Island of Dragons by Lisa McMann Page B

“It just happened when I was drawing.”
    â€œYou must have been perfectly precise,” said the octogator, “or I’m sure it wouldn’t have happened. This is really something to celebrate! I wish Marcus were here to see it.”
    Tears sprang to Alex’s eyes at the mention of the wonderful old mage who had saved so many Unwanteds over the years. Alex longed for Mr. Today to see this accomplishment. “It’s okay,” Alex said, swallowing the lump in his throat. “Perhaps he knows somehow.”
    Together they brainstormed the predicament of putting magical wings on a nonmagically made creature.
    â€œWas Jim the winged tortoise created from a real tortoise?” Alex asked.
    â€œNo, I’m afraid not,” said Ms. Octavia. “He’s like the rest of us.”
    â€œBut what about you?” Alex said. “You’re parts of two animals. Octopus and alligator. Those creatures are nonmagical, yet you exist magically.”
    â€œAh, but you forget that I am not actually either of those animals, not even a little bit. I only look like a combination of them. I was created from items found in the sea—seaweed, shells, plant life.”
    â€œI remember that now,” Alex said, thinking back to when all of Artimé was gone and Ms. Octavia’s body had morphed into those materials. “So what exactly is the real dilemma here? I think it’s like I told Lani yesterday. I can’t create a third arm and attach it to her, and expect it to work like the other two arms, can I? Because she was born a living human, and magic and human parts can’t communicate. A third arm would need blood and muscle and bone connected to the rest of the body, and magic can’t create that, can it?”
    â€œNo magic that I know,” said Ms. Octavia. She tapped her snout thoughtfully as a second tentacle began jotting down notes and a third picked up her coffee mug and brought it to her mouth. She took a sip and swallowed.
    As they sat thinking, there was a knock on the door. Aaron poked his head in.
    â€œAm I interrupting?” he asked.
    Alex frowned. He wanted to be the one who figured this out, not his freak prodigy brother. But then he reluctantly admitted it was silly of him to be acting so petty about Aaron’s abilities. Alex needed Aaron, just like he needed his other friends for the various things they were good at. And then he remembered Aaron would be leaving soon, perhaps for good, and the empty feeling gnawed at him.
    â€œNo, you’re not interrupting,” said Alex. “We’re talking about dragon wings and . . . and I think maybe you can help us. Unless you can’t stay, of course.” Alex tried not to look hopeful.
    â€œI was just looking for you to see if you were getting lunch,” Aaron said. “Of course I’ll stay, but I don’t know what help I’ll be.”
    â€œOkay. Great, then. We’ll get something to eat afterward if you can wait,” Alex said.
    â€œIf I can wait?” Aaron nearly laughed. “I’m from Quill. Of course I can wait for food. I’m just thrilled to know there is some. Also, I was wondering about Henry. Is there any news? And if it’s all right for me to, you know, go home. To Ishibashi’s, I mean.”
    â€œAh, yes—sorry,” Alex said. “I meant to tell you. I should be able to get you back to the Island of Shipwrecks very soon, but I was sort of hoping to finish the dragon project first. Then we can set off together, attach the wings, and continue on to the Island of Shipwrecks.”
    â€œOh,” Aaron said. “All right.” He was only a little put off that Alex wasn’t going to jump into the boat today to take him away. “Of course that’s fine. I don’t want to inconvenience you.” He came and sat down with them. “What’s going on?”
    Alex filled Aaron in on the conversation so