First Test Test | Pierce, Tamora

Answer: A horn

As Kel is leaving the gates of Mindelan -'"Miss?" called a voice as she strode through the inner gate in the castle wall. "Where might you be going?" Kel turned to face the man-at-arms who had called to her. "I don't know." The man held out a small horn. "If you're not going to the village, you need one of these."' The horn is used to call for help in case she meets an immortal.

Answer: Conal

When Salma, a palace servant is leading Kel to her rooms she says, '"I was brought in five years back-just in time to meet your brother Conal. Don't worry. I won't hold it against you."' Kel smiled and thought 'Conal had that effect on people.'

Answer: Tkaa

Neal takes Kel on a tour of the palace her first day and says, '"I bet you'll enjoy the portrait gallery. If you're showing visitors around, it's one of the places they like to go."' 'In the hall Kel 'whirled, startled, and found she was staring at an expanse of pearl-gray material, as nubbly as if it were a mass of tiny beads melted together.' Neal introduces Kel and the basilisk. '"Tkaa, this is Keladry of Mindelan," said Neal. "Kel, Tkaa is a basilisk.

He's also one of our instructors in the ways of immortals."'

Answer: Reading and Writing

After Kel's "fun-filled" morning of physical activity she return to the palace for regular classes. 'Academic classes began after lunch, just as Kel began to feel her bruises. Her first two classes-reading and writing, then mathematics-were taught by shaven-headed Mithran priests in bright orange robes.'

Answer: A belt-knife

Kel returns to her room one day and finds a box. 'Opening the canvas wrap, she found a plain wooden bow inside. Shaking her head-she didn't like mysteries of any kind-Kel opened the box. Inside she found a belt-knife. Like the box, the sheath was plain, made of the same kind of black leather that wrapped the hilt.

The blade itself was a very different matter: it was steel as fine as anything that came out of the Yamani Islands, so sharp it would slice a hair.'

Answer: Neal and Cleon

In the Royal Forest, the pages are given a task to complete and are spit into groups to scout. 'The remaining group included Kel, Neal and Cleon. "You're going to find a vantage point that overlooks this clearing," Wyldon told them. "You'll map the area, including prominent features such as rock formations and the stream. Once you come down, you will pace the dimensions between features and mark them on your map. Cleon's done it before." Lord Wyldon pointed to a nearby chestnut, one that grew on the clearing's edge near the stream. "Start climbing." he ordered.'

Answer: Merric

'She was near her room when voices drew her attention. They came from the hall ahead. "Pages are supposed to be graceful, not clumsy." Kel knew Joren's mocking tones well. She froze. "Clumsy?" She also knew Merric's voice well. Something clattered and crashed; a boy yelped. Kel turned into the hall to see what was going on. Three older pages stood over Merric, who had fallen.'

Answer: Vinson

After Kel fights with Joren and his friends in the library, she and all the boys, including Merric who was being hazed, are brought before Lord Wyldon to be given punishment. 'Vinson was the last of the older pages to walk out of Lord Wyldon's study. Through the open door Kel heard the training master call, "Send her in."'

Answer: Roald

At Midwinter, Gower knocks on Kel's door. 'In addition to her wash water he carried a sack containing three gifts. One came from Neal, a leather-bound volume about female warriors who had once defended the realm of Tortall. To Kel's surprise, Prince Roald gave her a blown glass horse no longer than her thumb.

When she saw the flattened ears and the bared teeth, she laughed. It looked very like Peachblossom. There was no name on the third gift.'

Answer: Horse blood

'"How's Neal?" Seaver looked up, scanning the pack of older boys. "He's ahead of everybody." "Horse blood," guessed Merric. "There must be some in the Queenscove family." "A racer," agreed Seaver, panting. "The family keeps it hushed up."'