Ennis is the daughter son of the Domina of Manchester. He has all the standard school prep under his belt. He speaks English and Scottish Gaelic and Latin. His affinity, the slightly embarrassing (to his parents) alchemical subspecialty of cosmetics, has been determined and trained up. He's got a Manchester power sharer and a backpack full of medical supplies and little luxuries and rare reagents and knives. (He is not packing any makeup. He can make his own makeup.) (He didn't cry about the haircut, in front of anyone.)

Ennis's big sister came home alive last year and she's already shopping around for a husband. Ennis's little brothers are looking for him to be brave. He shows up at his weigh-in and tries not to make facial expressions. He hugs everybody. He nods solemnly when his mother reminds him to send the older Manchester kids home for graduation with a letter. He looks around at the other Manchester kids in his year. Sean, his mother's graduation allies' kid. Isla and Poppy and Gail and Liam. They might all make it, they might not, it's hard to imagine just - reappearing right here, all in the same configuration.

"Yes, Mum, I'll write," Ennis says, and the hook seizes her around the waist and she's falling.