The Marvellers

This summary section includes Chapter 8: “Light and World-Eggs,” and Chapter 9: “The Cardinals and Starposts.”

In one of her classes, Ella and the other students learn how to channel their inner marvel light and capture it in a sphere, using their power like electric current to run all the devices in the Marveller world. When Ella first tries to summon her light, nothing happens: “Her hands [glow], then a ball of light appear[s]. But not bright—instead a black light with a violet and white core. Like a sky at twilight. Ella jump[s] with surprise. What was this?” (138). The other students back away in fear, thinking that Ella is using dark magic, but her teacher is impressed.

Later, Jason, Ella, and Brigit find out that their sky academy is about to receive a visit from one of the Marveller towns called Betelmore. Each city orbits close to the school at some point in the year, providing an opportunity for the students to buy special treats from the town’s vendors. Ella hears everyone talking excitedly about a raffle for something called a malyysvit, which Jason explains is “a molly-sveet. The world-eggs. Hatches a mini-universe. You never know what you’ll get” (139). With demand far exceeding supply, Brigit is delighted when she wins one of the world-eggs, and everyone crowds around her to see how it works.