Feel free to skip the story and go to the next heading (Your Quest: Prize, Rules, and Forms) if you want to get straight to the rules, quest, and eligible stories.
Large silver mirrors are usually not a suspicious thing, unless you find one standing on a stone platform in the middle of a red-leafed forest at dusk.
Like this one.
This mirror is definitely suspect, isn’t it? Not bad necessarily. But certainly curious.
The circle of red mushrooms around it just makes it even more suspicious.
You will not be stepping into the middle of that.
Carefully you walk the circumference. A light flickers within the mirror.
Not your reflection.
Strange. You don’t look directly into it. There’s something very wrong about this mirror.
Something stirs behind you. You spin on instinct.
A woman in black crouches on the top of the stone half-wall, staring down at you, silver blade in hand and resting on her knee. Her eyes are practically white. There’s something reptilian about them. Shifter, maybe? There’s a sharpness to her scent as well as a hint of rosemary. The rosemary hunting fields are a common location for shifters.
“Can I help you?” you ask calmly. You’re fast, and you have your weapons. But if she had wanted to kill you, you’d likely be dead. Best to play nice until you know more. From that slight curl of a smile on her lips, she wants something.
“You are a sharp one, aren’t you? Let’s see if you’re useful too,” she says, practically purring. She tilts her head, her unruly black hair sliding to the left even though the wind blows the opposite direction.
“That depends on what you need.”
“Stories.”
“I do know a great many stories.” You move to the side, not putting your back to the mirror. This may be magic you are unfamiliar with. “What kind are you searching for?”
“Romances, my dear,” she says, flashing a smile. “And quickly. They help me stay in touch with my softer side.”
“I know many romances,” you respond. “Any particular kinds?”
“Hmmm. The fantastical sort, I suppose.” Her smile broadens. “Preferably ones with heists or thieves. Maybe an assassin or two. I do love the clever tales.”
“I know where to find what you want. I’ll return with the stories directly.”
“You have to go?” She jumps down off the wall. Her boots thud on the stone. “If you go, how do I know you’ll return?”
“Because I give my word.” Hm. That’s probably not going to fly.
She tosses her hair and laughs, the sound ringing through the damp air. Then she shakes her head. “We both know that means nothing in this place. No way to hold you to your word. No.” She gestures toward the mirror. “Speak the titles of the books into the mirror. It will collect them. For me.”
You step away, still between her and the mirror and not turning your back to either. The light that flickers in the mirror instead of a reflection concerns you as does the thought of looking directly into it. “You expect me to remember the titles.” That’s a bluff. You just so happen to have one such book here in your bag. In fact, you have several books. You never go anywhere without at least a few.
“If you are truly useful and worthy of your reputation, I don’t see how it can be that hard to recall five stories that meet my requirements.” She grins. “Consider it a test. I hope you pass.”
So do you. Though you’re fairly certain that the real test is getting out of this without causing something to happen with the mirror triggering her to attack. First things first though, you need to think of those stories.
Please note, the woman in black saying you can’t go is just flavor text. You can actually reference the lists and you may leave. This is not actually a test that requires you to go off memory.
Your Quest: Prize, Rules, and Forms
Prize
This prize pack is a selection of ebooks whose titles we aren’t going to announce just yet because they may be too closely related to the theme of this quest. But the combined value is over $15.
This is open to anyone who completes the form.
Rules
To complete the Quest, you can use stories from either of the official lists. And yes, you can take stories from both.
You can only use a story for one element on the list in this quest. It is all right if you repeat a story from any other quest though.
This quest can be completed looking only at the trope cards, though you may need to look through both paths. If you feel particularly adventurous, some of the other official stories include these tropes but do not have them on their trope cards, and you can include them as well.
Be kind to your fellow readers and other authors.
The Forms
You are on your way to find ten stories.
You will need to find
- one story featuring a thief/thieves
- one story featuring a heist
- one story featuring an assassin
- seven additional stories that have one of the above three tropes (any combination or number)
This one you will either fill out a Google Form or email us your discoveries.
Each answer is worth one token. So you can receive 10 tokens by completing this. Each token is an entry into the giveaway.
Bonus Tokens
In addition to the regular tokens, you can get bonus tokens by completing the following acts.
One extra token for every story you share in an individual social media post. (Yes, you can post on multiple platforms.)
Use #clevergirlquestbonus (and if you want to absolutely bless me, save off the links and paste them in the forms or an email to make sure we definitely see them. Screenshots also work.).
(We have graphics of all the stories here so you don’t have to make something separate. Just look look under the author’s last name to find the stories.)
Submitting Your Form
Once you’ve gathered up your collection of stories, you’ll need to turn them in so we can verify.
You can turn in your stories in two ways.
- Complete this form and directly post your answers (if you do this, you don’t need to turn in anything else. The form will allow you to return to it and edit your answers).
- Email your ten choices to faeornofae@farofeb.com. Make sure to include any of the bonus activities you have done as well. Use the title Clever Girl Quest or some similar identifier.
Make sure to submit your completed form or list by July 3 at 11:59 PM EST.
If you have any problems, please feel free to email faeornofae@farofeb.com.
The Conclusion to the Clever Girl Quest
It isn’t actually hard for you to think of stories that fit her parameters. Some of the stories you most love feature one of those three tropes, and there are many excellent ones you have yet to read.
How to escape this strange woman? She isn’t acting like a shifter. Not exactly. And that rosemary scent—what if it is actually because she works with rosemary?
Rosemary can be used as a stand in for practically anything in spellwork.
And those white eyes…
She didn’t want you to get her the physical books either. She just wanted the name.
A spark of inspiration flashes through you.
She may or may not be a shifter, but you know what kind of magic she’s wielding and her weakness. You maneuver your hand to your bag and start to slide the book out without her noticing as you angle slightly toward the mirror. With practiced care, you name off the titles of the books that fit.
She arches an eyebrow. “You need to face the mirror.” There’s a playfulness in her voice. Like she’s certain she’s caught you.
“Do I?” You shrug, using that last bit of movement to free the book.
“Yes. Face the mirror and list the books.” She edges closer.
“So you can trap me?” You spin and toss the book at her.
She yelps and catches it, nearly dropping her dagger.
The light in the mirror flares up, then dies out. You know better than to touch it though or step into that circle.
She gives an angry huff as she falls back and drops to the ground. “You know what I am?” she demands, opening the book.
“You’re a lexicantrist. You can’t hold any book without reading it from cover to cover. But you gain your power by draining the stories out of others. I’ve never seen one use a mirror before.”
“People get curious about mirrors standing alone in the forest.” She glares at you as she slides her finger to the first line on the page.
Fair. It was a curious sight. If you weren’t so cautious, you might have been trapped. But at least you’re safe for now. Might be good to set up a warning in case anyone else comes near this place. “I’ll leave you to your reading.”
She huffs at you but smiles. “It’s a good thing I like you. This story you have is promising. Once I’m done, I’ll come find you. Then we’ll have much more fun.”
You wobble your hand as you think this over. “Not the worst offer I’ve ever heard. But…I have a better one.” You remove the entire stack of books you’ve been carrying and place them all next to her. With a grin, you thump the top and stack back. “Enjoy your reading!”
She scrunches her nose at you and then drops her gaze back to the page. “The joke’s on you. After I consume these tales, I will be even stronger. Let’s see how clever you are then.”
“I suppose we’ll see.” You stride away, grateful you don’t have to read all the stories that you encounter when you encounter them.
Have you explored all the Bonus Quests yet? If this is the only one, don’t worry. I hear there are more coming. In fact, there’s a strange sound coming from the west.