Re: i. THE TRIAL
Edmund appreciates Matt's efforts. His preference is to continue the trial after the trap is sprung, and not only as a distraction or to buy time. If they were going to kill her out of hand (as tempting as that would have been if they could), they shouldn't have used this method.
He wraps his hand in a corner of Reyna's cloak before accepting the wand from Erik. He doesn't want to touch the thing more than humanly possible, personally, although he does wonder the slightest bit wistfully if it would have any effect against the Witch. He's not happy with himself for wondering, however, and he's not foolish enough to actually try it. He puts it in a box from under his chair, and puts his foot on the box, and he absolutely watches the Witch's reaction to this.