Island of Legends

  Simber nodded. “You think like a leaderrr,” he said. A grim compliment.

  Sky was quiet. Waiting.

  Alex sat up a little straighter and peered into the darkness. “Is Ahab coming?”

  “Yes,” Simber said.

  “Tell him to call all hands on deck and be prepared for rescue. Send the squirrelicorns here now.”

  Simber did so. When he was done, Alex looked at Sky for a long moment, and that’s when the last piece fell into place. He knew how it would go now.

  He offered a small smile. “We’re going in. Sky, I want you to lead Operation Copper. You’re the only one besides me who has been through the hatch, you know the workings of those doors the best, and you’ll be the best one to convince your mother to leave the island at that depth. Can you do it?”

  Sky’s eyes crinkled with worry. “What about you?”

  Alex looked down. “I need to right a wrong,” he said. “Artimé’s statues and creatures are sacred—as sacred as its people. I may have lost Florence because of my stupid mistake. I can’t lose another one.” He glanced at Simber, who stared hard at the water.

  Sky gulped. “Okay,” she said. “Okay.” She sucked in a few deep breaths. “So what do you want me to do?”

  Alex looked her in the eye. “I want you to take Samheed, Crow, and Kitten down to the volcano. We don’t know how deep it is. It’s going to be very difficult if it’s far. Just take your time. You may need to go in and fight—you have your component vest.”

  “But I’m terrible with spells!”

  “No, you’re not. Well . . . okay, you are kind of terrible with them, but never mind that. Just stick with the ones you know, and use the strengths you do have, like your clever brain.” Alex pulled extra spells out of his pockets and gave them to her, just in case. “Ms. Octavia, Samheed, Lani, and Henry are all excellent spell casters. Just do what you can and rescue your mother, and be wily and quick about it. That’s your top priority.”

  Sky’s chin quivered. She pressed her lips together. “Okay. I can do this.”

  “Yes, you can.”

  “Just . . . rescue my mother.” Sky swallowed hard.

  “Exactly. You were going to do it all by yourself once before, remember?” Alex teased.

  Sky narrowed her eyes. “You be quiet about that.”

  The squirrelicorns arrived and soared around Simber’s head, making sure they avoided his flapping stone wings, which could send any of them sailing into next week.

  “Team,” Alex said, addressing the squirrelicorns, “I need you to circle this area. If anyone pops up from the water, pull him out and fly him over to the ship. Simple enough?”

  “Sir, yes sir!” The squirrelicorns were always somewhat militaristic. It made Alex wonder what words Mr. Today had used when creating them. He watched as they organized themselves and began circling the area.

  The ship appeared out of the darkness, bringing a hint of pink at the edge of the sky and an early morning fog to go along with it. Alex frowned. The fog would only make it harder for the squirrelicorns to see. Not something they needed right now. He hoped it would burn off quickly.

  “Okay, crew, we’ve had some new developments.” Alex quickly filled in the others on what had taken place with Copper and with Spike. He assigned the teams and explained the two missions.

  “We don’t have much time. Sky, take your team down. Hopefully, you’ll find Ms. Octavia and you can get our Artiméans out of there. It worries me . . . ,” he said, thinking of Octavia, but he didn’t finish. Everyone else was worried too.

  “Sean, Carina—I need you to come with me. We’re going to release the creatures. And, Ahab, take the ship back a safe distance so you don’t capsize when this volcano resurfaces. Got it?” He looked all around. “Is everybody ready?”

  A cheer rang out, followed by a small voice from the ship.

  “What about me?”

  It was Fox. He stood on a box at the bow.

  Alex’s lips parted. “Aw, I’m sorry, Fox. I don’t have a job for you. You float.”

  Fox blinked his big eyes. He looked down at the water.

  Desperate, Alex flashed a pleading glance at Sky. He didn’t have the time or patience for hurt feelings right now—his whale was running out of air.

  “What Alex meant to say,” Sky said gently, “is that he needs you on board the ship to take care of the rescued ones.” She leaned toward the fox conspiratorially and put her hand by her mouth to shield her words from the captain’s ears. “After all, we can’t have the crazy one helping my mother—he’ll scare her to death! Which is why you have the most important job.”

  Simber grumbled. “That’s pushing it a bit farrr.”

  “I’ll say,” muttered Alex.

  Fox perked up. “Then I will be the best welcomer ever.”

  “Think I’m going to throw up now,” Carina said cheerily. “Can we get on with this?”

  “Not a moment too soon,” Alex said. “Okay. Be safe and be wise, everyone.” He poised to dive and added, “And watch out for that blasted eel.”

  The Big Cat’s Worst Nightmare

  Into the water they went. Alex dove straight down, with Sean and Carina behind and Simber circling above. The three looked around, trying to find the underwater island. Alex figured they didn’t have more than fifteen minutes to find and release the creatures before the whale would run out of air. They had to get it right.

  Deeper and deeper they swam, knowing they could only go so far before too much time had passed and they’d have to head back up again. But Alex knew that Sean and Carina could hold their breath as long as he could—Carina even a little longer.

  After a long minute, with pressure building up around Alex’s ears the deeper they went, he felt something tugging on his sleeve. It was Sean, who pointed to an area a little farther down and to one side. The top of the volcano! Alex gave Sean a thumbs-up and followed him and Carina, who had gone on ahead. The three of them swam down the side of the volcano to where the glass cage was. They rounded the edge of the rock and found themselves eye to milky eye with the giant squid—only his eye was bigger than their entire heads. And luckily, he was behind glass. Or maybe not so luckily. The good news was that the squid’s tentacle was no longer trapped in the door. Did that mean the eel had been back?

  Alex kept himself from panicking at the sight of such an enormous creature, knowing that the stress would only cause him to use up his body’s oxygen too quickly. Instead he swam for the door, where the eel had been, and searched for the button or lever that the eel had used. As he searched, his eyes glanced to Spike, who swam around wildly at the top of the cage.

  Beyond the cage, Alex looked straight into the middle floor of the strange island. He could see some activity, but he knew he couldn’t concentrate on it. A moment later Carina caught Alex’s eye. She waved frantically to get his attention and pointed. Floating near the top of the cage, tiny and limp and seemingly lifeless, was Ms. Octavia. No wonder she hadn’t come back up. The eel had gotten her, too! There was no time to waste.

  Alex lit a blinding highlighter and pulled himself along the door until he found a round carving in the glass. Inside there was a wire. Was that the door opener? He pushed his fist into the space and pressed the wire as hard as he could.

  Nothing happened.

  He pressed it again, pushing and swimming against it, trying to get some force behind it. But it was no use. Desperately, he searched for another button or lever or something that would trigger the opening of the door. But there was nothing.

  He pounded on the door, trying to wake up Octavia, but her body looked wrung out, squeezed by the eel. There was nothing they could do. Alex, Sean, and Carina looked at each other, knowing they didn’t have time for anything else anyway—their lungs were growing uncomfortable. They needed to get to the surface.

  Alex took a single glance through the cage to the area where he’d last seen Lani, but there was no one there now. Had they made it out? Or had t
hey been captured?

  He pounded once more on the glass and then, giving up, pointed to the surface. As they rose, Alex saw a familiar flash of light. Spike had heard his tiny pounding and moved over to the glass wall where Alex had been. Alex hesitated, and then, motioning to the others to go ahead, he turned back and went to the glass where Spike was, putting his hands against the cage.

  “Spike Furious,” Alex said. They’d all practiced speaking underwater during their training time, and now he did his best to sound as clear as possible without using up too much air. The words sent bubbles floating upward. He stabbed a finger into his chest. “Alex.” The whale pressed her side up against the glass where Alex’s hands were, lining herself up perfectly with where his hands had been when he brought her to life.

  She knows! His face lit up. “We’re coming back. Hang on!”

  Spike seemed to calm down. Her eyes followed him as he pushed back from the glass and began to make his way to the surface, carefully and deliberately, and, as always, watching out for the eel.

  When he broke through the surface and waved the squirrelicorns away so they wouldn’t pluck him out of the water, Alex knew they were running out of options. As soon as he caught his breath, he looked up at Simber, shielding his eyes now that the sun was finally coming up. Sean and Carina floated nearby.

  “Big problems,” Alex said, his chest still heaving in the water. “Ms. Octavia’s in the cage. We can’t get it open.” He filled his lungs with air and let it out again. He had to catch his breath before he could go down that far again.

  “Sean and Carrrina filled me in,” Simber said.

  Alex nodded his thanks. “I think the eel sends some sort of electric shock through the wire that it uses to control the door.”

  “Speaking of the eel, you guys keep talking. I’m going to be the lookout.” Carina ducked down under the surface again.

  “Has anyone returned from Operation Copper?” Sean asked.

  “Not yet,” Simber said.

  “Sim,” Alex said, “I hate to do this.” He pushed his shock of wet curls out of his eyes. “I’m afraid we need you . . . to . . .” Alex pressed his lips together and looked down at the water.

  Simber regarded Alex. He closed his eyes for a long moment. And then he opened them again. “I’ll do whateverrr it takes. But I’m worrried I won’t have the momentum I need. And I don’t want to hurrrt anyone.”

  “We don’t have a choice,” Alex said in a low voice. “It’s the only way. We’re out of time.”

  Simber nodded. “I’ll need to get sufficient airrrspeed. You head down firrrst and warrrn them. Push them to the north end of the cage.”

  Carina popped up, catching the tail end of the conversation. “No eel,” she said.

  Alex looked at her. “Can you head down? Sean, you too. I’ll follow in a minute.”

  A second later, Sean and Carina went back below the surface. Alex looked at Simber. “Is there any way you could be destroyed doing this? The glass is very thick.”

  “In waterrr?” Simber chuckled. “No chance. I’ll just need something to push off from to get back up again after it’s over. It might take a few trrries. Orrr I’ll climb up on top of the volcano and rrride up with it the next time it goes. You don’t have to worrry about me.”

  “Okay. That’s a relief. I’m going back down. You’re very brave.”

  “Orrr stupid. I’m heading up. See you shorrrtly.” Simber lifted up, then looked back. “And stay farrr out of my way.”

  “I will!” Alex rolled his eyes as the statue ascended, and muttered, “Trust me. I will.”

  “I can still hearrr you.”

  Alex shook his head, sucked in an enormous breath, and swam back down toward the cage. It was now or never.

  Half Over

  When Alex made it back to the glass cage, he found Carina and Sean struggling with the door mechanism, trying in vain to make it do something. Sean cast one spell after another at it, but nothing worked.

  Alex went straight up to the glass and began pounding again, hoping to get Spike’s attention. Spike turned to look and swam over to Alex.

  “We’re going to smash the glass!” Alex said, trying not to use up too much air. He pointed to the south side of the cage. “That wall. Move away! Tell them.” Alex pointed to the other trapped creatures.

  The whale looked startled for a moment, and then she went up to the long-necked sea monster and seemed to converse with it. The sea monster moved to the north side of the cage. Then Spike approached the giant squid. After a bit of hesitation, the squid looked at Alex and shot to the opposite corner from where he’d been, nursing his injured limb.

  Then Spike pushed Ms. Octavia’s floating body to the back corner as well, near the squid. The Octagator seemed to move a tentacle or two, Alex thought, but he wasn’t sure. The squid reached out and cradled Ms. Octavia with one tentacle to keep her from floating away. Alex pointed out the act of kindness to Carina, who gave a sweet, crooked smile at the sight of it.

  Then Spike swam to the bottom of the cage and began poking Florence’s shoulder with her spike, trying to tell the statue to move. Alex watched.

  The whale poked Florence again and again, but Florence didn’t budge.

  Alex pounded on the glass. “Tell her Simber is coming!” If anything would do it, it would be that, he was sure.

  The whale seemed to understand, and just as Alex caught sight of Simber torpedoing through the water toward them, he thought he saw Florence open one eye. But he couldn’t be certain.

  “Look out!” Alex yelled, not sure how far his words would carry in the depths of this watery world. But Sean and Carina heard, and so did the whale. Sean, Carina, and Alex pushed away from the glass as fast as they could, and everyone inside flattened against the north wall. When the squid saw what was coming toward him, he wrapped his enormous body around all his strange-looking prison mates, shielding them just in time.

  Simber hit the glass at full speed and broke through. The impact shook the entire underwater island—it was like an explosion. Alex covered his face as giant chunks of glass flew in slow motion through the water and Simber came to rest on the floor of the cage, like a perfect fire-breathing origami dragon coming in for a landing. Sean and Carina closed in, waiting for the debris to stop flying. Alex joined them.

  Inside the reverse aquarium, there was a sudden flurry of movement, enough to make Alex look over. There, pirates began running about, pounding on the walls, trying to pull the seats out so they might secure themselves. At first, Alex didn’t understand what they were doing, but then he realized that they thought the tremor was a signal from the volcano that it was about to move again. When no seats dropped into place, chaos broke out. People began running every which way, trying to find a place to strap themselves in for the ride, but to no avail.

  It was during this that Alex saw the tiniest movement from within the glass island. A little white dot, jumping up and down, waving her little paws. Alex could see her pink tongue as she no doubt cried out, “Mewmewmew!”

  Alex poked Sean with his elbow. “Kitten,” he mouthed.

  They watched as Kitten ran away from them, straight toward the fishing hatch.

  Alex looked at Simber, who had gotten to his feet by now, though slowly.

  “Okay! Get sea creatures out,” Alex mimed. “I go help Kitten.”

  Sean and Carina nodded. They went around to the hole and inside the cage. Sean darted up, grabbed Ms. Octavia, and headed to the surface, while Carina spoke to Spike the way Alex had, telling Spike to tell the sea monster and the giant squid and the other creatures to escape. While Alex swam toward the fishing hatch, the sea monster and squid darted out at Spike’s urging and headed west. The last thing Alex saw was Carina, hopping onto Spike’s back and riding toward the sky.

  Alex rounded the glass island, running too low on oxygen, he could tell. His lungs burned. His eyesight dimmed. He pressed the door to the fishing hatch, and when it slid open, he moved into the
box of water, then pressed the second button and fell into the island, gasping for breath. There was so much chaos inside, nobody even noticed him.

  Except Kitten, of course. “Mewmewmew!” she cried. “Mewmewmew!”

  Alex didn’t have a clue what she was saying. “Show me,” he said when he could catch his breath.

  Kitten pranced through the chaos with a soaking-wet Alex on her heels. He dodged and weaved, keeping his arm near his face so he wouldn’t be noticed. An alarm sounded, and pirates everywhere were becoming hysterical trying to find safety seats before their sickening ride upward. If Alex hadn’t been so overwhelmed with everything else, he might have thought this was the most inconvenient and annoying island he’d ever seen. He never wanted to see it again.

  Kitten darted down the spiral staircase, jumping from one step to the next, and raced up a hallway past a few panicked people wearing the brown uniforms of slaves. Kitten stopped at a door. “Mewmewmew!” she cried, throwing herself at it.

  Alex grabbed the handle and pushed open the door. He nearly fell inside when he saw the scene before him.

  Fear Replanted

  It didn’t take long for Aaron and his new governors to make up a variety of atrocities to pin on the unsuspecting people of Artimé, painting them as a looming threat to the people of Quill. Aaron worked and reworked his speech, knowing he needed to be alarming yet appear totally in control, and also instill trust in his new team of leaders so that when Aaron wasn’t around, the Quillens would listen to the governors.

  When it came time to address the people, Aaron, his three new inductees, and Secretary, of course, rode to the Commons of Quill, arriving just slightly late as Justine would have done. Aaron knew it was the little, consistent details that proved to gain the trust of the people of Quill. Being late was one of them.

  Flanked by guards and wearing one of Justine’s robes, Aaron stepped out of his car, followed by Secretary. The crowd in the amphitheater murmured and then was quiet. The next car pulled up, and Gondoleery, Liam, and Strang got out.