I'll find everything tonight

"So," I said, wiping a tear from my eye, "when does enrollment for the school's culinary program start?"

Leora leaned back against the counter, crossing her arms. "It ends tomorrow afternoon."

The words hit me like a bucket of cold water. "Tomorrow afternoon?" I repeated, my voice rising in panic. "That's barely any time to prepare! What do I even need? Papers? References? Ingredients?"

Leora chuckled, clearly amused by my spiraling thoughts. With a wave of her hand, a scroll of parchment appeared in the air between us, floating gently down into her grasp. She unrolled it and handed it to me.

"Here you go," she said, smirking. "Everything you need is listed right here."

I snatched the parchment, my eyes scanning the elegant script. My confidence plummeted as I read through the list:

A completed application form. Documentation of magical lineage (if applicable). Proof of vaccinations. Allergy information. A valid birth certificate. Previous academic diplomas. 

I frowned. "Why do they need my birth certificate? It's not like I wasn't born—" I stopped myself, realizing that in a world of magic, that assumption wasn't as solid as it seemed.

"Never mind. This is ridiculous. Why do they need all this just to learn how to cook?"

"Rules are rules," Leora said, shrugging. "And before you ask—no, I can't just conjure all of it up for you. You'll have to gather it yourself."

I groaned, running a hand through my hair. "Fantastic. That means I'll need to get my moms involved."

Leora raised an eyebrow. "You'd better hurry. Tomorrow morning is going to be hectic, and I doubt they'll appreciate you springing this on them last minute."

She was right, of course. The thought of navigating my mothers' combined wrath if I waited until the eleventh hour sent a shiver down my spine.

"I'll find everything tonight," I muttered, clutching the list tightly. "No way I'm risking this tomorrow."

I sprinted through the halls of the castle, my footsteps echoing off the stone walls. It was late, but the soft glow of enchanted sconces guided my way to my mothers' chambers. I hesitated for a moment outside their door before knocking.

"Come in," came Riley's familiar voice.

I pushed the door open to find her seated in an armchair, glasses perched on her nose as she reviewed some documents.

Seraphine was lounging on the bed, flipping through a magazine that seemed to feature demon royalty gossip. Both of them looked up as I entered.

"Rhiannon?" Riley said, setting her papers aside. "What's wrong?"

"I need your help," I said, holding up the parchment. "I'm enrolling in the culinary program, but I need a whole list of documents by tomorrow afternoon."

Seraphine's eyes lit up with excitement. "You're officially enrolling? That's wonderful! Show me the list."

I handed her the parchment, and she read it aloud, her expression growing more amused with every line.

When she finished, Riley sighed and stood, already heading to the wardrobe where they kept important papers.

"Birth certificate, diplomas… let's see," Riley muttered as she sifted through a drawer.

"Ah, here's your birth certificate." She handed me the delicate piece of parchment adorned with ornate calligraphy. "And your unniversity diploma from today is right here."

I tucked the papers into a neat pile, feeling a flicker of relief. "What about my vaccinations?"

Riley turned back to the drawer and pulled out a small booklet. "You're up to date on almost all of them, except one—Lumenlight, the booster against magical allergies."

I groaned. "And of course, it's too late to visit a doctor now."

"You can always get it after enrollment," Seraphine suggested. "It's not like they'll kick you out for missing one vaccination."

"Still," I said, frustrated, "I wanted everything to be perfect."

Riley placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "You'll be fine, Rhiannon. Focus on what you can control tonight. You've got most of what you need already."

I nodded, trying to tamp down my anxiety. "Thanks, Mom."

With my papers in hand, I left their room, my mind racing. The weight of the day, the excitement, the planning it was all catching up to me.

I got my documents in my room and then paused before deciding that I needed to clear my head, I headed straight for my bathroom.

The hot water cascaded over me, washing away the stress and tension as I stood under the showerhead.

The steam filled the room, clouding the mirrors and carrying the faint scent of lavender from the enchanted soap. I closed my eyes, letting the soothing warmth ease my frazzled nerves.

I stayed there longer than I probably should have, but it was the first real moment of solitude I'd had all day.

By the time I finally stepped out, wrapping myself in a soft towel, I felt renewed if not entirely prepared for what lay ahead.

Changing into a comfortable set of pajamas, I climbed into bed and was immediately greeted by a familiar weight settling beside me.

Ember, my orange-scaled dragon companion, curled up against my side, her tail flicking lazily as she nestled into the blankets.

"You're a lifesaver, Ember," I murmured, scratching behind her horns. She let out a contented chirp, her warm scales a comforting presence.

As I lay there, staring at the ceiling, the events of the day played over in my mind. Graduation, my declaration, the dinner, Leora's amused exasperation it had been a whirlwind.

Tomorrow would be no less chaotic, but for now, I let myself drift into the kind of restful sleep only a dragon's purring could provide.