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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Talia have to memorize?
(a) Her investiture poem that she wrote.
(b) All the anatomical parts of a horse.
(c) The Queen's right of rule document.
(d) Complex oaths and bindings.

2. About what do some villagers demand justice?
(a) An argument between an apprentice and his employer.
(b) An argument about the allocations of grain for the Queen's taxes.
(c) The offspring of a cow and bull.
(d) An argument about a horse and its offspring.

3. What does Talia face at the opening to this book?
(a) News of her family's slaughter.
(b) A trial against her father.
(c) A rigorous academic test.
(d) A year and a half of field duty.

4. What wars occurred long ago in Velgarth?
(a) Sorcerous Wars.
(b) Boundary Wars.
(c) Clan Wars.
(d) Religious Wars.

5. About what does Kris agonize as he and Talia travel North?
(a) How his Holderkin is faring with the border incursions.
(b) If Talia might like him.
(c) If Dirk has fallen under Talia's manipulations.
(d) Whether Talia is manipulating him.

6. What is the Hand of Fate?
(a) The way the future is cast by use of hand shaped die.
(b) The way a Herald is chosen.
(c) When someone is "touched" by the oracle.
(d) Shooting two arrows in the air to determine a boundary.

7. How does Elspeth spar?
(a) Gracefully.
(b) Clumsily.
(c) With vigor.
(d) Apathetically.

8. What insures that there is always at least one person the Monarch can trust?
(a) The magically talisman that guides the monarch to choose a Herald.
(b) Having a special companion that never ages.
(c) There is no way to be absolutely certain anyone is trustworthy.
(d) A special ring that one person wears that changes colors if a lie is told.

9. What do Kris and Talia perform as an entrance fee?
(a) A sword duel.
(b) A redition of Sun and Shadow.
(c) An archery contest.
(d) A riding contest.

10. What is one reason Talia is nervous when the approach the first village?
(a) Her shields are unusally thin.
(b) She is afraid of potential violence.
(c) She know the people in this village.
(d) She thinks Kris believes her to be incompetent as a Herald.

11. At what age do females in the Holderkin take a vow of chastity or marry?
(a) 13.
(b) 18.
(c) 15.
(d) 21.

12. What does Dirk have trouble sorting out?
(a) Who is supposed to bow to whom.
(b) Who goes where in the processional.
(c) Why the nobles are lined up in a strange configuration.
(d) His feelings for Talia.

13. For what does Talia petition Selenay?
(a) To enter a new trainee into the Collegium.
(b) To be allowed to train as a healer for several months.
(c) To be allowed to go see her father who his dying.
(d) To be released from her duties for a month.

14. How does Kris feel towards Talia?
(a) He is dismayed by her abruptness to people.
(b) He is disappointed in her performance so far.
(c) He approves of her actions so far.
(d) He is angry that she did not take his advice in one case.

15. What does Kyril make Talia practice for several hours?
(a) Bowing the proper degrees for various nobles.
(b) Packing her bags and saddling Rolan, all in under two minutes.
(c) The patterns of what he just taught her.
(d) Getting on and off Rolan without using her hands.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why are the villages concerned that the Heralds will refuse their request?

2. Who is the note from that is on Talia's door?

3. Where does Dirk say many of the Heralds are going when they slip out of the palace during the festivities?

4. What is one thing Talia does at court each day?

5. What does Talia vehemently deny?

(see the answer keys)

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