Free Island of Shipwrecks by Lisa McMann Page A

death. They were going to send Mr. Today to another island for a time, where he knew and trusted the inhabitants. He’d bide some time there until word got back to Artimé and Quill that he was dead, which would give Aaron a false sense of security, and perhaps he’d delay an attack, thinking he had more time to build up support.”
    Sean looked around the room at the faces. “I promise every word of this is true.”
    â€œWhy wouldn’t my father tell me about this plan?” Claire asked, eyes blazing. “Or Simber, for that matter?”
    Simber lowered his head. “If only I had known . . . ,” he said, but didn’t finish.
    â€œHe was going to tell you and Gunnar at your meeting at the palace that night,” Sean said to Claire. “And I’m sure he planned to tell you, Simber. I’m sure of it. And maybe even Alex, too.”
    â€œSo Alex doesn’t know any of this?” asked Claire.
    Sean shook his head. “If he does, he never said anything to me about it.”
    â€œNot about your secret cavorting with the enemy either?” Carina asked sharply.
    â€œHe knew I was up to something from the time Artimé disappeared, but I begged him not to ask me about it, and he trusted me. Besides, he had a lot of other stuff to handle back then.”
    Claire frowned. She looked at Gunnar, who was listening intently, reserving judgment for the full story.
    After a moment, Claire nodded. “All right. Go on, please, if you’re feeling up to it.”
    Sean nodded and took another drink of water. He sank back in his pillows and closed his eyes. After a moment of rest, he continued, his voice softer now, and pained. “No one but you and Haluki and Mr. Today knew about the tube in Haluki’s office, Claire.”
    Meghan’s eyes darted from one face to another, then back to her brother’s.
    â€œNo one expected you and Mr. Today to magically appear smack-dab in the enemy’s headquarters. Mr. Today had always walked into Quill when he met with Haluki. Always. Why would anyone expect there to be a different route?”
    Claire’s face was ashen. “Did you know Aaron was working from Gunnar’s house?”
    Sean shook his head. “Only a few of the Restorers knew. Eva didn’t—not until after. When Mr. Today walked out of that closet, he couldn’t possibly have been more surprised in his life to see the house lit up and Aaron standing ten feet away. And Aaron, even in a state of panic, actually managed to do it. To . . . to kill him.” He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. A tear dripped from the corner of his eye, and he didn’t wipe it away. “If Aaron had only used one heart attack spell, Mr. Today might still be alive . . . but he didn’t. He lunged for the pile and threw a handful of them. He used a lethal dose without even knowing it.”
    The room was silent. Claire’s lips twitched, and tears streamed down her face.
    After a while, Haluki looked up. “He used two more heart attack spells the other day,” he said, “to subdue the panther.”
    The others turned toward him.
    Meghan nodded, thinking back to her secret visit to the palace. “Yes, I’m pretty sure it was him.”
    â€œI’m almost positive of it,” Haluki said. “I saw him later in the jungle by the tube.”
    â€œThere’s a tube in the jungle ?” Meghan asked, incredulous.
    â€œThere are tubes in several places,” Haluki said. “I’m sure I don’t know all of them. But there’s definitely one in the jungle. I’ve used it myself.”
    â€œWhoa,” Sean said. “I didn’t know either.”
    â€œAlmost nobody did,” Haluki said. “Marcus had many secrets. I imagine there are hundreds of things we’ll never know. Unless he wrote things down, his secrets went to the grave with him. Perhaps