Page 17 of Evergreen Academy (Society of Magical Botanists #1)

Chapter Sixteen

T hursday morning, I had Biology with Maci. On the way to class, she grilled me about Evergreen Academy again.

“Are you sure you can’t tell me anything else? Do you swear there are no weird rituals? No cult? No private school for the children of billionaires? It’s just a scientific research program?”

“Pretty much,” I said.

“Huh. Well, that’s a little disappointing. But, seriously, what an amazing opportunity for your resume. I imagine if you decide to major in science, this program will help you get into several prestigious four-year schools.”

I coughed. Majoring in science? That wasn’t in the forecast for me. Maci had hinted previously that I should consider other majors besides art, but that was not an option.

It wasn’t that I’d always been terrible at math and science.

I actually liked both until my mom passed.

After that, I had the energy to focus fully on only a few things at school.

I chose art, which was the passion we had in common and the subject that allowed me to get the most lost in work.

I’d gone from being a grade ahead in math and a constant questioner in science to being in the middle of the pack with my classmates.

I’d known for the past six years that I would follow in my mom’s footsteps and do all the things she’d never had a chance to do. It was the only way I knew to honor her memory.

“It is a good opportunity. I’m not going to be majoring in science, though, Mace. My focus is set on the art school my mom attended, with a few backup schools in case I don’t get in.”

“Fair. But think about what’s going to pay the bills. Maybe this is sending you in a direction you never considered before. Maybe it’s a good thing?”

I tried not to frown at her words. Why were people always saying that art couldn’t pay the bills?

Obviously, I couldn’t sit around drawing all day, but many people had successful careers in graphic design, animation, teaching, game design.

Even my aunt had managed to carve out an artistic career for herself as a cake and cookie decorator.

“Maybe,” I said softly.

We passed through the door to our biology class, and Professor East greeted us as we walked in.

He didn’t show any signs of knowing me beyond as a student at SCC, and I made sure to do the same.

Once the clock hit the top of the hour, he said, “Good morning. Today, we continue our lesson on photosynthesis.”

“Better pay close attention,” Maci whispered. “This may be your new major.”

Professor East invited me to his office when I arrived on the Evergreen Academy campus that afternoon.

It was strange to now know him in two different contexts—as my regular biology professor at SCC, and as a sort of advisor of all things magical botany at Evergreen.

I still wasn’t quite sure what his role was at Evergreen Academy, aside from being a professor.

It was clear that he was in charge, but he’d never introduced himself as a president or headmaster or whatever term would be used at a school like this.

“How were your first few affinity tests?” he asked once we were settled around his desk.

“So far, I’ve done the tests for florals, harvesters, grasses, aquatics, and trees. I didn’t have any affinity for any of them.”

“Okay, we’ll see what shakes out in the remaining tests. You’ll test for mosses and herbs today. Then you’ll start your classes next week, with Affinity Studies every Friday.”

I nodded and looked back at the schedule Yasmin had given me, my stomach tightening. How would I manage to keep up with my five classes at SCC and now four classes plus Affinity Studies at Evergreen?

As if sensing what I was thinking, Professor East nodded toward my schedule. “It’s a full load, but many of the students at Evergreen are enrolled concurrently at SCC. It helps us to maintain our cover as an enrichment research opportunity for students there.”

I didn’t tell him that the cover wasn’t working as well as he thought, given the amount of conspiracy and rumors that swirled about Evergreen Academy. Or maybe it was working a little too well.

My mind jumped to Callan for some strange reason. I remembered the bit of humor on his face when he’d whisked me onto the tree house platform and then the calm concern when he’d caught me as I’d failed my affinity test for the trees.

Was he enrolled at SCC? I’d never seen him there, but if he was enrolled, it was likely that he was in more advanced classes than I was. I imagined him taking Calculus with Maci.

“Do you have any questions for me?”

His prompt pulled me back, and I thought about the conversation with Yasmin, Coral, and Aurielle the previous day. Had Yasmin told him that I was questioning the genetic component of magical botany?

“Since you ask, yes. Yasmin told me that botanical magic is… inherited. But neither of my parents have it.” I didn’t feel like telling him that my mom was no longer alive to ask about it.

Professor East steepled his hands. “We don’t know everything there is to know about the genetics of it, but yes, it runs directly in families.

Many of the students here grow up learning basic botanical magic from a very young age.

It’s so rare that members of our community tend to remain…

close. Most magical botanical families are fairly well documented.

I must admit that finding you was a surprise but not unprecedented.

If no one in your family was ever trained, they may not have known about their powers. ”

I latched on to that explanation. Had I really come from a line of magical botanists who didn’t know what they were ?

“We can discuss this more, Ms. Whelan, but I’ve got to get to class. Professor Sato is waiting for you at the edge of the woods. She will conduct your moss affinity testing. Good luck.”