Page 47 of Evergreen Academy (Society of Magical Botanists #1)

“Someone spiked the cupcakes with Scopolia ,” he said quietly.

Coral gasped. “I heard that happened a few years ago.”

Callan’s face was grave. “I’m going to find Professor East. This can spiral out of control quickly.”

Coral took my hand, and Callan disappeared into the crowd.

“But I want to go with Callan,” I whined, unable to control my words.

“Come on. Let’s find Yas and Aurielle and head back upstairs.”

“Of course Coral’s into you,” Aurielle was saying to Waylon when we found her. Coral gave her a horrified look and took her hand.

“Sorry, it’s the apple wine,” Coral whispered to Waylon over her shoulder. “This is a disaster,” she said to me. “We need to find Yas.”

We spotted Yasmin a few minutes later. She was grabbing another cupcake from the garden table.

“I’ll take that,” Coral said, casually placing the cupcake back on the tray. “I should probably take all of these.” She picked up the large tray and motioned for Yasmin to follow us. I felt like I was in a daze, not sure exactly where we were going or why Coral was acting so stressed.

“I want to dance,” I said, and Coral shook her head.

“We need to go up to the room first.”

“But the party’s not over,” Yasmin whined.

Coral sighed, looking frazzled. Then her eyes widened slightly. “I’ve got a surprise for you in my room.”

We all murmured in excitement at that and followed Coral as she locked the cupcakes in a cupboard then climbed the stairs.

“What’s the surprise?” Aurielle asked, looking around the room she shared with Coral.

“I’m going to brew y’all a special tea.” Coral began to heat an electric kettle and sift through some canisters of loose herbs on her dresser.

“Ohhh, that sounds yummy,” Yasmin said .

“And let’s just hope Professor Sato is already working on brewing a batch for everyone else,” Coral mumbled.

The three of us flopped on the two beds as Coral worked. My limbs were suddenly feeling tired, and I lay back on a large pillow shaped like a fern leaf. The ceiling began to spin as I did so.

“The room is spinning!” I shouted.

“You’re fine,” Coral insisted, shoving a mug of tea into my hands. “Sit up and drink this.”

A few minutes later, my head began to clear, and I blinked at Coral in confusion.

“What the heck happened?” Aurielle asked.

“You were all drugged with enhanced Scopolia carniolica .”

“The truth serum?” Yasmin sputtered.

“Thankfully, Callan noticed and asked me to get you all out of the party before too much damage could be done.”

“Please tell me I didn’t say anything stupid,” Aurielle muttered.

“Oh, not much. You just told Waylon that I’m into him,” Coral said in exasperation.

Aurielle winced. “I’m so sorry!”

Coral waved a hand. “It’s fine. Maybe he won’t remember in all the chaos.”

“What did I say?” Yasmin asked, and I could see that she was racking her brain to remember.

“Not sure. I found you when you were about to eat another cupcake.”

A fuzzy memory started to form then, and I moaned. Everyone turned to look at me. “I think I told Callan he looked like a model from a magazine. ”

Aurielle snorted with laughter, but Yasmin said, “I’m sure that’s nothing he hasn’t heard before.”

“I think I want to crawl into a hole and never come out,” I breathed.

“That’s how a ton of people are going to be feeling,” Coral said, then she walked to the window and peered outside. “I see teacups being passed around. Looks like Callan saved the day.”

I groaned. “Don’t speak his name.”

“Can you imagine what truths came to light during the party? This place is going to be a mess tomorrow. My sister said this happened once when she was in school here. Some friendships ended forever.” Yasmin’s face was solemn.

“Well, at least the four of us are still intact,” Aurielle said. “Sorry again, Coral.” My stomach unclenched slightly at her words. Despite whatever embarrassing conversation I’d had with Callan, my friend group had survived the night.

There was a knock on the door then, and Coral opened it.

I stood up when I saw Callan standing there with Professor East. The instructor saw the teacups in our hands and nodded.

“Looks like you already got them the antidote. Well done, Ms. Day. Now, someone said they saw you with the cupcakes. I’d like to have a look at those. ”

“I took them and locked them in the spice cabinet after Callan told me they were laced.”

Professor East nodded. “Very good. We’ll make sure those are disposed of.” He turned and left us then.

Callan made eye contact with me, and I went to the door. We stepped outside and propped it closed behind us. “I wanted to see how you were. Did the detox tea work?”

“Well, I don’t feel compelled to spill my guts to you anymore, so I think so.” I hoped to make light of the situation so my embarrassment didn’t pull me under.

“Good. And just so you know… there’s nothing between Nevah and me.”

“Oh, okay. It doesn’t matter if there is…” I felt my cheeks flush and internally cursed the Scopolia that had surfaced some deep concern I hadn’t fully known I possessed.

“Yep, now I know the truth serum has worn off.”

I smacked his arm gently, and he chuckled. But then his expression tightened.

“Not that my parents wouldn’t be thrilled if there was. Trying to keep magical bloodlines powerful and all that aristocratic BS. She’d be the perfect match, in their eyes.”

“And in your eyes?” I couldn’t help asking. He was opening up more than usual, maybe to spare me some of the self-consciousness I was feeling.

“Nevah’s great, but I’ve never seen her as anything more than a friend. And the same is true for her.”

“Got it,” I said, biting my lower lip. I hoped the relief didn’t show on my face.

“I’m glad you’re safe,” Callan said softly. And then he was gone.