breakable or too big to display elsewhere, or they are my personal treasures. These items make up my existence, Alex. Much of my life was spent alone, and these things are witnesses to it. The library tells my story, the mastodon my mistakes, the ship my discoveries and my abilities to make old things new without magic, and the whale . . . my limitations, I suppose.” He pressed a finger to his lips. “There are many other things in here, but perhaps we’ve seen enough for today.”
Mr. Today motioned toward the door and the three began walking. “I wanted you to see this for a reason. If while I’m away you need to know something about my past, please do check the library here. You’ll find history, magic, and mistakes galore. Do you remember the spell to get in?”
Alex thought back. “Door number one?” he asked.
“That’s correct. And I needn’t remind you to keep that to yourself. These things are precious to me. They are my treasures. I know you’ll protect them and care for them, won’t you?”
Alex nodded vehemently as they exited the room and pulled the door closed. “I’ll protect them with my life,” he said. And he meant it.
Cohorts
D ay after day Aaron Stowe packed his book bag full of food early in the morning, snuck out of the Haluki house, and made it to the palace gate by sunrise. Each day after the first, he made friends with a few hungry Wanteds and told them to return the same day the following week. Each afternoon when he was finished with his work near the palace, he went to the Favored Farm to collect more food.
On Monday of his second week, a figure was waiting for him. Once he realized it wasn’t someone out to harm him, Aaron smirked to himself’his plan was working. He approached and recognized the figure as the elderly woman he’d met his first day at the gate.
“Greetings,” Aaron said. “I’m glad to see you back. Have you a need for more food? I’ve brought you some like I promised.”
“Aaron Stowe’isn’t that your name?” the woman asked. She looked at him with an air of suspicion.
Aaron’s eyes flickered. “I can’t deny it. I was the assistant secretary to the High Priest Justine until her assassination. Then I was ousted from the palace despite my abilities to improve Quill, and now I struggle to get by like everyone. May I ask yours?”
The woman’s eyes narrowed. “Gondoleery Rattrapp.” She emphasized the second syllable of her last name quite forcefully, so that it sounded like “ruh-TRAP.” “I’m one of the original founders of Quill,” she said importantly. “And a bitter enemy of Artimé.”
“Well met, Mrs. Rattrapp,” Aaron said, hiding his shock at her boldness of speech, and offering a hand. When Gondoleery held out her hand in return, Aaron took it and bowed over it as if she were the high priest, which left the woman speechless for a moment.
“Gondoleery, please,” she said when her voice returned to her.
Aaron smiled at her and rummaged through his bag. “Gondoleery, and you must call me Aaron. And now that we are friends, perhaps you’d like breakfast. I have some fresh fruit today and some peanuts.”
Gondoleery eagerly accepted the food, and at the sight of it, a handful of passing strangers, including a few more familiar faces, approached. Aaron reached into his bag methodically and doled out food items one at a time to keep the suspense high, but kept his attention focused on Gondoleery.
The old woman ate a few bites and then spoke. “I came to talk to you about what you said last week’about your ideas. I doubt you’ve heard, but that fink Marcus Today informed the six remaining founders of Quill that he stole our early memories from us decades ago. Now he’s supposedly sorry and he gave them back. So . . . I know everything.”
Aaron couldn’t hide his surprise. “What are you talking about?” The crowd around them grew.
Gondoleery continued. “Back when we all made our new society in
Mr. Today motioned toward the door and the three began walking. “I wanted you to see this for a reason. If while I’m away you need to know something about my past, please do check the library here. You’ll find history, magic, and mistakes galore. Do you remember the spell to get in?”
Alex thought back. “Door number one?” he asked.
“That’s correct. And I needn’t remind you to keep that to yourself. These things are precious to me. They are my treasures. I know you’ll protect them and care for them, won’t you?”
Alex nodded vehemently as they exited the room and pulled the door closed. “I’ll protect them with my life,” he said. And he meant it.
Cohorts
D ay after day Aaron Stowe packed his book bag full of food early in the morning, snuck out of the Haluki house, and made it to the palace gate by sunrise. Each day after the first, he made friends with a few hungry Wanteds and told them to return the same day the following week. Each afternoon when he was finished with his work near the palace, he went to the Favored Farm to collect more food.
On Monday of his second week, a figure was waiting for him. Once he realized it wasn’t someone out to harm him, Aaron smirked to himself’his plan was working. He approached and recognized the figure as the elderly woman he’d met his first day at the gate.
“Greetings,” Aaron said. “I’m glad to see you back. Have you a need for more food? I’ve brought you some like I promised.”
“Aaron Stowe’isn’t that your name?” the woman asked. She looked at him with an air of suspicion.
Aaron’s eyes flickered. “I can’t deny it. I was the assistant secretary to the High Priest Justine until her assassination. Then I was ousted from the palace despite my abilities to improve Quill, and now I struggle to get by like everyone. May I ask yours?”
The woman’s eyes narrowed. “Gondoleery Rattrapp.” She emphasized the second syllable of her last name quite forcefully, so that it sounded like “ruh-TRAP.” “I’m one of the original founders of Quill,” she said importantly. “And a bitter enemy of Artimé.”
“Well met, Mrs. Rattrapp,” Aaron said, hiding his shock at her boldness of speech, and offering a hand. When Gondoleery held out her hand in return, Aaron took it and bowed over it as if she were the high priest, which left the woman speechless for a moment.
“Gondoleery, please,” she said when her voice returned to her.
Aaron smiled at her and rummaged through his bag. “Gondoleery, and you must call me Aaron. And now that we are friends, perhaps you’d like breakfast. I have some fresh fruit today and some peanuts.”
Gondoleery eagerly accepted the food, and at the sight of it, a handful of passing strangers, including a few more familiar faces, approached. Aaron reached into his bag methodically and doled out food items one at a time to keep the suspense high, but kept his attention focused on Gondoleery.
The old woman ate a few bites and then spoke. “I came to talk to you about what you said last week’about your ideas. I doubt you’ve heard, but that fink Marcus Today informed the six remaining founders of Quill that he stole our early memories from us decades ago. Now he’s supposedly sorry and he gave them back. So . . . I know everything.”
Aaron couldn’t hide his surprise. “What are you talking about?” The crowd around them grew.
Gondoleery continued. “Back when we all made our new society in
Similar Books
