A warm breeze carrying the smell of freshly baked bread drifted through the window and woke me. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and sat up with a yawn—only for a tiny weight to slide off my chest and tumble into my lap.

  "Ah—!"

  I looked down to see Rose blinking up at me, stretching as if she'd woken from the best sleep of her life. I was slightly confused, considering she'd fallen asleep on the pillows next to me, not on top of me.

  "Rose...when did you even get there?" I said with a laugh.

  She didn't answer, instead stretching again as if she'd just slept on the bed of a lifetime.

  "I guess it's fine," I sighed.

  Rolling out of bed, I mentally prepared myself for the struggles ahead. I walked over to my bag and swallowed the last of my pride. I reached in and pulled out the bra that matched the underwear from last night. Just touching it made my shoulders tense. I stood there for a moment, wrestling with the fact that I was about to try and put it on.

  Several failed attempts later, I finally found that I could clasp it in front, spin it around, and slide my arms through the straps.

  "Thank goodness that's over," I huffed.

  I flushed with embarrassment thinking about how I'd have to wear these regularly now. As much as I hated the idea, I couldn't deny the support it offered.

  "Now for the next part," I muttered.

  I grabbed a handful of hair and sniffed. My face immidiately soured. Definitely time for a wash. I walked over to the wash bin and dunked my whole head in. After a few passes with my hands, I reached for a towel and tried to rub my head dry like I did when I was a guy.

  I quickly learned that this was a terrible idea. My hair instantly became tangled, and the towel was soaked before it even made a dent in the wetness. After wasting another towel, I gave up with a groan.

  With a sigh, I deadpanned over to my bag. Conveniently, Ariel had slipped a hairbrush in there at some point, as if she knew the struggle was real. I pulled it out and inspected it like it was an alien tool.

  "If only I had a hair dryer," I muttered. "Too bad those don't exist here..."

  Suddenly I got an idea. A silly one, but one that just might work. I tilted my head sideways, letting my hair hang down as it continued dripping water.

  With my hand next to my hair I said, "ThalElvaKel." {WarmAirMove}

  The words hummed, and a small swirl of warm air formed at my hand. Suddenly, it burst outward like a popped balloon. Several wet strands went flying, slapping me across the face.

  I winced and held a hand to where I'd been smacked. "Ow! Well that didn't go as planned..." I muttered with a weak laugh. "I guess, 'warm air move' isn't quite the combo I want."

  I tried again, thinking over my words a little more carefully. "MinThalElvaKelTahl {Small Warm Air Move, sustained}," I whispered.

  A smaller swirl formed this time, releasing a steady stream of warm air through my hair. It felt amazing.

  "Yes!!" I cheered.

  I moved my hand up and down, and the air pocket followed. With my other hand, I started using the brush to free the tangles.

  Behind me came the soft sound of applause. I turned—head still tilted sideways—to see Rose clapping for me on the edge of the bed.

  "You like that, Rose?" I asked, full of pride. "It's called 'hair drying'. Maybe I can patent that here..."

  Rose beamed, and gave me an enthusiastic thumbs up.

  The air swirl lasted a couple minutes before it faded away. By then, my hair was perfectly warm and dry. Pleased my job, I threw on a dress, retrieved my belongings, before heading to the door.

  "Ready to explore, Rose?" I asked, doing a I triumphant twirl.

  She grinned and darted over to me, burying herself in my freshly warmed hair. I couldn't help but smile as we left the room.

  ~~~~

  Once downstairs, I waited for maybe half an hour, humming quietly to myself. The hearthroom of this inn was suprisingly cozy. Small clay bookshelves lined the walls, and old barrels had been repurposed into tables with polished stone tops. By the window, a couple windchime pipes 'dinged' with the ever-flowing breeze that flowed through the city.

  The innkeeper noticed me waiting and asked, "Are you Mae, by chance?"

  I blinked, slightly suprised. "Uh—yeah...that's me. How'd you know?"

  "Your friends asked me to deliver a message." She reached behind the counter and produced a small pouch. "They wanted me to tell you that you're free to explore today. They've gone ahead to run some errands of their own, and left this for you."

  The pouch jingled when she set it down. I opened it up just enough to see some shiny coins.

  * Heck yeah! An allowance! *

  "Oh, thank you!" I said with a little bow.

  Just as I turned to walk away, she called, "Oh—one more thing, they said you should look into the trials while you're out. Just so you're not going in blind."

  "Great, thank you!" I said, waving as I headed for the door.

  * First time exploring alone since Talonveil. I'm stoked! *

  I felt Rose poke her head out of my hair as we stepped outside. She was just as excited as I was—maybe more.

  "Well then," I said, tucking the pouch away. "Where to first?"

  ~~~~

  The two of us wandered for hours, finally getting the chance to see Elemyr in all of its beauty.

  Many of the buildings were smooth and curved, as if the wind itself had sculpted them over centuries. Waterways wove through the streets, with polished stone bridges arching over the narrow canals. Above them, banners bearing Elemyr's crest rippled in the constant breeze. The cool air carried the scent of fresh water and moss. And behind all of it, the wind whispered as it filled the city's hidden flutes with their quiet, ever-changing melodies.

  With morning fully under way, the city had sprung to life. We'd ended up in the Whispering Plaza again, now transformed from a quiet square to a bustling marketplace. Stalls and booths filled every corner, each selling varieties of trinkets, items, and anything you could imagine. It was like a flea market of magical curiosities.

  What shocked me the most were all of the non-human people around. There were plenty of normal-looking humans, but then there were other ones with pointed ears that reminded me of elves—Lanariens apparently. Even more fascinating were the Zutari, the human-animal hybrids that were scattered about. Their appearances varied more wildly than I thought possible. Some had paws, others had fur, some even had leaves sprouting from parts of their bodies. Yet others only had animal-like eyes, or almost completely looked like bipedal beasts. The variations seemed endless.

  I wandered away from the Whispering Plaza as I explored, crossing over bridges and walking through small alleys as I took it all in. I peeked into clothing shops here and there, quickly becoming overwhelmed by the sheer amount of options girls could choose from. Dresses, skirts, shoes, corsets...ribbons! So many ribbons... Still, I did find one dress that I genuinely liked. I stood there holding it for a moment, reminiscing about the days when basketball shorts and T-shirts solved all of my wardrobe problems.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

  * Maybe I'll see if Ariel can help me make a wardrobe someday...if I survive all this. *

  Along the way, I bought a little amulet for Ariel and a pin for Caelin as a thank you for all their help. The merchant insisted on 'giving me a special deal since I was just so pretty'. I wanted to be flattered, but something about him felt off, so I quickly paid and got out of there.

  As I explored, I picked up bits of information on the TGU trials from the merchants and other passerby. The test was supposedly going to start in the large building I'd noticed towards the middle of the city—hard to miss once people pointed it out. The trials themselves, however, were a mystery. Nobody could agree on what they involved, only that there were three, and they changed every year.

  Apparently, the proctors changed too, usually upperclassmen or graduate students, which made each years trials impossible to predict. Anyone could take the exam as many times as they liked...if they survived. There were no lifelines, no safeguards, no help. If you failed, and lived, you could try again next year...supposing you wanted to.

  By the time I'd finished gathering what little information existed, the sun had climbed well into afternoon. I had spent some money to buy things like healing potions and dried food just in case. I'd also purchased a simple wand, thinking it might be best if I drew less attention to my ring. It had shifted back to a deep sapphire blue sometime over the last day. I had a few suspicions about what it was capable of, but none that I could confirm yet.

  I decided to take a break in a nearby cafe for a bit. The building I'd chosen looked like a rounded stone someone had carved into a cozy shop, and the sign on the front read, 'Fernie's Nook'. As I stepped inside, a soft breeze brushed past me, slipping through a bundle of tiny pipes above the door. They chimed together, making a little harmony. A doorbell— Elemyr style. A small head appeared from behind the counter.

  "Welcome in!" The gentle voice said.

  I watched a small humanoid climb some steps behind the counter until her torso was visible. She had pale skin, oversized round glasses, and a woodland-inspired dress. At first I thought she was wearing a dark mahogany colored mushroom for a hat—until I realized it was attached.

  "Hello dear, how can I help you today?" she asked.

  "Hello," I said with a little wave. "I'm Mae. I'm new in town, and just exploring today."

  "Oh! Well, welcome in. My name is Fernie." She gestured to a little menu next to the counter. "Can I get you something to drink?"

  "That sounds nice," I replied with a nod.

  I stepped closer to get a better look. It was small, and from the descriptions—mostly teas and energy drinks. None of the ingredients made sense to me.

  "Hmm, these all look tasty. Is there one you would recommend?"

  "Well, if you'd like a little energy boost, I'd recommend the 'Wakcap'," Fernie said with a smile. "It's a strong one, but it's a local favorite. If you'd like something to help you relax, try the 'Glowcap Tea'. It's very mellow and puts my daughter right to sleep."

  It was already the mid-afternoon, so if the Wakap was really that strong, it might keep me up all night.

  "I'll try the Glowcap today, I think."

  "Good choice, I think you'll enjoy it."

  "Thank you," I said, pulling out some coins to pay.

  "Oh don't worry about that," Fernie said, raising a hand. "I always let visitors try their first one for free."

  "That's awesome— thanks!"

  "Of course dear, I'll get that started for you right away," Fernie said as she stepped down and went behind some dangling fabric and into the kitchen area.

  "I wonder what it will taste like," I asked out loud.

  From my left came the sound of a page flipping followed by a quiet voice that said, "It tastes better at night."

  I turned to see another brick colored mushroom hat peeking over the top of a book.

  "Oh I'm sorry! I didn't see you there! Why's that?"

  I was answered with the sound of another page turning. I waited for a couple seconds without a response. The cover of the book looked like something about plants, but other than that I had nothing to work with.

  * ....ookay *

  I cleared my throat. "Sorry...what makes the glowcap tea better at night?" I asked again.

  I saw the tip of the book lower, revealing a tiny girl with a large pair of round glasses. She was dressed similarly to Fernie, though her mushroom cap was a brighter shade of red. I could only assume this was Fernie's daughter. She was really cute, actually. Everything about her told me she loved books. I bet she'd get along well with Ariel.

  "Well," she said, pushing up her glasses. "Glowcaps reproduce during the night when it gets the coldest. They're much easier to cultivate and harvest then. When brewed in similar conditions, the flavor carries over and grows much stronger."

  "Wow, it sounds like you really know your stuff!" I said enthusiastically. I was too late however, because she had already raised her book back up.

  From behind the cover I heard a muffled, "Yeah, I read it in a book."

  * Who could have guessed?? *

  Just then, Fernie walked in carrying a glazed mug shaped like a mushroom. "Mallow, where are your manners? Look at our guests when you talk to them. I'm sorry about that," She said, handing me the mug. "That's my daughter. Honey, why don't you introduce yourself."

  The girl put down her book, careful to mark the page she was on. She hopped off the chair she was in, making me smile with how small she was. She was maybe chest-high on me, mushroom cap included. Her large round glasses and short brown bob added to the effect. Her outfit matched her mom's: lots of green and brown patterns, and was very nature inspired.

  "Hello there, I'm Mallow," She said with a little curtsy.

  "Hello, nice to meet you, I'm Mae," I responded with an improvised curtsy of my own.

  Mallow nodded once before hopping back in the chair and eagerly returning to her book.

  "You'll have to forgive her," Fernie said. "She's a sweet girl who's just passionate about reading. She's just a little shy, that's all."

  "It's okay," I smiled. "I have another friend who is a little shy as well."

  I shook my head side to side and felt Rose grab onto my neck.

  "Once you get to know them though, they're amazing to talk to."

  Fernie gave me a warm smile and nodded saying, "Well, please enjoy your drink and keep the mug as a souvenir. They're easy to make."

  "Thank you!" I said, taking a sip.

  The tea was the most fragrant thing I'd ever tasted. It was earthy, fruity, and comforting all at the same time. A soft warmth spread through my chest, and the tension in all my muscles seemed to melt away.

  "This is delicious!" I exclaimed.

  "Thank you, it's a house special," Fernie said proudly.

  I glanced towards Mallow. "If the daytime version is this good, I'll have to come back and try it again at night like you said."

  She just peeked at me over the book without saying anything.

  "Well," I said with a small sigh. "I guess I ought to go. My friends are probably waiting for me."

  "Thanks again for coming in! If you enjoyed it, please stop by again," Fernie said with a bow.

  "Absolutely! I'm sure my friends would enjoy this place too," I smiled, turning to the door.

  As I left, the windpipes sounded again.

  * What a nice cafe. A free drink and souvenir? Excellent service? Ten out of ten, would go again. *

  I made my way back to the inn, sipping on my tea as I walked.

  ~~~

  By the time I made it back, the sun was already setting, so I settled into the hearthroom to wait for Ariel and Caelin. I peeked in my bag, looking through the things I'd bought. Most of it probably wasn't even useful— just basic survival items I'd seen on TV when I watched those wilderness shows.

  Roughly thirty minutes passed before Caelin returned. I waved him over, and he sank into the chair across from me.

  "Heyy, looks like you've been busy," I said.

  Caelin had a whole new bag with pouches and plenty of zippers. It reminded me of a backpack, just slightly smaller.

  "Definitely. I'm beat. Shopping really takes it out of me. I don't know how Ariel does it," he replied, pretending to act defeated.

  "I know, right? Shopping has never really been my thing."

  "Oh yeah? Looks like you got quite the haul yourself."

  "It's not that much, just some basic survival things." I leaned by bag over so he could see inside.

  Caelin made a face and fought back a laugh.

  "What..?" I pouted, "These could totally be useful!"

  "Oh yeah...totally!" he nodded with exaggerated seriousness. "You never know when you might need a collapsible whisk!"

  I was about to go off on him when Ariel finally arrived. She noticed us and quickly came to sit down. Surprisingly, it didn't look like she'd bought a whole lot.

  "Hello, you two. Looks like you're having fun," Ariel said as she approached.

  "We were," Caelin said with a grin. "But now that you're here..."

  Ariel turned and punched him in the shoulder.

  "Oww, haha! Just kidding. We were talking about how Mae loves shopping. She said she'd love to go with you sometime."

  "I did not say that! I said I'm not the biggest fan of shoppi—"

  "Really!?" Ariel squeaked, shooting up fast enough to ruffle her skirt.

  After a small pause, she tucked her dress under her and sat back down.

  "I mean—*ahem*— you...do? I'd be happy to take you sometime."

  I shot Caelin a look promising future violence, but he just smiled and pretended not to notice the situation he'd just created.

  "Sure I'd...like that," I said with a forced smile."

  Ariel's eyes twinkled like the stars before she caught herself, cleared her throat, and tried to act casual. "Of course, shopping with friends is much more fun than going alone."

  "Not that you would know," Caelin teased, earning him another punch.

  "Anyway," Ariel said with an irratated tone as she changed topics. "I couldn't find anything useful about this year's trials—just scraps from last year."

  Ariel explained that last year started with a race and that participants were allowed to bring just about anything with them. I told them what I'd learned about the location, and Caelin added that he'd heard a rumor the first trial would be earth-themed. Aside from that, it seemed we'd all hit the same dead ends.

  "Hmm, seems like any real information is well guarded," Ariel said, tapping her chin.

  "I wish we knew more," I admitted with a nervous laugh. "If it really is earth based, I might be in trouble."

  "Don't sweat it, Mae," Caelin said. "I'm sure you'll be just fine, easy pleasy squeezy, right?"

  His attempt at encouragement made me laugh. "Yeah... something like that. I'm sure with you two there, I'll be just fine." A little tug on the hair by my neck reminded me. "Sorry, you three."

  We all laughed a little before Ariel stood and stretched. "Alright, we better get some rest. Big day tomorrow."

  We all nodded and made our way to our rooms. Once inside, I closed the door and stripped down again before curling into bed. Rose flew over settled on to the pillow like she did the other night.

  "Well, tomorrow is the big day," I said. "Are you taking the test with me, Rose?"

  She nodded, smiled, and wrapped her tiny arms around my cheek. I smiled and gently hugged her back.

  "Well, Ariel did say that we were allowed to bring anything, I guess a Petal Fairy might count as 'anything'."

  Out of nowhere, a wave of drowsiness hit me— probably the Glowcap tea kicking in.

  "Good night," I managed to mumble before drifting off into a deep sleep.