After another ten minutes, the eight proctors raised their hands with chants. In a flash. Magic rings glowed on the ground. Circles of light rose from below, creating rising light pillars. As they hovered above the heads of each group, beams shot down, bathing everyone in energy. Every team remained locked inside the light pillars, blinded by prismatic rays. Anemone shut her eyes. Despite feeling heavy and lethargic, Anemone had become weightless. An almost calming sensation poured over her. Just L’wah’s gold flames flooding her body for the first time.

  She had only used a Warp Gate once before, and it was an interesting sensation. It was like someone had stretched all your limbs into super fine string, but there was no pain. Once the process is over, all that string coiled and restitched itself into your body. Sound, however, always took a few extra seconds to return. Sometimes, the first five minutes of movement made you feel nauseous. But after that, everything felt normal.

  When her eyes flashed open, ivy leaves fell from the branches of the trees above. Among those leaves, an envelope fell to the ground. There was no longer the sound of grumbling from Comrade-at-Arms, but the quiet echoes of the forest. Everyone looked at each other and then at the envelope.

  “Yeah… that was abrupt.” Rowan played with his ears.

  Aronia crossed her arms, “No coddin’. Not even a goodbye salute.”

  “I wonder if they have the other proctors in position already…” Anemone mumbled.

  Timber turned to Anemone. “Can you repeat what you said?”

  Anemone repeated herself.

  “Proctors always position themselves in certain areas to respond quickly.”

  “Wait! You folks have safety nets in the Wilds? Sooo not fair.” Rowan’s jaw dropped.

  “Just in case of whatnot. No one wannae us youngins to be casualties of the Trials.” Aronia continued. “It’s why they tell us to have a Whisper-Ars and another Ars as an emergency flare.”

  “Well, isn’t that nice?” Rubus crossed his arms. “Didn’t Airelle make an ominous comment before the Trials’ previous cancellation?” Something about us dying?”

  His statement made her eyes open wide, and Anemone froze. The feeling of her skin crawling made her shiver. However, hearing that she was not the only one to catch Airelle’s statement forced a sigh of relief out of her. After one breath, she pinched her cheeks and walked up to grab and quickly opened the envelope. As Anemone scanned the letter, she saw their goal. They were team 2C and assigned to obtain rare honey from the Halictidae nest in the Mars Ruins. Aronia rested her head on Anemone’s shoulder and spoke with a snicker.

  “Well, isn’t this sweet? Stealing sap from honey-gatherers.”

  “And our opposition is team 1C,” added Anemone.

  “Why, honey?” Rubus asked. “You’d think this would be more serious, being a trial and all.”

  Aronia waved her finger. “Tsk, tsk, dont’cha remember how valuable that honey is?”

  “Enlighten me.” He stated.

  “We had a class on kingdom-based exports. Halictidae honey is the basis for not just Tir-noNog’s renowned meads. It’s also their elixirs and antidotes.” Timber explained.

  Aronia continued, “It’s also for training our livestock! Fer years, aos-si raided hives for their honey! But soon after the Gallu-utukku came, fewer hives were available.”

  “Insecta were some of the easiest things gallu-utukku could infect. Even if it had healing properties, it made everyone more susceptible to gallu impulses. Infected halictidae meant infected honey.” Timber cut in.

  “That said, Aos-si destroyed hundreds of honey-gatherers and their hives fer that reason. Aos-si discovered more nests in the Seelie Woods after Gallu-utukku numbers dropped. Now they keep them carefully watched and protected under Tir-noNog Law,” Aronia stated.

  “To this day, many know Tir-noNog not just for silk textiles and lumber but honey, pollen, elixirs, and brews,” Timber added.

  “We make quite the encyclopedia.” Aronia jeered.

  Timber smiled.

  “Not too bad yourself. However, I wanted to ask about salt honey?”

  “You’ve got a good head on ya. I’ll tell you anything I kno.” Said Aronia.

  “Careful, Aronia. It’s always a business deal with this one.” Rowan laughed.

  Rowan patted Timber on his back, and all three smiled. Rubbing her forehead, Anemone almost dropped her jaw as she shook her head.

  “When did they get close?”

  Anemone had met no one who could keep up with Aronia’s lectures. Soon after, Aronia spiraled into the multiple insecta they might cross as they headed deeper into the woods. She continued and said, ‘Halictidae stuck to the central parts of the continent.’ There were other species of “honey-gatherers” throughout Abhainn-Reatha. Most insecta stayed in the mid to southern parts of Abhainn-Reatha because they were far warmer. However, those native to the forest in Tir-noNog had a high tolerance to colder temperatures and stayed active until late fall to early winter. The first fall of snow signaled their diapause.

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  As Aronia continued to explain, keeping the attention of Rowan and Timber, Anemone noticed Rubus wandering off. He pulled out a map, laying it on a stump nearby, eyeing the upper canopy. After inspecting more of the foliage in the area, he began marking the map. Anemone also scanned the area. On the ground were damp scarlet Quercus leaves scattered everywhere. This area of the wood was home to other trees that lost their leaves as winter drew near. However, evergreens also surrounded it, much like Tir-no-Nog. Judging by the surrounding flora, she had a rough idea of where they were.

  “Botanical distribution of flora… Hedera ivy, Scarlet Quercus, and Abies spruce. Are we west of the Mars ruins?”

  Anemone raised her hand to her ears, and the sound of the wind blowing never sounded so pleasant. As cold as it was, the throbbing of her heart warmed her chest. The nervousness from earlier was different, shifting. A wide grin formed on her face, and the sweat from her hands dried. She took a step and spun in a circle. It was as if the blowing wrapped her in a soothing blanket with every twirl. As she danced, her eyes widened, and so did her smile as she looked toward the sky. Soo,n the shine in them slowly dampened and softened. Even her smile faded.

  “I’m finally free.”

  A deep breath filled her lungs. Anemone interlocked her fingers, stretching her arms toward the sky.

  “Free?” Rubus peeked from the corner of his covered eyes. “What would a princess know about bondage?”

  Anemone stopped moving.

  “More than a taur like you would ever know.”

  “Try me,” Rubus responded.

  Anemone rolled her eyes. After a week of being stuck in the kingdom, she was out of its grasp. The only flaw was that she had to share it with Rubus, and that she was still tired. Without Spriggan around and the Kingdom needing repairs, getting away was impossible. No matter how short-lived it was, she would enjoy it. The smell of damp foliage and pine always smelled fresher outside the barrier. With every inhale expanding her lungs, the cold stopped bothering her. Now that there were no other aos-si or therianthropes around, everything sounded so clear. From the steps of grazing fauna in the distance to thick-furred critters clawing their way up trees. This was bliss.

  “A Royal is just another title for a tool…” she said, with her back turned. “You’re a slave to status and responsibilities outside of your self-expected scope.”

  She heard Rubus’s hand stop scrolling across the map. There was silence between them. Anemone could almost overhear the other three conversations. Rowan was talking about food with Aronia, and Timber was explaining the net cost benefit of different materials for baking. A sullen look crossed her face as pain pulled at Anemone’s heart as she saw Aronia smiling with others. She could only vigorously shake her head at the burning sensation in her stomach that followed every time she saw Aronia with others. When Anemone looked back at Rubus, he stood up with narrowed eyes, scanning the ground.

  “I heard the ivy above only grew in a few specific areas deep within the Seelie Woods. Is that true?”

  Anemone groaned and folded her arms at his attempt to change subjects instead of responding to what she said. After that awkward silence, she could only shake her head at how speechless he had left her.

  “Of course, it was stupid of me to talk to Rubus. I’m probably more disappointing than he already thought.”

  She pinched her brow, thinking about how they were never on the same wavelength. Then again, maybe hearing how she felt was more disappointing. That night gallu-Lycan attacked. Rubus had saved her. He had killed at least two before he helped Anemone finish hers off. She wanted to thank, but she couldn’t.

  “I bet’s pathetic to be a royal struggling to fight their own battle.”

  That sentence pierced her mind. An enormous sigh left her lips. Instead of bickering, she indulged in his response.

  “Yes,” Anemone responded, “Because of the density of the upper canopy and how the watershed works, they grow on the side of the mountains where the sun sets.”

  After making several more markings on his map and scouting the area, he looked at the sky again.

  “Hey, hop to the upper canopy for me. If you see mountains to the east, we’re due west of the Mars Ruins. If the mountains are west, it will be a climb and descent to the Ruins.”

  “Don’t order me around,” she grumbled.

  Anemone huffed, but she complied, not expecting much. Honestly, she thought Rubus would hold the other night against her—but to her surprise, he quickly asked her for help. When she reached the top, her eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open. There were mountains sixty degrees east of them. She knew certain ivy grew at specific elevations, but for him to consider that was astounding. The ruins were only a day and a half's hike from their starting location, but what they had to endure scared her. When she came back down, she heard Rowan walking toward Rubus.

  “What are you two doing? Join the group convo,” Rowan squatted next to Rubus.

  “Rowan, we’re in the middle of figuring out how not to get lost,” answered Rubus.

  “You were dead on Rubus, but we’re far too close to Unseelie territory. How did you know about the ivy?” Anemone questioned.

  “I know the Mars Ruins are in a valley,” Rubus responded. “When navigating, consider the topography and how certain plants grow. It can help you find geographic areas more easily. Also, you did a presentation on it in one of our classes.”

  Rowan jumped to his feet, “Whoa! Hol’ up. Did she say Unseelie territory? Not only do we have to fend off some gallu-megaloceros, but some Unseelie? And with those darn insecta too? Not fun, Elvy—especially since insecta can do “that” now.”

  “I know you told me about that before, but I still don’t believe you, Rowan,” Rubus scowled.

  Anemone leaned into her hips, jerking her head back.

  “Wait, that was in Navigation and Cartography class. He remembered that?”

  It was a presentation she had done in one of their classes. The assignment was to analyze the things most comrades-at-arms neglected in the field. Anemone had seen him asleep during her presentation and figured he had not cared. She watched Rubus as he turned towards Timber.

  “So, Timber. You think we could run this in two days or what?”

  Timber responded, “With this weather, yeah. I also think nothing here is too strong. Or at least anything near us isn’t.”

  “Well, let’s quit the chitter. The forest awaits,” said Aronia

  So far, everything has been calm. Her team was rather cohesive and snapped right into go mode. Although it was just conversations, the group bounced off each other. But having the Trials expand into any part near the Unseelie Woods? That was inane. Anemone could not help but clench her arms.

  “How could Mother have allowed this?”

  Heading toward the ruins was practically entering Unseelie territory. She could smell the stench of flesh for a brief moment. The sound of that gallu-lycan’s jaws snapping at her throat snapped at her ear. Anemone’s stomach became as hard as a rock. Sights of lesser gallu-utukku roamed that part of the woods. If anything, the proctors had confidence in this year’s batch of Comrades-at-Arms. Otherwise, one could consider this a suicide mission. Tightly gripping her finger between her hands prayed. Her breathing became restless with every fall and rise of her chest.

  “Hopefully it stays like this,” she whispered.