“Yes,” said Fifer. “That’s how Thisbe went to get Kaylee and Ishibashi.”

“Great. Well, you can put a tentative checkmark next to ‘fixing the tubes’ on your list, because I’m making progress.” He smiled wearily. “How are you? Did you sleep well?”

“Yes,” said Fifer, even though she hadn’t. “I was really tired. But now…” She glanced out the classroom door and across the entryway to the hospital ward, where the few troublemakers were growing louder, protesting their restrictions and shouting out about Frieda’s death. Fifer took a deep breath and let it out, remembering what Sky had said. “I need to make some decisions. I’m going to do interviews, but I also feel like I shouldn’t be naive and start trusting them all. They did some pretty horrible things.”

“And some of them are threatening you for doing the right thing and saving Artimé,” said Sky. “That is not okay.”

“Do you feel like any of them are sorry for what they did?” asked Aaron. “Are there any who didn’t really take part?”

“Some of them,” said Fifer, “but does that mean we should just forgive them and be okay with it?”

“We shouldn’t excuse complacency,” said Sky.

“I think I know what I want to do with the worst of them,” said Fifer.

Aaron gazed pointedly at his sister, as if willing her to remember something about his past without him having to say it. He’d made worse mistakes than these dissenters… who just happened to be the very people who hadn’t been able to forgive him. As if on cue, Samheed walked in. Aaron shifted his gaze out the window.

“Morning, everybody,” said Samheed. He glanced behind him as Thisbe and Rohan appeared together and joined them.

“What’s going on?” Thisbe asked. She didn’t look at Fifer and took a seat at a nearby table, sipping occasionally from a steaming-hot mug.

“Impromptu meeting?” Rohan, also carrying a mug, sat down next to her.

“It appears to be,” said Sky. “Before I forget, Thisbe, we brought you some things.” She pointed at the stacks that she and Fifer had carried inside, but didn’t elaborate, and Fifer didn’t add anything. While Thisbe glanced curiously at the journals and papers, Sky studied Aaron, then glanced at Samheed. She wondered how the two had gotten along stuck in the library together. “Fifer, how can we help you with this dilemma? I think Aaron could serve you well in the interview process.”

Fifer nodded slowly. “Yes, you may be right. I was thinking several of us could be on a panel. Lani too, maybe?”

Samheed nodded. “She’s coming down shortly.”

“Great,” said Fifer. “This feels like we’re getting somewhere. Maybe we could give the people a preliminary quiz. Like, ‘If you could choose any head mage, alive or dead, who would it be?’ And if they write down someone awful, that would tell us something.”

Samheed raised an eyebrow. “Maybe make it multiple choice. Put Frieda on there.”

“And all the other head mages,” said Aaron, turning his head. “Mr. Today, Alex, me, and Fifer. Might want to put Claire on there, too.” He laughed sardonically. “I’m certain none of them will choose me.”