The auditorium has amphitheater seating with a stage in the center. At the front of the stage, there’s a long table where the guildmasters sit taking notes. I watch from a section to the right of the stage along with the rest of the apprentices who will be presenting their galleries. Hypatia is sitting next to me, vibrating with nerves and rhythmically running her tongue back and forth along her teeth. She’d missed lunch with us yesterday because she was receiving treatment for her mystery illness, and today she’s positively shining with vitality. She keeps waving excitedly at her parents, who are sitting with Prince Alex. Because, of course, if Rafe is a prince, that makes Hypatia royal too. Can’t say I saw that one coming.

The Quorum begins with reassignments from Avant, like Simon. He bumbles through his gallerie, but, honestly, compared to anything I’m used to from teen boys back home, it’s quite an impressive display. I especially like one of his inventions—a lightweight portable boat that can be carried like a backpack and assembled quickly when necessary. It’s cool, but when he’s questioned about it, it’s revealed that the motor is too heavy, and the boat has a tendency to leak. He also performs a song on his hurdy-gurdy—a guitar-like instrument with a hand crank and a wheel that is much less ridiculous than it sounds—and when it comes to music, he is, as Hypatia has told us, quite talented. He’s reassigned from the Avant Artisan guild to the Genesis one, and he replaces his amethyst ring with a stud in his ear. Hypatia applauds enthusiastically for him.

The reassignments are followed by the masters who are seeking entrance to new guilds. Today’s group is small and has no one that I know. The last group will be journeys qualifying as masters, but first the big deal that everyone is most excited for is the apprentice placements.

Headmaster Bloche calls up each apprentice one by one to present their gallerie and to be interrogated by the guildmasters. Pockets of the crowd cheer each time an apprentice accepts a position in one of the guilds.

I take deep, calming breaths the way my pitch instructor, Madam Adelina, taught me, but my nerves are tenacious, and it’s hard to pay attention to the other galleries.

“Next apprentice is Hypatia Vanguard, fourteen years of age,” the herald announces. “Her mentor is Donatello Bloche, headmaster of the Genesis Institute and master of the Sophist, Alchemist, and Cipher guilds.” Wow, I didn’t realize that the headmaster himself mentored Hypatia. I guess that’s how it works when you’re a member of the royal family.

I squeeze Hypatia’s hand as she rises. Her clammy fingers squeeze mine in return, then slide out of my grasp as she walks confidently to the center of the stage.