Island of Graves by Lisa McMann

the Necessaries. In the colorful world of Artimé they looked eerily out of place, like refugees from Quill. Carina and Samheed hid components wherever they could find space in their clothing, while Sky declared she preferred fighting her way, with her wits and her fists, if the incident called for it. And Charlie, who was already communicating with Matilda, wore nothing, as usual, and awaited the signal that would tell the Artiméans that Gondoleery was planning to go out.
    â€œEverybody ready?” Alex asked, offering approving glances at each member of his team. “I sent instructions to your blackboards this morning. Are we clear on the plan?”
    They all nodded.
    Samheed took a step forward. “I’ve been working on something for you,” he said, and held out a handful of strange-looking scatterclips to Alex. “I call them stickyclips,” he said. “I just perfected them last night using some of that rubber cement stuff we got from Ishibashi’s island. Thought they might come in handy at the palace, Al. You just throw them like scatterclips, but instead of them sending your enemy flying backward and pinning him to the nearest solid object, these will actuallyhit your target and pull him directly to you wherever you are. That way you can do whatever you need to do to him while remaining out of sight.”
    â€œGreat thinking, Samheed,” Alex said, taking the clips and looking them over. “These are excellent. Thanks.” He secured them inside his bulging vest pocket and looked up. “Okay, it’s time to go. Lani, you and I will head out along the shore with Charlie. Sam, Sky, and Carina, you’ll go to the desolate area as discussed, and take your places. Have components ready, but remember—you’re Necessaries in trouble, waving down the vehicle, and you don’t know how to do magic. Don’t fire any spells if you don’t have to, or Gondoleery will know something’s up.”
    â€œGot it,” Carina said.
    Samheed echoed her. “Got it.”
    Sky shoved her hands into her empty pockets and nodded.
    Alex continued. “If all goes according to plan, I’ll pull Sully out, Lani will replace him, and once Lani’s safely on the move with Gondoleery, Charlie and I will sneak around to Haluki’s, take the tube back here, and meet you guys in the desolate area well before Lani gets there with Gondoleery. I’ll be ready with the special spell.”He patted the nearly empty pocket of his vest. “She won’t know what hit her.”
    â€œWhat’s the spell called?” Samheed asked.
    Alex frowned. “I don’t even want to say its name aloud until I have to,” he said.
    And with that, the parties dispersed. Before Alex set off, he let Florence and Simber know they were heading out. The rest of Artimé remained for the most part oblivious to the plan that could leave Quill without a leader and change the island forever.

Aaron’s First Lesson
    W hen is this incessant storm going to stop?” Aaron asked Ishibashi. “It’s driving me mad.” He rested on his cot, his head propped up by two pillows.
    â€œNever, thanks to you,” said the old man. Instead of helping Aaron drink his morning tea like he’d done before, he set the cup on a small table about five feet away from the boy.
    Aaron frowned. “Thanks to me? You’re saying I caused this storm?”
    Ishibashi set up a chair next to the table and sat down. “Do not give yourself so much credit. Arrogance is ugly. What I amsaying is that the reason the storm is still here is because of you. There is a difference.”
    Aaron eyed the cup of tea. “Please. What in Quill could I have done to cause a storm to rage incessantly?” He pointed at the table. “Bring the tea to me.”
    Ishibashi ignored the command. “You are responsible for the storm’s continuance because you killed the man