Island of Fire

“I know who you are,” the perfectly named girl replied, not looking at him.

“Usually people bow,” Aaron explained, sure she would be impressed.

“Don’t get your hopes up, Jerkface,” Sky said. She ran ahead.

“Get Sean, will you?” Alex called after her.

“I’m already on it.”

Alex grinned.

Aaron looked at Alex as they reached the bottom of the steps. “What? What is that? Jerkface? Is that good?”

Alex snorted. “Yeah, Aaron. It’s really good. I think it means she likes you.” Seconds later they pushed through the door to the lawn, where a bevy of Unwanteds were gathering with spell components drawn and fury in their eyes.

“Look who I found,” Alex said. He spied Sean and shoved Aaron in his direction, knowing the rest of Artimé would pounce if Aaron tried to do anything.

He ran after Sky and they mounted Simber’s back. Simber took a few steps and leaped out over the water, reaching top speed so fast that Alex and Sky could barely hang on.

“Sorry about the delay,” he called out to Simber. “Aaron saw the explosion and got in through the tube.” He rubbed his jaw where Aaron had punched him.

“That’s trrroubling.”

“I meant to do something about that tube.”

Sky’s face was concerned. “But how did you get him through the wall? Did you find a spell for that after all?”

“No,” Alex said. “That’s even more troubling. He can see it. The opening, I mean.”

Simber turned his head sharply. “He can?”

“Yes. I almost fell over. It’s not good.”

Sky looked at Alex. “What does it mean?”

Alex considered all the dreadful possibilities. “It means he’s a lot more powerful magically than we ever imagined.” A swirl of fear dove through him. “If he ever finds out . . .” He shook his head and didn’t finish.

They reached the wreckage of whatever had exploded. Simber hovered above it. Alex lit a spotlight spell component and pointed it at the water.

The light reflected on a clear panel, like a window, which was held in place by a massive rounded white structure. It was a vessel—sort of. But it was obviously not seaworthy, at least not anymore. It had already begun to sink.

“What is it?” Alex asked. “Do you see anyone in there? How do we get inside it?”

Simber stared down at the vessel, only the point of it showing above the water now. “Two, maybe thrrree humans, he said after a minute. “I can’t see verrry farrr with the sea bottom all stirrred up. But they’rrre all dead.”

Sky and Alex looked at each other in alarm.

Simber sampled the air, his eyes closing halfway as he concentrated. “Definitely thrrree of them.” He rose in height. “I don’t think this is a good time to go down therrre. Therrre’s nothing we can do. Let’s wait until daylight.” The statue looked back at Alex. “But it’s yourrr call.”

Alex hesitated, thinking about going down into the dark water to see dead bodies. “No, you’re right. We’ll send a team out in the morning.”

Simber marked the location mentally, then turned back toward Artimé, and all three were silent until they landed.

The people of Artimé gathered around. Sean and another man whom Alex didn’t know were standing on either side of Aaron, gripping his upper arms tightly. “What is it?” Sean asked, followed by echoes from the crowd.

“We don’t know, exactly,” Alex said. “It’s some kind of vessel with humans inside. It’s sinking. And they’re dead.”

Some of the Unwanteds gasped. Aaron looked relieved.

“But it came from the sky,” Meghan said.

Alex shrugged. “Maybe it’s an air vessel, not a water vessel,” he said, musing. “Don’t we have a book about such things in the library?” He looked at Lani and Mr. Appleblossom.

“I don’t know.” Lani’s voice was a mystery.

Mr. Appleblossom looked troubled, and not just because his party had been ruined. “This thing has surely happened once before,” he said. “The craft had fans that kept it in the air. But by the time it washed upon the shore, no humans lived to tell about their scare.”

Ms. Morning nodded. “I remember that. Father kept the pieces he found, Alex. They’re up in the museum.”

Alex remembered seeing something up there with a fan attached. “But where did it come from?”

“We don’t know,” Simber said. He bared his teeth at Aaron.

Aaron narrowed his eyes and shifted uncomfortably. “Well, then. Now that the intruders are dead and everything is fine and I find no reason to, ah, attack you, I’ll just be going now,” he said. “Can someone uncuff my wrists? I’ll show myself out.” He flashed a patronizing smile as if he expected the Unwanteds to do what he asked.

Everyone ignored him.

The speculation began about the thing that had exploded in the air. Did it come from the stars? The moon?

“Please understand that things don’t work that way,” Mr. Appleblossom began, waving his hands and trying to raise his voice above the crowd. “It flies from side to side, not up to down.” He drew a finger across the sky. “It uses wings— like Simber, but no flap—and isn’t meant to crash to sea or ground.” He cringed at the imperfect rhyme.