The Trials of Morrigan Crow

Morrigan is furious that Jupiter seemingly strung her along. He asks to approach the Elders, which they allow. He presses his forehead to each of theirs, and a moment later, Morrigan takes first place for the Show Trial. The crowd erupts, and Jupiter guides Morrigan out of the arena. In a back room, he asks for her trust a little longer. The Elders enter the room and demand Jupiter explain himself. He explains Morrigan has a power connected to the Wunder shortage in the Republic; her hometown had a Wunder surplus despite the rest of the Republic experiencing a shortage. The Elders will allow her to join the Wundrous Society if Jupiter gets nine signatures for a mysterious safeguard pact. Jupiter already has seven signatures, and Elder Wong agrees to be the eighth signatory. The Elders give him until inauguration day to find a ninth signatory, or Morrigan’s position in the Wundrous Society will be forfeit.

As Morrigan and Jupiter leave the arena, Baz Charlton and Inspector Flintlock corner them. Flintlock demands to see Morrigan’s papers since she is now in an in-between state, which falls under police jurisdiction. However, Cadence gives him a flier for a troll fight, using her mesmerist power to convince everyone that it’s Morrigan’s passport. Though she doesn’t like Morrigan, Morrigan remembers her, so she wants to help in exchange for a favor at a later date.

Fen guides Morrigan, Jack, and Hawthorne through the Wunderground to return to Hotel Deucalion. She describes the hotel’s problems that day, including the return of a ghost—a gray man who hums a familiar song. Morrigan realizes the spirit is Ezra Squall, and that he has been riding the Gossamer Line to get into Nevermoor undetected. Before she can explain her revelation, the Hunt of Smoke and Shadow stops the Wunderground and grabs her off the train.

Morrigan wakes up on the Gossamer Line Platform to find she is with the Wundersmith, Ezra Squall. He admits to derailing the Wunderground and using the Hunt of Smoke and Shadow to collect and kill cursed children. When the Hunt came for Morrigan the night of Eventide, they were meant to claim her, not kill her.

After falling unconscious, Morrigan wakes again outside Crow Manor, where Squall uses Wunder to turn the house into a “Morrigan Crow” theme park. He offers to burn her family for their emotional abuse and neglect. She resists, but he does not believe her. Squall explains cursed children are society’s scapegoats, Wundersmiths who die young before Wunder can take control of them. He uses the Hunt to kill potential Wundersmiths, but wants Morrigan as his successor. She refuses and uses an unknown power to disperse the Hunt and push Squall away. He promises she’ll come to him for her next lesson, before leaving. Morrigan focuses on her brolly umbrella and returns to the Gossamer Line Platform.

After falling unconscious, Morrigan wakes up in Jupiter’s office in Hotel Deucalion, where he uses his power to show her the Wunder gathering around her. He explains she underwent the trials so the Elders would see her as a person first and a Wundersmith second—that “Wundersmith” used to be a revered title that Squall distorted, and she has the power to restore its glory. He apologizes for his secrets and gives Morrigan a Wundrous Society pin that she is not supposed to wear until inauguration day.

The lobby’s chandelier finishes growing into a crow with wings spread, as if protecting or threatening the hotel. While roaming town, Morrigan asks Jupiter if the Wundersmith will be back, and when he confirms, she says they’ll have to be ready for him.