"Oh my! There you are!" The fear in Albína's shout is hard to miss.

Lenox must have seen her enter the rooftop because his wing is already up and out of my way when I jump to my feet. Have I done something wrong? I stumble over to Albína and judging by her petrified face, Lenox is following me.

"I couldn't sleep—" I explain, but Albína interrupts me.

"Well, we'll have to make other arrangements. You can't be sleeping on a rooftop! With a giant dirty pegasus!" She turns on her heel and stalks off. I don't know who is more surprised, Albína at finding me sleeping on a roof, or me knowing that someone cares where I sleep.

"You're not dirty," I whisper to Lenox as I reach up to wrap my arms around his neck. "In fact, since we've been here you've gotten purplier and shinier. Such a pretty boy. Thank you for taking care of me. Get your breakfast and I'll come back and eat lunch with you." He sighs deeply and watches me walk back into the castle.

Today is the start of my physical training. I'm looking forward to it because I need a break from all the thinking. Albína offers to escort me down to the stables, but I tell her no thanks because I want a small scrap of freedom.

I soon regret that decision because even with a map the Uniquestrian Center is confusing. It has numerous little candy-colored buildings scattered haphazardly across an expansive, hilly field. Some of the buildings are like little houses—or maybe offices, or storage—and others are clearly shelters for the unicorns. Many elves in bright orange uniforms are working off in the distance but they're too far away to ask for directions and I doubt they would understand me anyway.

I can't navigate the awkward maze of multicolored fencing that's blocking my path to the stables. I make some progress, then one fence crosses paths over another fence and I have to turn back. I walk in circles, through a number of gates and over several rails, but can't make my way to the center.

I know I'm way behind schedule when I finally enter the wide-open field that accommodates most of the stables. My relief at getting here dies quickly when I see that many of the bright and colorful unicorns are freely milling about out in the open, very close to me. They're much bigger and scarier when no one else is around. All of them are so tall and wide; the top of my head only reaches to their shoulder. And their horns are dangerously long.

The stables, if you can call them that, are a series of ten stalls lined up in a single row with each unicorn able to pop its head out over a half door. In front of the stalls is a covered walkway with several open areas where grooms in ornate orange uniforms are working. There's no rhyme or reason to the placement of the stables. There are hundreds of them dotted at random across the beautiful green pastures.

Completely lost and unable to communicate with any of the grooms, I wander aimlessly, losing hope that I'll ever find my instructor. I'm about to leave when a black-haired elf in dark breeches and a simple tan shirt approaches me.

"Hi, I'm Agatha. I'm here to see Levise," I say without thinking. I'm not used to being the one who speaks a foreign language.

"I'm Levise, your trainer. Pleasure to meet you," she replies in surprisingly good English. "I assume you've never ridden a horse before."

"I've never even touched a horse before."

"Well, let's start with a tour of the stables. Get you a little more comfortable. You look nervous." On the surface Levise seems nice, but I sense an underlying sternness that makes me uneasy.

She takes me around the uniquestrian campus and introduces me to many of the grooms and unicorns. After we chat for a while, I'm more comfortable asking a question that's been bothering me since seeing her dark clothing and reserved manner.

"Levise, if you don't mind me asking, all the elves I've seen so far are so brightly overdressed. Everyone has light hair unless they dye it, but even then it's pastel. Yours is the only dark hair I've seen, and you seem much different from the other elves I've met. I don't mean to be offensive. I'm just wondering if there's a difference between elves the way there is in humans."

I stop talking because I want to kick myself in the mouth. I grew up in a multicultural community, I know better than to ask about race. It's just that the elves I've seen so far come in all the human colors, but every one of them has blonde or white hair, unless they dye it like Albína does. Not only is Levise's hair naturally black, her clothing is simple and as dark as mine. I don't think she's from around here, which would have been the better question to ask! So, Levise, you from around here? I can be so stupid.

She smiles at me and I'm relieved I didn't make her mad. "I'm not a Cromsmead elf, if that's what you're asking. I'm from Wiltonshire. I was brought here for you because I speak English and trained your pegasus."

"You trained Lenox? I love him so much! Thank you!"

She smiles even wider. I like her better when she smiles. Her face softens and her eyes sparkle when she talks about Lenox. "He's a good boy, that one. I'm glad you two are getting on. Right now, we're on our way to get your unicorn."

"I get a unicorn of my own? To keep? I thought I was just taking some lessons? What am I going to do with a unicorn?"

"Actually, you'll get several. But you'll have a main one. One unicorn that bonds with you in much the same way Lenox has."

She guides me to one of the pastures. I don't know how I'll be able to pick just one out of so many that are scattered over such an immense area.

We walk to a green polka-dot post and rail fence, and she takes a seat on the top rail. I try to jump up too, but I can't make it to the top rail so I have to awkwardly climb the fence and drag my leg over. I almost get stuck when I can't figure out how to get my butt on the rail and my legs on the same side. Levise and lord knows who else is watching me, so I sit and straddle the fence. It's painful, but I scrape my leg over the rail and get into the right position. I'm not off to a good start.

Levise smiles at me then turns her gaze to the enormous field. From here, we can see lots of unicorns, but many of them are far away.

Unicorns aren't like horses, at least not color-wise. They're very bright, which probably explains why the elves like them. "I'd like a white one. Do they come in white or did humans just mess that up altogether?"

"They come in white, but it's rare to get one perfectly white. Though I do think there are a few out there."

My eyes scan the field, but I don't see any white ones. I'm about to ask if there could be more unicorns over the hill in the distance, but Levise's next statement knocks that thought out of my head. "However, you don't get to choose."

"Huh. Why are we sitting here, then?"

"Your unicorn chooses you."

Please let a white one pick me.

That's the last time we speak. I don't know how long we wait, but I'm incredibly bored and my butt is asleep. I have lots of questions, but Levise tells me that silence is part of the selection process, so I sit quietly and fidget with my hands.

"I can see that waiting isn't one of your strong suits." I can't tell if she's criticizing me or if she's just making an observation. I let the comment slide. I want to be on my best behavior so I'll get picked soon.

"It appears your boredom is about to be alleviated. A few are mustering up the courage to come over and meet you." She points to a small group of seven unicorns walking our way. They're so big and bright, none of them are white.

When the group reaches us, three of the striped ones stay back but the remaining four all walk over at once. They're awfully large, and they're pushing at each other so they can get close to me. Their horns are much longer than humans have been led to believe, and they're much more intimidating now that they're pointing at my face and chest. I try to stand, but Levise places a hand on my leg, silently commanding me to stay still.

My heart is racing. I need to run or at least get up. Their horns are big and one of them is going to run me through. The bright blue one with the yellow paint splatter spots snorts and runs away. The other three follow. They rejoin their friends and all seven walk away.

I'm glad they're gone, but I can't help feeling rejected. Levise isn't saying anything. I wonder if she's as disappointed in me as I am in myself. I go through several other inspections, but as the morning wears on, I'm becoming increasingly worried that no unicorn will pick me. This feels like school. I'm unpopular in two worlds.

The pounding of galloping hooves draws my attention to an extraordinarily white unicorn that's prancing across the field. He's so graceful and elegant he steals my breath away. I want to call to him, to beg him to come and choose me, but I sit quietly. Please choose me. Please choose me.

He prances back and forth in front of us and whinnies, surprisingly horse-like, as he trots toward me. I can't believe I'm getting what I want. Then he stops ten feet away. He studies me and sniffs the air before turning and galloping off.

I don't want to cry in front of Levise, she's not the nurturing type. I just want to leave now.

She jumps off the fence. "Well, you've been chosen."

"But...the unicorn ran away? I thought it had to stay next to me or come over and smell me, like the others did." I can't believe I got the white one. My heart is beating fast, finally from elation and not fear. I actually got something I wanted. I can't remember another time that's happened to me. I might have to let out a squeal or something to get all the excitement out.

That's when I notice the black and white unicorn to my right. He was so quiet I didn't known he was there. He didn't come in a group and he didn't put his face in mine. I was so entranced by the white unicorn, I didn't detect him creeping up to me.

I have to force the tears back. I should've never believed that I'd get the unicorn I wanted. I'm not a white unicorn kind of girl anyway. I jump down from the fence in an attempt to hide my disappointment. But my legs are numb so I stagger around and almost fall to my knees.

Levise heads to the stables and both the unicorn and I follow. He's very big—not as big as Lenox, but I can't see over his back. His body and head are a deep shade of black and his face has a wide white stripe traveling down the middle of it. His horn is translucent white, but it doesn't have the gold rim around it that I've always seen in pictures. He has white legs up to a little over his knees and a bright white mane and tail. I can't decide if he's pretty or weird-looking.

"He needs a name," Levise says.

I've never named anything before. I named the pony I thought of when we traveled through Gwa Twouroch, but he was imaginary, and his name wasn't even a good one; I named him after a teacher I didn't even like. I study my unicorn and decide he has a majestic look about him, like something a supervillain would ride in a comic book series. That probably fits me better than some princessy white unicorn anyway.

"Stryder," I announce. "It's my favorite character from my favorite book. Maybe that'll help me bond with him."

I can tell she thinks it's a weird name. I probably need more practice naming things. She ties him in a grooming stall and turns her stern eyes toward me. "This is your unicorn. You're responsible for retrieving him each morning. You must groom him and tack him. Normally you would be responsible for all of his care, but we're pressed for time so the grooms will feed and bathe him."

I have no clue how to care for a unicorn and no desire to ride one. He's enormous and I'm afraid he'll either hurt me, or I'll fall off him and hurt myself. Levise shows me how to brush him and then makes me do it.

"Sorry. Sorry," I say when I touch his stomach with the brush and he shuffles sideways. I'm not sure who I'm apologizing to, Levise or Stryder or maybe both of them.

She takes a strained breath in an attempt to control her temper. I grip the brush in both hands. "Have you ever had a pet?" she asks through her teeth.

I drop my eyes to my dirty boots. "Um...well," I mumble but I'm not sure how to answer. "Auntie, my foster mother, she had cats. Sometimes I would pet them, but they weren't very nice. There was Oberon Thunderclaws, but I didn't know him very well."

"Cats?" she repeats.

I nod.

She takes another breath. "Do you want to learn to ride a unicorn?"

Her question makes me raise my frightened eyes to hers. I don't know how to answer.

"You need to be honest with me."

I drop my gaze again. "No, ma'am."

"Okay, then." There's disappointment and defeat in her voice.

I snap my head up. "But I know I have to." I can't catch my breath and my heart is pounding. I don't like honesty. I should've kept my mouth shut and done what she asked.

She nods. "Well, let's get him tacked."

I don't have to help put the saddle and bridle on. She's trying to sound excited when she walks him out of the stable to the courtyard, but anyone could tell she's angry. She holds the stirrup for me. I warily walk over and attempt to lift my leg up to reach it. I'm not even close. I'm supposed to be the savior of the world but I can't even get on my trusty steed.

I'm sweating profusely when I'm finally, painfully able to stretch my leg enough to reach the stirrup. However, I'm not strong enough to pull myself up to the saddle. I hop around a few times and then quit, releasing my sore leg from the stirrup.

Levise finally shows some of the irritation she's barely suppressing when she grabs me firmly by the waist and throws me into the saddle. I'm not sure which is more humiliating, being picked up like a baby, or being picked up like a baby by someone the same size as me. A tear slips from my eye. Great! Now I'm crying.

"Come on, Stryder," she orders.

I wobble when he walks. "Wait! Stop! I want to get down! This is much higher than I thought." There's nothing to hold on to. I grab a hunk of mane but it's just hair. I need a handlebar and a seatbelt.

"Calm down. You won't plunge to your death. We're just walking, and rather slowly, I might add. We're going to that little fenced-in area over there. You'll be fine."

When we reach the riding ring, Levise walks to the middle and leaves me on my own. Fortunately, all I have to do is walk, which Levise makes me do for a long time until I grow comfortable with the movement. Stryder keeps his head low because he's half-asleep, but whenever I pull on a rein to turn him or stop, he does what I ask.

Just when I get confident with the walking, Levise says, "Okay, let's switch out before Stryder falls asleep."

I suppress the smile that's threatening to expose my happiness at finally getting down. I don't know what I'll learn by watching Levise, but I could use the rest. However, my mood sinks when another unicorn is brought into the ring. After a few attempts at a dismount, I'm on the ground and then quickly on another unicorn.

By the time the third unicorn is brought out, I'm so exhausted I might drop dead.

"This is the last one. Eventually, we will get up to six a day and hopefully, we'll be able to make them tired instead of putting them to sleep."

I can't imagine riding six unicorns a day. I can't stand this place. The training is hard and Levise doesn't like me. I just want to go back to my room and lie down. Instead, when I'm finished, she shows me how to untack the last unicorn and groom him, before taking him back to a stall for some food. I wish I'd never come here.