“You’re asking me?” Alex said.

» » « «

The next afternoon Alex made his way as usual to Mr. Today’s office. When he stepped inside, he stopped abruptly. There he found Ms. Morning, dressed in riding jodhpurs, a vest, and a cap. Her long honey-colored hair was mussed as if she’d been out in the wind, and Alex wondered idly if Mr. Today had randomly created horses around Artimé or if there were just the magical kind that Samheed had once used.

She noticed his look and laughed. “Small group training on invisible steeds,” she said.

“Ahh.” Alex smiled and then noticed a stranger in the room.

On the far side of Ms. Morning sat a rigid elderly woman. She startled when she saw Alex, and her face grew fearful.

“Oh, wow, I’m sorry,” Alex said, his face flushing with embarrassment. He took a step backward. “Did I get my meeting time wrong?”

Ms. Morning smiled. “Not at all, Alex. You’re right on time. I think we’re all meeting together.” She turned to the woman and patted her hand. “He’s not who you think. This is Aaron Stowe’s twin, Alex. The resemblance is startling, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” the woman said, still wary. “Quite.” All Eva had ever wanted in life was her job, and a boy who looked exactly like the one facing her had been the one to take it away.

“Alex Stowe, please meet Eva Fathom.”

Alex wiped his hands on his pants’he’d just finished working with chalks’and nearly tripped over the chair leg as he walked over and reached out a hand to the woman. “Good grief,” he muttered at his own clumsiness, and then to the woman he said, “It’s nice to meet you,” thinking how strange it was that someone here in Artimé knew Aaron but not him.

Just then Mr. Today breezed in. “So terribly sorry to be late!” he said. “I was just checking in with Charlie, as I was a bit worried about how he’s doing here without Matilda. But they are in constant communication, so neither is feeling too badly, much to my relief. And both understand their importance in helping us during these uncertain times. How are we all? Have we met?”

Alex nodded.

“We’ve met, Father, but I think we’re all waiting for you to explain the connection,” Ms. Morning said.

“Ahhh,” Mr. Today said, rubbing his hands together and smiling. “Well, Claire, Alex, and my dear Secretary’oh, pardon me! My dear Eva’the meeting is somewhat coincidental, as Ms. Fathom is here as an old friend and a new resident and I’m excited to welcome her. And, incidentally, glad to know your magic has indeed been restored, Eva, because without it you wouldn’t have been able to get into my office. So . . . well done,” he said, extraordinarily pleased. “Well done. Additionally, you three are all part of my future plans. Claire, you and Alex will begin learning more and more about the nuts and bolts that hold this place together, as you’ve offered to cover things for me while I take a holiday, hum hum,” he said with a little note of pleasure that he couldn’t contain, “and the delightful Ms. Fathom would like to accompany me on my holiday to the nearby islands and visit old friends, now that she remembers them. It’s always nicer to travel with someone, don’t you agree?”

As Ms. Morning and Alex had never traveled before, they only nodded politely, keeping their puzzlement at Mr. Today’s strange statement to themselves, which people sometimes did with the mage. Ms. Morning said, “Oh, yes,” to acknowledge that they were listening, but it didn’t really matter since Mr. Today was talking excitedly now.

“Now, Alex, you said that you’d do your best to help out, correct?”

Alex shifted in his chair. “Sure, I guess,” he said.

“Wonderful!” Mr. Today said. “Well then. Claire, Ms. Fathom will be staying here in Artimé from now on. Will you show her to her room?”

Eva Fathom, who’d said barely a word, had that anxious look about her eyes like most visitors from Quill. “It’s a large place here,” she said now, a bit uncertainly, as if doubting her decision to move in. “How will I find my room?”

“Never fear, never fear. Your door will magically call out to you. Just don’t forget your name and you’ll be all right.” The old mage grinned cheekily, which, after a beat, produced a reluctant chuckle from the former secretary to the High Priest Justine.

“All right,” she said, warming up a bit. “I thank you for your hospitality. Are you sure I’ll be . . . accepted here after the position I held?” She glanced again at Alex, whose resemblance to Aaron was so strong that she could hardly hold herself from showing him the contempt she felt deep inside.

“Perfectly accepted,” Mr. Today assured her. “Alex may look like Aaron, but he is the opposite of his twin. And Alex has none of his twin’s drive to take over anything at all, so please don’t worry about him.” He laughed and held out a hand.

Alex felt his smiling lips freeze into position. It was like everything continued around him, Eva Fathom getting up and Ms. Morning ushering her out the door, but Alex couldn’t move as Mr. Today’s words sunk in. He knew Mr. Today meant to imply that Alex wasn’t an evil person who was trying to take over anyone’s position or land or community, but the way the words came out in that particular order felt like a fire-breathing origami dragon had attacked and penetrated Alex’s chest, taking away his breath.