“Do you want me to come in?” asked Clothilde.

“Not if you’ve got something else to do,” said Effie. “I’ll be all right.”

“Okay. I’ll be back for you in an hour, then,” said Clothilde. She squeezed Effie’s hand. “Good luck. Oh, and let me look after all these.” Clothilde took Effie’s shopping from her and arranged it expertly in her basket. Effie felt a lot lighter, suddenly.

She slowly pushed the door, which made a small bell ring gently. Inside, the large, cool house smelled very faintly of roses, wood and warm spices. There was a tiled hallway leading to a reception desk. The receptionist smiled at Effie and led her through a courtyard to a consulting room lined with bookshelves and filled with old-looking books. It also had a desk, a chair, and a view out onto the courtyard. Effie watched as a flying dragon stretched its wings on a window ledge.

“Here’s the test,” said the receptionist. “The consultant will be with you in fifteen minutes. You’re seeing . . .” She looked at her clipboard. “Dr. Wiseacre. She’s new. But very good.”

Effie had done this test before, but in quite different circumstances. This version had some extra sections. Of course, there was no doubt about Effie’s kharakter—true hero—and her art—interpreter. She had boons to match those. But the main thing that needed to be decided now was her shade. One of the extra sections had pairs of statements with instructions asking you to put a cross next to the one that described you best. Effie confidently chose statements like I will always help my friends and I will always fight my enemies.

She finished filling in the paper test and waited for Dr. Wiseacre to arrive. On the wall she saw a big chart that looked vaguely familiar. Yes—it was the map of the shades that she’d seen in The Repertory of Kharakter, Art & Shade but had not let herself look at too closely.

The chart had a circle painted on vellum in faded but attractive Otherworld colors, close to the pinks and purples Effie knew from home. It was like a clock face, with the number 12 at the top, and the number 6 at the bottom. By the number 12 were the letters Ph. At two o’clock were the letters Ae. At four o’clock the letters were Ar; at six o’clock the letters were Pr; at eight o’clock there was simply the letter G, which somehow looked bigger and more menacing than the others. Then at ten o’clock was the letter S.

Soon the door opened and Dr. Wiseacre came in. She was young and had something about her that reminded Effie of the schoolgirls she’d met before, although her ears were only slightly pointed. Her eyes were very big and very green, and her hair was short and black. Her eyebrows were finely shaped and pink.