The crowd applauded sparsely. Many murmured. The reporters craned closer, scribbling in their pads and raising their cameras higher.
“They have some remarks they’d like to share,” Seong said. “So please hold any questions until afterward. Thank you.”
She descended the steps to sit with the rest of the Council. Ellery’s heartbeat quickened as she and Domenic approached the podium.
“Hello, my name is Domenic Barrow,” Domenic read off his notecards, his voice oddly stilted as he chronicled his own life story: his birth in the industrial city of Danmere, and his excellent scores that earned him admission to the Order’s academy. “Being considered as a candidate for a Living Wand was already a great honor. But it was two days ago, when Valmordion Chose me as its fated wielder, that I was given—no, um, granted—the absolute greatest honor, and the greatest responsibility: to save Alderland from the cataclysm ahead. But of course, this came as no surprise to me. As I”—he paused, frowning—“have always known that I bear a great destiny.”
After he finished, they transitioned awkwardly, bumping elbows as Ellery took his place. The microphone crackled as she lowered it.
“I’m Ellery Caldwell,” she said calmly. “You may remember me from five years ago, when my hometown, Nordmere, fell to a category five winterscurge. But although I was only a child, I was a light against the darkness. While I tragically lost my parents in the attack…” Ellery had told this particular story enough times that her tone didn’t change, even as an acrid taste rose in her mouth. “I slayed a ghast and saved dozens of lives. Then I came to Gallamere to study at the national academy.” After a highlight reel of Ellery’s time at the Order, during which she dutifully recited canned versions of her student accolades, she said, “When destiny calls, we must answer. And destiny led me to create Iskarius, the first new wand in a thousand years. It is a counterpart to Valmordion. And yes, as you have heard, it is a wand that wields Winter magic.”
At the words “Winter magic,” the crowd shifted, their voices an indistinct, ominous chorus. Ellery kept talking as though she hadn’t noticed, even as a warning shifted within herself.
“But you can rest assured that such power is safe in my hands.With the backing of the Order’s wisdom, the prophecy, and the strongest Living Wands the world has ever known, I have no doubt Alderland will emerge from this challenging chapter of our history stronger than ever—and the fallen territory will be united with us once more.”
At the notecard’s urging, she reached toward Iskarius, and together, she and Domenic drew their wands.
Valmordion might’ve been terrible to behold, its ugly roots, its jutting thorns, but Ellery still thought it looked resplendent in his hand, the glow of its core gilding his features.
But when she raised Iskarius, people blanched. Its icy hilt shimmered in a flurry of camera flashes as the crowd recoiled. Their murmurs turned to shouts.
Their fear struck directly to the fault line in Ellery’s heart. She’d had this nightmare dozens of times: herself on display, unmasked as a Winter magician, unable to run or hide. Still, she plastered on a confident smile as reporters rose in their seats, crying out questions.
“Barrow! Do you have any comment on how the Syarthis Disaster has played into your life as a Chosen One?”
Domenic’s grip tightened over Valmordion. He hunched toward the microphone. “Um, no. No comment.”
“How about the rumors that it’s rendered you unfit for this responsibility?”
Seong rushed to reclaim the podium. “To ensure we answer as many questions as possible, I ask that we proceed with order. Please wait for us to call on you before speaking. Now, Wallace, I appreciate you having your hand raised. What is your question?”
A reporter wearing the badge of a business newspaper asked, “Caldwell, does the fact that your wand bears Winter magic make you nervous about its potential danger?”
“Not at all. It’s no more dangerous than Valmordion.” Defensiveness crept into her voice, and she squeezed Iskarius with an increasingly clammy hand.
Seong called on a reporter from theGazette.
“My question is also for Caldwell. Given that no magician has ever wielded Winter magic, what makes you so different? How do we know we can trust you?”
Before Ellery could respond, the spectators’ panic escalated. A barricade crashed to the ground and Ellery jolted, stumbling back from the podium as the audience’s faces smeared like paint. Their voices dampened to a dull roar as her pulse thundered in her ears.
She and Domenic were losing them. This wasn’t going to work.
But Ellery had remade herself for a role before. She would remake herself again, right here, right now, until she was undeniable, until she was everything Alderland could ever want. She stepped up to the podium, tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, and gave the crowd a slightly sheepish smile.
“Well, gosh,” Ellery said, with a soft chuckle. “The truth is, I’m not different at all. Like any other kid with big dreams, I was determined to take my humble roots and grow them into a wonderful future. You can trust me because I’m just as Aldrish as any of you. Because I love a sunrise over the Gold Cliff Mountains or the rolling hills of the countryside. Because I love a scoop of caramel ice cream and a picnic at the beach. Because I want to protect everything we value, everything we are. Just like any other magician would do. Just like any ofyouwould do.”
The crowd hushed into a cautious calm, broken only by several appreciative cheers.
The next reporter aimed her question at Domenic. “And trusting you, Barrow? How are people supposed to rest easy at night knowing that their Chosen One was at the bottom of his class?”
Domenic drummed his fingers against his thigh. He looked first to Seong, who bit her lip. Then he locked eyes with Ellery.
Bullshit,she mouthed.
He sucked in a breath and nodded slightly. This time, he approached the microphone with a smile. It didn’t resemble his true ones—a little too wide, but shining brightly all the same.
“I won’t pretend that I was a proud student. But I’vealwaysbeen a proud magician. Take a look at Oldermere, at Mercester Square, and ask yourself—when it comes to protecting the country, who wouldyouchoose: someone who’s only proven themself in a classroom, or someone who’s proven themself on a battlefield?” As the murmurs dissipated, his chest swelled, and he continued, “Like Caldwell, I grew up with big dreams. In fact, upon arriving in Gallamere, the first thing I did was hike up Poplar Street to compare the skyline to a postcard I’d always had tacked onto my bedroom wall. And having watched my father succeed as a businessman—now owning the largest vehicle manufacturer in Alderland, every part Aldrish-made—I’ve seen the power of dedication. And I promise you, I’m absolutely dedicated to serving this country.”
