I had only seen pictures of one before, but up close and in person the object that would decide my fate in the Department was a bit underwhelming. Essentially it looked like a prop from a stage show—a round stone well on a wheeled platform. It looked like the kind of well people made wishes on, complete with a little wooden roof and a winch bar running between the beams, with rope coiled around it. Although it didn’t look deep enough to even stand in, I knew that once I was lowered inside it, it would open up into the magic and dangerous well I had been studying.

As Connor and I crossed to the Inspectre, a hulking figure rose up from behind the well, a giant of a man who looked like he could be brothers with Penn Gillette.

“Don’t tell me I have to fight a giant, as well,” I whispered, hoping he couldn’t hear me.

“Heavens no,” the Inspectre chimed in. He had a booming British accent and a walruslike mustache. “Unless, I suppose, that’s one of the options on the challenge wheel for the Oubliette.” He waved the huge man over. “Julius, come here.”

The giant came over, moving much more nimbly that I would have expected for a man of his size. He held a wooden easel in his hand.

“This,” the Inspectre said, patting me on the shoulder, “is the young man who’ll be testing in the Oubliette today. Simon Canderous.”

Julius put down the easel and offered his hand. I took it. With hands that big, he easily could have palmed my entire head like a basketball.

“Julius Heron,” he said, sounding like that should mean something to me. He looked hopeful. “Of the Brothers Heron?”

I nodded uncertainly.

“Nothing?” he asked. “You’ve . . . never heard of us?”

“Sorry,” I said, “no.”

He looked disappointed. “We’re world renowned . . .”

“I’m sure you are,” I said, “but I’m kind of new to all this and I don’t get out much.”