“Yeah, that you’ll spare them all this nightmare, and that I’ll—I don’t know—collapse. Something dramatic.” He shoved his hands into his pockets, slouching as if vainly trying to make himself small. “Let’s hope we both disappoint them, then.”
Ellery let out a surprised snort. Surprised he could joke during such a serious moment. Surprised by how good it felt to laugh. Surprised that not only had he remembered she didn’t want this, he hadn’t questioned her choice.
“I’ve never wanted to be a disappointment before,” she drawled.
He grinned. “Ah, a first timer. Care if I offer you some advice?”
“Only if it’s good advice.”
“Well, contrary to popular opinion, disappointing doesn’t hurt so much the first time. But the third time? The tenth? However long it takes that they come to expect it?” His smile widened even as it dimmed. “That’s the one that stings.”
As Ellery grasped for a response that didn’t sound like a platitude, he blurted, “I should find my seat before, you know, the swooning sets in. I’ll see you, then?”
“Uh, yeah. Good luck?”
Barrow hurried off, leaving Ellery to stare awkwardly after him.
Then she sighted Demelza and Julian among the magicians shamelessly gawking. She joined them by her assigned seat. Ellery was slotted eighth—directly behind Julian, in the midst of the Order favorites. She suspected she wasn’t ahead of him because of her tearful conversation with Glynn, although the rumor mill had run wild with their own explanations. Barrow, by contrast, was the final magician in their class.
Ellery sank into her chair. Demelza, a grade year behind, was seated several rows back, but hovered beside her and Julian anyway. Since the announcement of the vigil, the three of them had agreed not to discuss Valmordion. But she knew they both wanted it, especially Julian.
“Well, now I get it,” Demelza murmured to her.
“Get what?”
“Why so many people think you and Barrow were on a date before you fought the winterghast.”
“We’re at Valmordion’s wand vigil,” Ellery hissed, “and you want to talk about my love life?”
“Only if there’s something to talk about.”
“There isn’t.”
“Of course there isn’t,” Julian said pointedly. “Ellery’s sworn off dating.”
“But youwereat the movies at the same time,” Demelza said.
“Alone,” Ellery countered. “It was a coincidence.”
A loaded word—Alderland didn’t believe in coincidences. Neither did Ellery’s friends.
“Look, we all know you don’t kiss and tell,” Demelza said. “But if youdid…I’m just curious: did he live up to his reputation?”
Ellery’s mind unhelpfully conjured an image of Barrow’s full lips, slightly parted. She flushed. Julian cracked his knuckles ferociously.
“Here’s the entire sordid story,” she said coolly. “We ran into each other after the film. We had a casual conversation. Then we fought the winterghast, which as you both know isfamouslyan aphrodisiac.”
Demelza coughed to hide a laugh. Even Julian chuckled, his shoulders relaxed. But Ellery still felt the color in her cheeks.
“Attention, everyone,” called Glynn from the doorway. “Good afternoon. Please, take your seats.”
Demelza gave Ellery and Julian quick hugs, mouthedgood luck,and hurried off to her own seat.
“I’ll be your proctor for today’s vigil,” Glynn continued. Proctor duty was typically a task for lesser magicians, not Councilors. But of course, this was no lesser wand vigil.
He scanned the room until he found Ellery. His gaze was even more expectant than her classmates’.
If there’s something wrong with my magic, Valmordion won’t Choose me.
