Chapter 44

Winter’s POV

“You passed.”

I wouldn’t have believed how elated those two words would make me feel until I heard them. That was one hurdle conquered. Dorra had played her tricks like we had suspected, from the missing rice to locking Haedia up so that I wouldn’t have anywhere to run to for help when something went wrong.

In the end, Haedia managed to find a quick alternative that worked just as fine as the fruit rice would have, even better.

“Using the herb garden, demonstrate your knowledge of medicinal herbs and their uses by tending to and expanding the household garden.”

Those were the exact words regarding the second task.

The venue for the next task was the herb garden, which was a sanctuary of sensory delights. I strolled through as the sound of rustling leaves and the soothing chirping of birds serenaded me. My hands brushed past the aromatic leaves, and the shrubs playfully tickled my legs.

My task for the day was to make a so