“The Ability Exam is now over,” says Master Abelardo, and only then do I realize that he has been standing for twenty-four hours without sleep. “Out of the nineteen candidates that started the exam exactly twenty-four hours ago, only you seven completed it successfully.”
He points at the middle-aged man with the twisted end of his cane, and says, “Please, say your name with pride, for you are now a member of the Hunt.”