Chapter 1

Patrina Warden squinted at the faded parchment notices tacked to the town board, her fingers drumming an impatient rhythm against her thigh. The morning sun splashed golden light across the High Elven script, turning simple announcements into glittering hieroglyphs that swam before her eyes. She had waited there for three hours, and still no sign of any eastbound travel opportunities. The quill pen tucked behind her ear threatened to fall with each frustrated tilt of her head.

"For a race with centuries to spare, one would think punctuality might be a virtue worth cultivating," she muttered to herself, pushing a strand of straight brown hair from her face. An ink stain on her thumb left a smudge on her cheek, unnoticed.

The town board of D'Gnilth sat in an elegant courtyard, framed by white stone archways that twisted upward like frozen waterfalls. High Elven architecture always made Patrina feel as though the buildings themselves were watching her – judging her human clumsiness, her shorter lifespan, her scholarly eagerness that the elves found both charming and pitiable. She adjusted the strap of her satchel, heavy with notebooks and translation guides, and considered her options again.

The fruit porridge she had for breakfast sat uneasily in her stomach. Too sweet, with berries that burst tartly against her tongue – a reminder that even the food here was more refined, more intense than what she’s accustomed to in Vyhelm. The morning had started poorly when she discovered the innkeeper had abandoned their post, leaving a younger elf who spoke no human languages to manage the establishment. Patrina's questions about eastbound travel routes had been met with elegant shrugs and apologetic smiles.

"Assistant Professor of Sociology," she reminded herself, straightening her posture momentarily before slumping again against the stone wall. "On sabbatical to study contemporary elven cultures." The formal title and purpose didn’t make the waiting any easier. Her colleagues back at the Collegiate Alliance would laugh to see her now – Patrina Warden, known for her punctuality and preparation, stranded by circumstance and poor planning.

Her armband felt tight against her upper arm, a constant reminder of what she hid beneath. The fabric chafed slightly in the warm air, but she resisted the urge to adjust it. No one could know what lied beneath – the tattoo that would force her from her beloved academic position and into a life of healing. Better to be thought magic-less than to lose everything she's worked for.

The town square buzzed with elven activity. High Elves moved with deliberate grace, their conversations a musical backdrop to Patrina's growing impatience. Their long, elegant robes swept the cobblestones, and their hair – so uniformly perfect it made Patrina self-conscious about her own simple style – caught the light like polished metal. A group of elven children paused to stare at her, their eyes wide with curiosity. Humans were still a novelty here, especially humans who weren't merchants or diplomats.

"Yes, I'm human," she said, offering them a small wave. "And yes, I can speak your language." The children giggled and scattered like startled birds.

Patrina pulled out her notebook and jotted down observations about the children’s reaction. Even these small interactions were valuable data for her research. Her department head had been shocked when she proposed traveling to elven lands for her sabbatical. "The High Elves might tolerate you," he had warned, "but the Wood Elves haven't seen humans since the Flight of Men three centuries ago. And the Dark Elves..." He hadn't needed to finish that thought.

Yet here she stood, the first human scholar granted permission to study elven cultures in their native environments in over a century. The High Elves of Solasa had been surprisingly accommodating once they understood her academic credentials. Aldergon Graniel, the Head Librarian of the Sylvanae Archive, had been particularly helpful, if a bit condescending. She flushed slightly at the thought of him – his tall, elegant form moving between the towering bookshelves, his deep voice explaining elven history with the patience one might show a bright child.

Her thoughts drifted to the weeks spent in the Sylvanae Archive, poring over ancient texts while stealing glances at Aldergon. His mind fascinated her – centuries of knowledge contained in one being. She admired his intellect, the way he could recall obscure facts from texts written before her great-grandparents were born. If occasionally she admired the elegant line of his jaw or the graceful movement of his hands as he turned fragile pages, well, that was merely aesthetic appreciation.

A bell chimed somewhere in the city, its clear tone marking mid-morning. Patrina sighed and closed her notebook. If no travel announcements appeared soon, she'd need to devise another plan. Perhaps one of the merchant caravans would allow her to join them for a f*e. The Wood Elves were her next research subject, and she's determined to reach their forest realm of the Greenways before the season changes.

She pushed away from the wall and approached the board again, scanning the notices for anything she might have missed. An elderly High Elf passed by, his silver hair catching the light.

"Excuse me," Patrina called, her elven dialect formal and precise. "Are there any scheduled departures to the east today? I'm seeking passage toward the Greenways."

The elf regarded her with mild surprise. "The Greenways? A human scholar ventures where few of even my kind travel these days." His eyes, the pale blue of winter sky, assessed her with ancient curiosity. "The board is silent because travel is sparse. The eastern road has seen... disturbances."

"What kind of disturbances?" Patrina asked, leaning forward with scholarly interest.

"The kind that prudent travelers avoid," he replied cryptically, offering a bow before continuing on his way.

Patrina watched him go, frustration tightening her shoulders. The High Elves' tendency toward elegant vagueness was maddening to her direct, academic mind. She turned back to the board, rubbing the ink stain on her thumb absently. The fruit porridge from breakfast felt even heavier in her stomach now.

"I didn't come all this way to be stopped by 'disturbances,'" she muttered, eyes scanning the square for any sign of travelers preparing for departure. She had letters of introduction for the Wood Elven leaders, carefully penned by her department and translated by Aldergon himself. She had her research materials, her herbal identification guides, her personal protective equipment. All she lacked was transportation.

A group of merchants entered the square from the eastern road, their wagons dusty from travel. Patrina's heart leapt with hope as she watched them. Perhaps they were heading back the way they came? Her fingers closed around the small pouch of coins at her belt. Whatever the cost, she'd find a way to continue her journey.

With renewed determination, she tucked her notebook away and stepped into the sunlight, away from the unhelpful town board. The merchants might be her last chance to leave D'Gnilth today. Assistant Professor Patrina Warden, on sabbatical and increasingly impatient, straightened her shoulders and prepared to negotiate her way east.