Thoughtlessly, he blurted, “After Valmordion’s vigil, I’m gonna try to bond with Ravfiri. And if it doesn’t work out, I’ll try for Guinvallah, too.”
Hanna smiled, wide and goofy. “Yeah?”
“I… Yeah.”
That same dread ached within him, the roots squeezing over his heart. But as Domenic anxiously twisted a dandelion between two fingers, he realized he’d meant what he said. The only thing he loved more than magic was her.
Still grinning, she lay beside him and fished out a packet of bubble gum from her pocket. She flung a piece onto his stomach. “You know my barista this morning gave me a whole earful about destiny?”
He snorted as he unwrapped his piece. He and Hanna were seemingly the only people in Alderland who thought destiny was bullshit. “Really?”
“Oh yeah. He saw my Order pin and went off. Asked me what I thought about Valmordion. If I had any guesses who theChosen Onewas. I think I offended him when I said I pitied whoever the poor kid would be.”
Domenic had been so preoccupied with his own possible demise that he hadn’t given much thought to his fellow classmates. Truthfully, he hated most of them—their obsession with status, with gossip. And maybe it was childish, but even if Domenic didn’t believe Valmordion’s wielder had beenChosen,he still thought they should be someone gallant, someone strong, someone noble. And he could only think of one candidate who matched that description.
But he refused to wish that fate upon Caldwell. No matter how direly Alderland needed a hero, he struggled to wish that upon anyone who didn’t want it.
Pained, Domenic lay back down and shakily breathed in the last remnants of Summertime. And though it didn’t catch his notice, as he sighed, every tree, every flower, every blade of grass rustled. As though attuned to him. As though in a bow.
VIIIELLERY
SUMMER
Ellery arrived at the waiting room outside Valmordion’s vigil chamber exactly on time. Tapestries of illustrious wands throughout Order history hung upon the rough-hewn stone walls. Unlike their frayed brethren stranded elsewhere on campus, these were meticulously enchanted to move like images on-screen. Magicians coaxed crops from arid ground, healed the sick, constructed Gallamere.
Students bustled everywhere, looking for their seats among the rows of wooden chairs. A nervous excitement hovered in the room, buoyed by whispers that increased the moment Ellery stepped inside.
“I heard she didn’t even have a scratch on her after the winterghast attack.”
“I don’t get why she’s not going first.”
“I don’t buy that Barrow helped. Who wants to bet he doesn’t even show up?”
Although Ellery outwardly ignored them, internally, she was coiled tight as a spring. She reached into her pocket and clutched the alban pit.
It was the last day of Summer.
By the time Winter fell at dusk, Alderland would have its hero. Candidates would take their turn at bonding with Valmordion based on age and grade level. Ellery was among the first fifty. If all of them failed, another fifty would be brought forth—until Valmordion finally Chose a wielder.
A ray of warmth brushed her cheek, like sun streaming througha window. Ellery turned as a lanky form ducked through the door. He scanned the room as if assessing a battleground.
Their eyes locked.
Since Mercester Square, Ellery assumed she’d exaggerated the intensity of Barrow’s stare in her memories. Now she realized she’d diminished it.
Before she could overthink it, she strode toward him. The surrounding whispers crescendoed.
“Barrow.” She was surprised by how calm she sounded.
“Caldwell,” he said cautiously, leaning in close so as not to be overheard.
Over the last week, Ellery had been besieged by unwanted attention while he lay low. She’d considered trying to contact him, but given his absence from class, she’d suspected he didn’t want to hear from her. And now, althoughshe’dapproachedhim,she didn’t know what to say.
“How are you feeling?” It was a pointless question—of course they both felt terrible.
“Out of my fucking mind,” he said flatly. “Thisis why I’ve been avoiding this place. Because they all just look at us like…”
“Like they expect something.”
