Inevitable

Mr. Today looked away from the long row of blackboards when he heard a growl outside his office. “Come in, Simber,” he said. “Florence, welcome.”

A moment later Claire Morning and Ms. Octavia arrived, and the group arranged itself comfortably around the large office. Simber sprawled on the floor, Florence eased into a sturdy-looking, grotesquely oversized floral love seat as if it had been fashioned just for her, and the two instructors sat in office chairs near Mr. Today’s desk.

The mage shuffled papers on his desk and set them aside, then looked up at his guests. “Thank you for coming,” he said. “Simber, what news?”

“Alex has discoverrred this hallway,” Simber began. “He’s been herrre thrrree times, as farrr as I know frrrom my view at the doorrr. Once with the boy Samheed, late at night. Twice durrring Tuesday lunches.”

Mr. Today nodded. “What about Will Blair?”

“I haven’t seen Blairrr, but he could be using an invisibility spell to enterrr, now.”

“Thank you, Simber. Octavia?”

“All seems well with Alex. Still melancholy, but such is the life of a painter. He’s working on three-dimensional paintings.”

“What sort?”

“Windows and doorways, that sort of thing. Quite ambitious.” Octavia looked over her half-glasses and down her long snout.

“Hmm,” Mr. Today said. “How close is he to getting it right?”

“Not terribly close, but he’s getting better. It’s a very difficult procedure, as you well know.”

Florence cleared her throat. “I’ve spoken to the girrinos down at the gate. Arija says the Blair boy is acting suspiciously. He’s been to the gate twice in the past week. And the ostrich statue in the library reports that Blair has convinced young Samheed to help him on an art project.”

“Samheed’s working with Blair?” Mr. Today asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

Florence shrugged her massive shoulders. “Looks that way.”

Claire interrupted. “What is Will Blair’s issue? I’m afraid I don’t quite understand.”

“It’s a bit complicated,” Mr. Today said. “You see, Blair’s father is the general of the Quillitary. Blair’s been bitter since he arrived here three years ago, because if he had been Wanted, he’d naturally be sitting in Aaron’s place right now by default of his heritage. Will has gotten more bitter since he discovered Aaron has clearly ‘stolen’ his seat of honor.” Mr. Today pointed to the blackboard of the palace. There, in the High Priest Justine’s own private office, sat Aaron, in earnest discussion with the ruler of Quill herself. “Aaron’s made quite a name for himself. Gunnar reports the boy has just been appointed assistant secretary to the high priest. No one so young has ever held so high a position.”

Mr. Today turned back to face the group. “Will is extremely jealous, seething so hard he no longer sees things as they are, but as he wants them to be. When he reunited with Samheed, his former neighbor and friend, they began to talk about Quill. Will found out that Aaron was the one who reported Samheed’s infraction, which put Will over the edge. He’s become obsessed with watching this screen, watching Aaron in the palace having lunch with the High Priest Justine and with Will’s own father, General Blair himself.”

The room was silent for a moment before Claire spoke. “So he wants revenge on Aaron?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

Mr. Today pursed his lips. “That, I do not yet know.”

“Shouldn’t we try and stop him? Can we?”

“Yes, we can stop him. You know we can,” Mr. Today said carefully.

Claire shook her head. “I also know we won’t.”

“That’s correct.”

“But—why?” Claire sighed impatiently. “When we have the means to stop him—to stop both Will and Alex! Before Quill discovers and ruins Artimé. Before they put us all in danger. Some of us are sure to be killed! Everything will change. Everything.”

Mr. Today bowed his head into his hands and said nothing. His shock of white hair pointed at the wall behind his friends.

After a moment Simber responded in an uncharacteristically soft purr. “Because, Clairrre. Because neitherrr boy has brrroken the law. Because we don’t punish bad ideas, orrr thoughts, orrr intentions. Because the moment we do, that’s the moment ourrr worrrld takes its firrrst step towarrrd becoming like Quill.”

“But if it’s for our own good and safety—”

“Claire,” Mr. Today said quietly, “once we start inter fering with free thought, where do we stop? Believe me, I’ve been down this road.”

“But you know yourself that you can protect our world without a war at all! You could wipe out the entire land of Quill and we could be safe forever, if you just choose to stop it.”

The mage smiled sadly. “And you know, Claire, that I will not be around forever to protect Artimé from what’s beyond Quill. Each person here must have something at stake in order to take ownership of our land. If our people have nothing to sacrifice, nothing to protect, what will happen to Artimé when I am gone?”

The office was stifled in heavy silence.

“Then what do we do?” Claire said, finally.

Mr. Today scratched his chin. “We prepare. And who knows, maybe something good will come of it.” He took a deep breath. “Florence, have you begun the lethal-weapon training?”