A few minutes later Sean Ranger came jogging through the gate. He went straight to the shack when he saw Alex in the window. Alex opened the door. “Shh,” he said. “Meghan woke up earlier’she’s just sleeping now.”

Sean’s relief was visible. But he had other things on his mind too. He looked around the shack, and then he looked at Alex. “What in the world have you been doing all this time? Napping? Having tea?” His face was scratched and smudged with dirt and his arm was bleeding. “I thought you’d at least have water ready for your people.”

Alex blinked. “My people? What?”

Sean stared at him like he was an idiot. “Alex, everybody knows Mr. Today was training you to take over for his vacation. Come on. You need to step up and lead. Just because he’s dead doesn’t mean you get a mourning holiday.”

The words dug in and pinched. Alex swallowed hard. “Um . . .”

Sean’s green eyes flared. “Look, Alex. These people outside have been fighting all night without sleep. If you don’t have anything to offer them, I guarantee they will go back into Quill and find people who do.” He shook his head at Alex. “Think, man! Come on! Do you really want them leaving here and going back to Quill? All the Necessaries have gone already! They can’t wait to get back to work for your brother. They’re practically salivating to go clean up piles of garbage and ask for seconds, just so they can get out of this burned-out, wasted mess of a place.”

Alex turned away. The words stung. But he knew Sean was right. Where was his head? All these people coming through the gate had lost family and friends too. And now it was up to him to rally them . . . or Aaron would win, and all would be doomed. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “You’re right, Sean.”

Sean’s face softened. “Okay. We’re all dying of thirst. That would be a good thing to start with. Is there any water in here at all?”

“Yeah, some.” Alex looked around at his meager surroundings and took a deep breath. “Give me a few minutes to come up with a plan.”

Sean nodded. He punched Alex in the arm. “That’s the way. I can hold them off that long.” He turned and went back outside, calling people to line up and organize into rows. Alex watched him almost naturally, fluidly, taking over for Claire and Florence.

And now Alex had to take over for Mr. Today.

He turned when he heard a noise. In the kitchen, the female Silent was struggling to pull water jugs out of the pantry cupboard. She was still a bit weak, but she was doing well, all things considered.

Alex caught her glance and reached to take the jug. “Thank you,” he said softly, not wanting to scare her. Her strange golden-orange eyes reminded him of the way the sun set over the silent Warbler Island and shimmered on the water. Then he cocked his head to the side and realized what she was doing. “Can you . . . understand me? Us?”

She hesitated, and then looked away and pulled out another jug of water. When she set it on the counter in front of Alex, she bit her lip and nodded.

Alex stared.

Sean pounded on the window and held up four fingers. Alex nodded to Sean and then flashed a quick grin at the girl. She could understand them! That offered him a small ray of hope. She hid her face and grabbed another jug.

Energized, Alex called to Henry. “Hey, little buddy, I need your help.”

Henry patted Meghan on the shoulder comfortingly, and a moment later he was by Alex’s side. Alex handed him two jugs of water, grabbed four jugs for himself, and pulled the door open with his foot. He held the water up in the air. A murmur of hope rippled through the haggard ranks of Unwanteds’at least they had water. For now.

May Quill Prevail

Once the palace guards had left, Aaron and his team took turns sleeping and watching over the prisoners. By midmorning, Aaron had moved his meager book bag full of things into the palace and cleaned himself up, putting on his best clothes and topping them reverently, Justine-style, with a black cloak he found in a closet of the palace. He found paper and a pencil on the high priest’s desk, next to a strange little gargoyle statue, and went back to Haluki’s house to prepare his speech, making High Priest Haluki sit at his own desk to write everything as Aaron demanded him to.

At eleven thirty, the high priest’s vehicle stood outside waiting for Aaron.

The new associate high priest, looking at his reflection in the window, smoothed his hair down. Then he gathered his team together. “Crawledge and Eva will stand with me as I deliver the speech. They are both well-known and trusted faces in the community, and those who loved Justine will feel confident in their presence alongside me.” He turned. “Liam and Bethesda, you stay here and keep watch over the prisoners.” Then he regarded the entire small group. “I’ve spoken with Gondoleery, and we believe it’s best to keep her and the rest of the Restorers out of sight for now. But they will act as eyes and ears, and report back to me the reaction to these interesting events.”

“What about the governors?” Liam asked. “Are they in support of this?”

“Haluki dismissed them weeks ago. No wonder it’s been dead as the Ancients Sector around here’they’re all sulking in their houses. Which means their support or opposition simply doesn’t matter,” Aaron said. “There’s no law against the high priest appointing a new role. And associate high priest trumps governor.” He tilted his head and shrugged. He’d once aspired to be senior governor. Now he’d surpassed that goal. “So there you go. I’ve got it all’on paper, even.”