Alex, who was resting against the wall, blinked. “How am I supposed to get up there?”
Simber nodded. “Thank you, Rrrufus. Stowe, climb aboarrrd.”
Alex didn’t hesitate. He hopped on the cheetah’s slick stone back, settled between the wings, and wrapped his arms around Simber’s broad neck. With a power greater than any force that Alex had felt before, the cheetah flapped his wings and ascended over the carnage. Seconds later they landed on the mansion roof, Simber leaving a hearty dent in the shiny metallic shingles.
Alex stared at the property below, littered with bodies and small smoking bits of fiery weapons. His nose crinkled at the smell of smoke and blood. Nearly the entire lawn, from the giant wall on his left all the way to the jungle in front of him and to the sea on his right, was occupied by fighting pairs in hand-to-hand combat. He scanned the property for Samheed and Lani, but he couldn’t find them.
“Well done, Simber.” Claire Morning spoke in a smooth, firm tone. She had a bandage on her shoulder, the center of it stained with blood. “They’ve nearly run out of ammunition for their guns. Many thanks go to you, my friend, for rendering so many of their pellets useless.”
Simber nodded. “Casualties?”
Claire tugged at her hair, deep in thought. “We have many injured. Two of ours have died from their wounds so far.”
Simber growled his dissatisfaction. “And the enemy?”
“Scores of them. It’s difficult to tell who is frozen from spells and who is dead, though General Blair is most assuredly dead. Needless to say, they are hurting. And that is why I’ve called you here. We’ve word that they are sending in a second wave.”
“What, tonight? In the darrrk? Fools! We’ll crrrush them.”
Claire nodded. “We will with this method. Gunnar reports that much of their ammunition has misfired and their guns are either clogging up, useless, or backfiring due to opposite soliloquies, so they are injuring themselves quite nicely. But there is one thing I thought of … and it leaves me more than a little concerned.”
“What is it?”
“Justine.”
The cheetah’s stone forehead rippled. “I don’t underrrstand.”
Claire glanced at Alex and then back to Simber. “She’s coming.”
Simber’s face softened and grew concerned, and then Alex thought for a moment that he saw a thread of fear trickling into the giant cat’s marble eyes. “I see,” he said gruffly. And then he added, “She’ll expose herrrself if she uses any of herrr magic.”
Claire nodded. “Father thinks she’s growing desperate enough to risk it.”
Alex had no idea what they were talking about. Justine could do magic? And who was Claire’s father? Mr. Today? He hung on to every word because it seemed so terribly important.
“What do you prrropose?”
“Florence, Octavia, and I can handle Justine and the governors,” Claire said, her voice bitter just saying Justine’s name. “But she’s leaving the palace exposed, and Father is the only one who knows the secret entrance. He wants you to accompany him. If we can disarm and seal the palace, she’ll be trapped with no place to hide, and this will soon be over. Not just for us, but for the people of Quill as well.”
“And the boy?”
“He’s to go with you. Father doesn’t want Justine anywhere near him.” She turned suddenly toward the sea and put her hand to her forehead, trying to block the sheen of sunset on the waves. “There,” she said, pointing to a gleaming white boat in the distance. “He’s waiting.”
Alex, surprised at the turn of events, hitched himself onto the cheetah’s back once again. The thrill of the flight and the powerful wing strokes, a hundred feet above the vast sea, shook his ribs as he slid around on the cheetah’s slippery back, trying to find a comfortable position without falling off.
Soon enough the statue reached Mr. Today. Simber closed the gap between them until he hovered just feet above the swiftly moving craft. “Now,” he growled over his shoulder to Alex. “Slide off my left side.”
Shivering, Alex did what he was told and dropped onto the deck. Mr. Today grasped his arm and helped him right himself as gale-force winds from Simber’s immense wings blasted the boy about like an empty paper cup. Simber rose to a more comfortable altitude and easily stayed with the ship as they skimmed around the shore.
Alex stared. “It really is just an island,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. All the years the governors had lied to everyone—it was crazy. He peered ahead at the islands in the distance, growing closer as they rounded Quill.
Mr. Today glanced at Alex. “There’s an entire string of islands out there, most of them inhabited by good, decent people. But we lost contact with all of them when we built the wall.” The old mage stood at the helm, his hair looking perfectly normal for the occasion. He looked weary.
Alex’s teeth chattered with anticipation and the cool evening sea breeze. “Where are we going, exactly?”
“Ahh,” sighed Mr. Today. “I suppose we can’t just enjoy the ride tonight, can we? No, indeed. Why I don’t take this thing out more often is quite beyond me. I used to take Claire fishing.…” He shook his head, forcing his thoughts back to the threat at hand. “We’re going to the palace. You know about the secret entrance into Quill, do you not?”
“Yes, er, well, Arija mentioned it, and so did Ms. Morning just now.”