. “There’s really no other way to get up there—I’m not nearly big enough to be used as a gymnastics apparatus. Besides, I’m sure Florence would be glad she helped us in her own way.”

The theater instructor shuddered, then set his shoulders and carefully climbed up the statue to the roof, where he settled next to the others. Sean followed.

“Well then, everyone,” Alex began, and then he cleared his throat a little. “It seems things are beginning to crumble.” Meghan’s eyes shot open wide.

“To put it bluntly,” Sean said.

“How much water is left?” Alex asked Sean.

“About a barrel and a half.”

Alex turned to Carina. “And the fishing?”

“They’re catching a dozen or so each day, and some shellfish. Not enough to keep us all from starving, I’m afraid, no matter how thin we make the broth.” Carina looked down at her hands. “People have been fighting over it the last few days. It’s not good.”