Meghan squeaked in shock. “He’s here …?” She trailed off and gripped Alex’s arm so hard it hurt him.

“Which reminds me,” said Mr. Today. “I’d better show you the upstairs so you can get ready.”

“Where do you suppose the lounge is?” Meghan whispered to Alex.

Mr. Today, though apparently forgetful in his old age, did not have a hearing problem. He chuckled. “You’ll find instructions in your room that will tell you how to take the tube to the lounge, Meghan. Never fear! Never fear!” The magician chuckled again and rubbed his hands together, so excited to see the Unwanteds feeling a bit more comfortable as the day wore on.

“Tube?” Meghan whispered, softer now, in Alex’s ear.

Alex shrugged, his eyes wide in wonder. “I have no idea.”

There were several doors that led from the kitchen. Mr. Today pointed at one as they walked through the huge room and said, “Help yourself to anything in that pantry whenever you get hungry for a snack, either by coming down here or ordering up. The official mealtimes are posted on the blackboards in your rooms.”

“Snacks, whenever we want?” whispered a rather thin boy at the back of the group. “Amazing.”

“Where does everyone sit?” Lani asked.

“Oh, we always have room. You’ll see,” he said mysteriously. Mr. Today led them down another hallway and pointed out an enormous dining room, and soon they were back to the entryway and the base of the staircase.

Alex saw that Simber had once again risen to his hind-quarters.

“Marrrcus,” Simber said in his purr-growl voice. “I believe the young man has arrrived.”

“What excellent timing,” Mr. Today said. “Thank you, Sim. Wait here one moment for me, children.” He went to the giant door and opened it. On the step sat Samheed, his broad shoulders curled over and his chin in his hands. Mr. Today sat next to him, and the two exchanged a few quiet words.

Alex leaned down and whispered to Lani and Meghan, “Where do you suppose the other statue went?” For now the warrior woman had disappeared.

Lani giggled. “Perhaps she needed a snack from the pantry.”

“Or maybe a nap?” Meghan, who was nearly shivering in anticipation of seeing her brother, laughed a strange, high-pitched laugh and hiccupped.

Mr. Today and Samheed joined the others, and they ascended the magnificent staircase, Samheed still wearing a mildly sullen look on his face. Lani and several others sent suspicious glances his way, but Samheed made no further outbursts, and he stayed near the back of the group. The rest of them chattered excitedly now, wondering over things like the statues, the pictures on the walls, the music that floated about their ears, not really understanding any of it but liking it all the same. They gathered at the center of the balcony.

“That hallway there,” said Mr. Today, pointing toward the rightmost wing, “is where the families live.” It seemed to go on endlessly. “And this hall next to it is for the other adults.”

He pointed to the expanse of wall directly in front of Alex. “This one, right about here, is where the female students live—boys, you and I can’t see it, and therefore we can’t enter it. But we can see the one next to it—that’s the boys’ hall. You girls can’t see that, can you?”

Meghan, Lani, and the other girls exchanged surprised looks as Mr. Today continued.

“And here we have a wing for the few creatures who prefer to lodge indoors, though you might notice creatures in your various halls, too. Some have roaming tendencies.” He chuckled at the twenty pairs of wide eyes.

“Mr. Today,” someone ventured from the back of the group, “does that giant turtle have a room in the mansion?”

“No,” replied the man, “Jim prefers to live in the jungle, like many of the creatures. But he’s welcome here if he changes his mind, just as they all are.”

“Don’t you ever run out of space for everyone?”

“Never,” Mr. Today said with a mysterious smile. He then turned to the group and said, “Children, please find your rooms. You’ll know which one is yours as you walk along the hallway because your door will call out a greeting to you when you come near it. Inside you’ll find everything you need to be comfortable. Once you feel quite settled, feel free to roam about the mansion at will. This is your home now.”

Most of the children dispersed. The girls watched curiously as some of the boys seemed to disappear straight through the wall, and the boys watched the girls do the same. Only a few hung back—Alex, Lani, and Meghan briefly talked over their plans to meet again before going off to find their rooms.

Samheed hesitated as well. The boy’s sullen look had mostly worn off his face by now. “Mr. Today? You missed one. Where does that hallway lead?” he asked.

Mr. Today looked to where the boy was pointing, and then regarded Samheed carefully for a short moment. “Hmm,” he said, scratching at his electric hair. He wore a strange, curious smile on his face. “I’m surprised you can see it, Samheed.”

Magic and Art

Lani and Meghan made their way down the long hallway in search of their rooms in the mansion. Meghan’s door called out to her almost immediately, as it was located near the entrance to the balcony. After a quick exchange and a reminder to meet in the lounge later, Lani continued down the hallway alone. All the other new children had found their rooms as well by now, so the hallway was eerily silent.