The carriage in which Amber was taken to the Palace was small and plain and had no windows.  Inside it was dark and stuffy.  She felt like she was being taken to prison or perhaps an execution, squished between the nervous Alan and stoic Tor.  As they set off, there was an uncomfortable silence in which Amber's mind raced with questions.  What kind of ridiculous "rule" was requiring them to do this to her?  Was she going to be guarded?  Once she escaped, would they try to hunt her down?  Would her family be in danger?  Would they need to flee the city? Her frantic thoughts were interupted when Tor suddenly spoke.  "I'm sure you have many q

 Amber muttered under her breath as she fished her homework out of the toilet.  Four years since her Tests.  Four years, and nothing had changed.  She was beginning to wonder if she would ever shake the shame of being the only sewercaste in the school to have magic.  Not that being sewercaste wasn't something to be ashamed about in its own right. It wasn't as if she'd decided to have magic.  Either you had it, or you didn't.  You were born with it, and nothing could stop it from showing itself. Amber gathered up her schoolwork with a sigh and headed home.  The air was cold and windy, whipping her long black hair around her face.  She clut