And just as the three stepped around the iron door, an enormous gray wolf burst from the seaside entrance of the mansion and bounded toward Mr. Today, until he saw that he was already too late. But he was hardly noticed, since all eyes strained to see around or above or below the great expanse of Simber’s wings.

With a soft word and a gentle hand, Mr. Today motioned to the enormous crowd to be seated, and because they trusted him, they did so, most of them realizing, after thinking about it for a moment, that the visitors would be so overwhelmed at the sight of Artimé that they would likely need no containment.

But Alex didn’t notice everyone sitting. He didn’t notice Lani tugging at his hand, and he didn’t notice that when she was unable to pull him down, she stood back up and simply held his arm, and he didn’t notice Mr. Today offering a slight nod of approval to Lani before he turned and walked slowly across the lawn to approach the guests. Alex merely stood and stared. And as he stood there, he thought that he should be feeling all sorts of emotional somethings inside his heart and his gut. But all he felt was a chilled emptiness, as if by their entrance, by their mere presence, the three Quillens had sucked all the emotion from the entire place into their cold veins and it had stuck and frozen there. Alex stared into his brother’s eyes and watched Aaron stare back, until Aaron could not help but look away.

By this time Claire Morning had weaved her way through the maze of Artiméans, and she walked in step with Mr. Today. Florence joined Simber and stood with her back to him, facing the crowd and training her eye on Samheed, who looked like he wanted to disappear, and on Will Blair, who looked beyond eager to stand face-to-face with Aaron Stowe and blast him to tiny bits. But even Will saw that he would not win this challenge. Not now. He would have to save his venom for a new day, which now seemed nearer than ever.

Of the three it was Strang who was most shocked. But to say that the High Priest Justine and Aaron were not flabbergasted would be a fantastic lie, because they were quite beyond their capacities to speak. Their glances darted from the army of Unwanteds and strange creatures before them to the enormous mansion, to the sparkling blue-green sea, to the lush landscape and the forest in the distance.

The High Priest Justine, her eyes shooting fiery bits of anger and betrayal after the initial shock of it all, drew herself up to her full height and pressed her thin lips together so tightly that they seemed to be a single white line painted on her rigid face.

Governor Strang looked as if he might pass out at the sight of Simber, whose keen eyes moved from one Quillen to the next, and whose body was tensed and ready to strike should the need arise.

And Aaron Stowe stared and stared, and inched backward, as all his nightmares came true before his very eyes. Simber caught the boy’s eye and growled such a deep, low warning that it sounded more like a roll of thunder from somewhere beyond the border wall. Aaron stopped his inching and stood still as a—well, still as a statue. Mr. Today, with Claire at his side, approached the visitors.

“Greetings, Justine,” said Mr. Today. He stood equally as tall but scores less rigid than the ruler of Quill. “Hello again, Aaron.”

Aaron’s face grew pale.

Justine’s eyes flashed surprise as she glanced at Aaron, and then she turned her fury back on Mr. Today. Her voice, dripping with contempt, hissed, “Marcus.”

And while Marcus Today had been preparing himself for this moment for many years, it felt surreal. It felt beyond even the mage’s own ability to imagine. It felt almost, not quite but nearly, pleasant—to finally be at this spot so that he could soon put it behind him. And while he was a gracious man, he knew that now was not the time to say another word.

The High Priest Justine stood just as still, and the two faced each other for several long, uncomfortable seconds, both their minds whirring, deciding how best to continue this conversation in the presence of the menagerie.

It was Justine who, by necessity as the time ticked, made the first move. She knew Marcus would take it as a sign of weakness, yet she saw no other way around it other than to stand there until the end of time. And in the fashion of rulers throughout history, she said in a deathly voice, “I request a meeting in private.”

Mr. Today nodded curtly. “That can be arranged.”

“At the palace. Eight o’clock.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

Justine’s face flushed hotly, but she kept her voice even. “I beg your pardon?”

“Here and now will do.” The old mage turned to Simber. “Clear the lawn, please. Everyone inside so that I might have a word with the high priest and her comrades alone.”

Claire glanced at Mr. Today, concerned. He nodded. She hesitated, and then left him alone with the three Quillens and began helping Simber funnel the Unwanteds into the mansion.

Within minutes nearly all of the Artiméans had streamed inside. Alex paused to cast one last cool glance at his brother. They locked eyes for a moment; volumes of things unsaid passed between them. For the first time since the incident in the mud Alex sensed his brother’s true fear.

“Alex,” Simber growled softly.

Alex broke the stare and slowly rounded the corner of the mansion along with the dregs of the crowd, in step with Ms. Morning, as Simber waited patiently and then followed them inside.

Alex found his friends in the lounge, where hushed conversations had taken the place of the usual music and laughter. He slumped down on the couch next to Meghan, feeling like all the wind had been knocked out of him. He buried his head in his hands, rubbed the guilt from his eyes, and then looked up and started telling Meghan and Lani the story. Soon Sean joined them, and then Samheed approached and sat down tentatively, exchanging a glance with Alex. Alex shrugged and nodded. It didn’t matter now what Samheed knew, or what he could do. Artimé was exposed, and it was Alex’s fault. And then he shared what had happened the night before, from the archives floor of the library to the 3-D door to the wolf—except that instead of Will Blair, Alex said “someone.” He wasn’t sure why, only that he thought that it might cause more problems if word got out.