A/N: Finally here with an update! I'm sorry it took so long, I'm just so busy! Forgive me!
Thanks for all the nice reviews!

P.S.: I think I've corrected the problem with the numbers...for those of you who never saw this, there were numbers wherever apostrophes and quotation marks were supposed to be, but I think I've corrected the problem.
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In shock, Kit picked up his manual, turned towards the door to his room, opened it-nearly knocking himself out in the process-stumbled through the hallway, and tripped down the stairs into the living room where Carmela still sat, watching TV with a passive expression on her face. All the while his mind was almost blank. Standing there, staring at her, Kit finally worked out the kinks in the nerves connecting his mouth and his brain and said, "Carmela."

She looked over. Smiled. "Ah," she said. "I see you've found out."

"Wha-wha-how is this possible?" Kit sputtered.

Carmela's smile stretched. Kit could tell she was enjoying seeing him minus any composure. But Kit couldn't do anything about that at the moment.

"Carmela," he managed to say, "what the hell is going on!"

"I took the Oath"

"Oh Christ," Kit murmured to himself. "Yeah, I figured that out. But how-what-why didn't I know about this? Do you have a manual? Where did you find it? How long has it been since you took the Oath? Do Tom and Carl know? Do Mom and Dad know? Have you been on your Ordeal? Why didn't I know about this?"

Carmela held up one finger and pressed the mute button on the remote with her other hand. The TV fell silent. "Slow down there, little bro," Carmela said, and Kit could tell she was trying not to laugh. The thought made him angry as well as immeasurably confused. He hated being reminded that she was older than him, and this-not knowing something about what had been special, what had been his was almost unbearable.

Carmela said, "You didn't know about this because I didn't tell you, and anyway it hasn't been long. Not long enough for me to go on my Ordeal. And I don't have a manual like you have, that storybook thing." She flapped her hand at him. "Mine's a little more...sophisticated." Reaching into her sweatshirt pocket, she pulled out a small palm pilot. "See?"

What next? Kit thought.

"Mom and Dad don't know. Tom and Carl do. As for how I found it and how I took the Oath...well...that can wait."

"No, it can't. Tell me, Carmela."

"No, I don't think I will."

"You have to."

"No, I don't think so."

Kit decided not to waste his time with this-even if she didn't tell him, he would find out somehow.

Carmela was smiling at him again, mischievously. "It's going to be quite a test for you, isn't it? Your big sister a wizard."

A test.

It all came back to Kit. He remembered discovering that he was on active and Nita was not, and the meeting with Tom and Carl. A test. They must have known then-it was only a short time ago, Kit thought. So that's what it means. And it must have something to do with her Ordeal, if she hasn't been on it yet. Is this going to be like what we did with Dari? Ugh, I hope not-that was an ordeal for everyone involved. Including the Lone Power. Oh Lord, what am I going to do?

Call Nita.