Free The Unwanteds by Lisa McMann Page A

of Boiling Oil, which lies beyond the south wall.” Half the class shuddered at the mention of the deathly place, but the students kept their eyes on the books in front of them, as they had been taught to do.
    Aaron scanned the worn page before him, wanting to know more about the enemies, but there was no description. He wondered how the governors knew that other lands wanted to attack, since there had been no communication outside the walls of Quill in fifty years. But he knew better than to ask. To question a governor would not only risk his quest to someday actually become a governor himself, but could risk his life as well.
    “Yet Quill continues to grow as a powerful force, with the most modern fleet of tanks and all-terrain vehicles and the grandest, most intelligent military of any kingdom in all theworld!” Governor Strang took a breath and wiped his brow with his handkerchief.
    “Quill prevails when the strong survive!” shouted the class in unison, Aaron among the loudest, even though he wondered how they could fight so well when the Quillitary vehicles kept breaking down and falling into rusty, smoke-belching disrepair along the road that encircled Quill.
Thank the high priest that no one else can exceed the level of our poor fleet
, Aaron thought.
    “And our great and fearless ruler, the High Priest Justine, has improved the people of Quill a thousand percent by eliminating the incapable among us!”
    The classroom erupted again, as if on cue. “Highest honor to the High Priest Justine! Long may she rule the land of the Wanteds! May all our enemies die a thousand deaths!”
    Aaron snuffed out the twinge in his belly by switching his thoughts to his daily mantra.
I am strong! May Quill prevail with all I have in me!
    On Sunday afternoons Mr. Today swept through the grounds of Artimé, his long gown flowing over the sweet-smelling grassand often dipping into the gentle waves of the sea when he walked along the narrow strand of beach. Behind him, like ducklings, trailed the most recent group of Unwanteds, eager to learn from the old man who would answer any question the young teens could think of, even the ones that seemed obvious.
    “Tell us more about Quill,” someone invariably asked, for that was the hottest topic. As each child spent another month in Artimé, the questions grew about Quill and how awful it was.
    “What, again?” Mr. Today teased. “Perhaps you all need something that will help you remember from week to week.”
    For Alex this was the only time each week where he felt on the same level as the others, and he didn’t have to fear Lani’s magical pranks when in the presence of Mr. Today. All the Unwanteds, of all levels of training, were equally astounded by the odd and sinister practices of the land they’d never thought to question before.
    Meghan spoke up. “Mr. Today, if Quill is so powerful, then why is everything so rusted and broken down?”
    “Well, Meghan,” Mr. Today said, climbing to the lawn and settling for a chat on the grass, “most likely it’s because Quillhasn’t figured out how to manufacture and produce metal products, and it no longer trades with other lands for goods. So every piece of metal in Quill is at least fifty years old, as are the vehicles. And the oil they use is some concoction of rainwater and chicken fat. Not ideal, in my opinion.” The Unwanteds sat down around him.
    “But why did Justine stop trading with other lands?”
    The mage pressed his lips together. “Hmm. Isolationism is the root of it, I think. Fear and a suspicion of strangers is, I’m afraid, a characteristic of many humans.
    “Justine wanted no outsiders to infiltrate Quill—if others were coming and going, trading goods from other lands, the traders might have spoken to the people of Quill and questioned Justine’s rule. Justine would have none of that. Her idea of power is to run Quill like a puppet show—everyone doing only as she, the puppet master, demands.”
    The