Page 66 of Evergreen Academy (Society of Magical Botanists #1)
Chapter Sixty-Four
W hen the night of the SCC art gala came around, I put on a black dress and some teardrop earrings and fixed my hair into an elegant updo, so unlike my standard casual waves. I even decided to wear kitten heels—usually totally off-limits—and hoped my feet wouldn’t hate me by the end of the evening.
I met Yasmin at the library on campus where our class was hosting the gala.
We set up our submissions along with our classmates, and our instructor came by to wish us luck on our public showing.
We were each allowed to submit three works, so I had entered two of my drawings plus the painting I had done for the Floral Fete at Evergreen Academy.
“I shouldn’t have put mine next to yours,” Yasmin whined. “Yours are so much better.”
“Stop that. You were working with charcoal . I haven’t even touched that medium. I’m so impressed with how they came out.”
Yasmin beamed and straightened her shoulders slightly. I wasn’t sure if I should ask her if she had invited anyone to the gala. After all, she wasn’t from the area, and I didn’t know if her family was able to travel for something like this.
“My aunt is coming by,” I said. “I’ve told her all about you, so I know she’ll be excited to see your work.”
“Oh, that’s awesome. It will be great to meet her.”
The gala doors opened then, and members of the college and local community began to filter through the rows of easels.
We answered questions about our work and milled around with our guests to view our classmates’ submissions.
Aunt Vera was blown away by the foxglove painting I’d done for the floral fete, which I’d decided to title simply In Bloom .
We were an hour into the gala when I heard a voice I would recognize anywhere. I looked down the row and saw Callan greeting my art instructor with a small group of people. He had a small bouquet of wild white roses in his hand.
A moment later, he began to make his way toward Yasmin and me. He was wearing a suit that was perfectly tailored, and I was ready to beam at him when I saw that his smile was wary. My guard went up immediately.
That was when I noticed who was trailing him. The tall couple stepped out from behind their son, and Callan’s mother spoke.
“Callan had told us you were a talented artist, but we had no idea he wasn’t exaggerating. This is quite impressive.” Her eyes shot to my painting of In Bloom .
My shoulders straightened at the sight of Wendy and Solomon Rhodes, both impeccably dressed, sipping sparkling cider that probably tasted like ground apple peels to them .
They were in town again? Had they come to escort Callan home, or was there another reason they were visiting? Had they come out to investigate the poisoning of the soil? But why were they here at SCC’s art gala, of all places? My senses went on high alert, feeling like I was missing something.
Callan stepped closer, handed me half the roses, and leaned in to whisper in my ear. “I’m so sorry. I tried to stop them.”
He turned to Yasmin and gave her the remaining flowers, which she took with a surprised smile. “Lovely work, ladies,” he said, all hint of anxiety erased from his voice.
I swallowed and put on a bright smile. These were Callan’s parents and prestigious members of the Magical Botanical Board of Regents. Whatever reason they had for being here tonight, I planned to make a good impression.
“That’s very kind of you to say.” I met each of his parents’ eyes in turn. “It’s nice to see you both again.”
I got Aunt Vera’s attention and waved her over. “This is my aunt, Vera. Vera, this is my friend Callan, and these are his parents.”
My aunt stepped forward. “Nice to meet you all. Does Callan have a piece in the gala?”
“No, our son doesn’t take classes here,” Wendy said coolly, and I cast Callan a raised eyebrow, realizing he hadn’t told them about the math classes he’d taken with me. “Callan studies with Briar at Evergreen Academy.”
“Right,” my aunt said, an easy smile slipping onto her lovely face. “She’s been pretty tight-lipped about that place, but I know it’s been a great opportunity for her this year.”
“You have no idea,” Wendy said, and her smile was bright as her sharp eyes locked on mine. “One might say her potential is unmatched .” There was an emphasis on the last word that caused me to suppress a shiver. “We look forward to seeing you again soon, Briar.”
And with that, the Rhodes family breezed out of the gala, Callan straightening his shoulders as he followed his parents. He turned and caught my eyes briefly before rounding the corner, and then he was gone.
“They seem a little… stuffy,” Aunt Vera murmured once they were well out of earshot.
I choked back a laugh. The unexpected encounter had brought my two worlds together in an unsettling way, and it left me with a sense of unease.
“Maci and I will meet you at the restaurant after you finish up here,” my aunt said, motioning between Yasmin and me. About halfway through the gala, when Maci stopped by, my aunt had decided the four of us needed an end-of-year celebration at Delilah’s.
As we cleaned up the gala, a stir of emotions swirled through my core.
One part of my brain couldn’t stop sorting through the questions that clung to my curiosity like a climbing vine to a trellis.
Questions about how I would go about studying on campus next year with no access to my powers, about who had been poisoning the school’s grounds and why, and now, about why on earth Callan’s parents had come to my art gala.
But when I took my painting of In Bloom from the easel and examined the intricate details I’d incorporated into the painting, a sense of hope kicked in across the curiosity.
I now knew about my ancestry, and I had a summer to dig into it further.
Thanks to Callan, Professor East, and my three good friends, I felt more at home at the academy than I’d ever expected to.
And lastly, no matter what schemes his parents were up to, next school year, I would see Callan Rhodes again.
I pulled one of the delicate white roses from the bouquet, murmured a Floracantus for longevity, and stuck it behind my ear, stepping out into the warm evening air. Tonight was for celebration, and this magical botanist was going to embrace it.