The rotunda was filled with nervous chatter and the shuffling of sandals against the ancient

stone tile.

Rackoff looked down from a concealed balcony, watching intently as the last of the novices

filled into the circular chamber below.

He studied their faces, their posture, identified the ones who were scared and homesick.

The ones excited just to be in a new environment.

The ones masking everything else behind a display of cool confidence.

Picked out the handful he'd need to make an example of early on, estimated how many

wouldn't make it to their first review.

He sighed.

Even after years as a keeper, and a keeper's assistant before that, it was still hard

for him to determine at a glance which of the new arrivals would stand out above the

others.

He'd asked DeTravitt countless times how she just knew things like that, but the older

emergent invariably replied with little more than a shrug and a half-ass smile.

Just a feeling at Taya, an old lady's intuition.

The doors swung shut with a thud as the final straggler's hurried inside.

The excited buzz of the assembled novices quieted somewhat, anticipating the appearance

of an instructor or administrator, but none appeared.

Whispered questions begin to circulate as a sense of confusion and curiosity spread around

the room.

And all it wants.

...