Aaron, still a bit dazed, explained what had transpired. “There was no chance of getting them to listen,” he said. “I’m a distraction. Way too big of one at such a crucial moment. I had to do it. I . . . I wanted to. I can’t go on like this. Being head mage was never something I desired, anyway. Not . . . not now.”

Fifer stared over the water, trying to make out the activity. “What about Seth? Did you see him?”

“No,” said Aaron. “I saw Carina, though. They’ll be fine. The dissenters don’t have a problem with our friends. Just us. We’re not safe there anymore.”

Thisbe stared. What in the world was happening? This was unbelievable. All three of them, hated by this noisy group in Artimé. Banished, or so it seemed. After all their brother Alex had done for that world, his death had left the other three tossed out to sea. “At least we’re together,” said Thisbe, her eyes filling. And then she broke into a sob.

Fifer started crying too. “All our stuff in the mansion . . . We don’t even have canteens or anything.”

“Who cares about that?” said Thisbe sharply, swiping at her tears. “Sheesh, Fifer. You drive me crazy sometimes.”

“You’re mad that I care about having water?” said Fifer. “After what we went through in the land of the dragons? Did you forget that already?”

Thisbe stared. “Oh, yeah,” she said sheepishly. “Right. Well, luckily we have water here.”

Fifer nodded stiffly. There was still so much hurt between them, but she tamped down her urge to keep arguing. Sky placed a comforting hand on each girl’s shoulder.

Aaron turned to Ibrahim and Clementi. “You two should go back to Artimé. Henry and Thatcher will be worried. The conflict there will settle down now. I hope so, anyway.”

Ibrahim and Clementi nodded. They gathered up their rucksacks and took a few reluctant steps toward the water, still intimidated by Aaron even though he no longer wore the robe of the head mage. But then they stopped and whispered to each other. Clementi turned to Aaron. “We want to stay and help you if you’ll let us. I think Henry and Thatcher would know that. We’ve been very vocal about our support for Thisbe and her quest to return to the land of the dragons. So I think they’ll expect that we want to help you both now.”

“Clementi’s right,” said Ibrahim. “I think they’ll know. And if they want to make sure, one of them can come here to check on us. They’ll understand.”

Aaron considered their argument for a moment, then wearily agreed. “We could certainly use your creative minds,” he said.