Elementals: Ice Wolves

Several heartbeats later, Sigrid reached out to rest her hand on Natan’s shoulder, slowly guiding him back and away from the staff. “Vallen thanks you for your willingness to serve,” she said, but as she released him, and he stumbled to the edge of the dais to walk slowly down the stairs, she was already looking hungrily at the next girl in line. Anders bit his lip, watching the other boy’s shoulders slump. The next girl didn’t transform either. Rayna grabbed Anders’s hand, giving him a squeeze as reminder that they had work to do. They picked their way through the crowd, scoring a copper here, another two coppers there, Rayna doing the bold work of distraction, Anders carefully taking hold of the money and trying not to alert his marks or mess it up. The familiar ceremony wore on in the background as candidate after candidate recited their lineage as proof of their right to undertake the Trial, and trembling, grasped the staff. The mood in the square grew darker as every single one of them stubbornly stayed in human shape. Now, more than ever, Vallen needed more

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