“We’re offering cape services for the reconstruction, with Spell offering some massive assistance with the agriculture. It’s a big part of what’s driving us to the front pages, giving us some upturn in the most general sense, for public perception. What we really want is the human angle, something where we could have an attractive young lady like yourself in a photo op, or your sister—”

“No,” I said.

“Her and the right person in a photograph? If you two paired up, Auzure could make you big.”

I winced, and I stood from my seat.

“Victoria?”

They hadn’t accepted the interview to get me for me. I was just a stepping stone to the person they really wanted.

“Thank you for your time,” I said.

I managed to restrain myself from slamming the door on the way out.

⊙

“Thanks for meeting us out here,” Whorl said. He didn’t shake my hand, but instead reached out to clasp my wrist. I clasped his.

“Not a problem,” I said. I looked up at the structure that had been erected around the portal. It cast a shadow. “It’s nice to be in the shade, with a decent breeze.”

Whorl wore a blue mask with a white border around the eyes and outermost edge, and his costume was a ‘preppy’ bodysuit, complete with a folded collar, like a polo shirt, a narrow belt, and leggings. His icon was large on his chest, a circle with angled spokes at the edges. He had an armband with the gold morning symbol on it, but the colors were the blue and white of his costume.

He grinned, showing off white teeth. “You should have been here at noon. It was brutal.”

“The people weren’t too irritable, with the heat?”

All around us, people were coming through the portal, forming lines. There were buildings to the left and right of the street that people were heading into, to get the instructions and things necessary to start their lives in Gimel.

“I think they were happy for it,” Whorl said. “I’ve been going back and forth, and it’s miserable on the other side.”

“I just realized I got us started on a conversation about the weather,” I said.

“I’m kind of a weather manipulator, not really, but it’s fun to say. Talking about the weather happens more than you’d think, when it comes to me,” he said.

Again, that smile with those very white teeth.

“I read up on you online,” I said.

“Ah, did you? Should I be flattered or worried that I’ve been stalked?”

I was reminded of the segment on television, the reporter trying to corner Chevalier by getting him to claim a certain attitude.

“It’s not stalking,” I said. “I’m doing my homework, is all.”