Page 14

Chapter Fourteen

“ C an I talk to you for a second?” Callan took my elbow as Team Autumn began to chant in victory, lifting their orange lanterns into the air.

“Sure,” I said, still breathing hard and grinning from the exhilaration of the last half hour.

Meadow was being lifted onto a stretcher of vines that was serving as a throne. Where our team intended to parade her to, I had no idea.

“Sorry Meadow stole your thunder,” I said.

Callan shook his head. “As long as someone took Hollis down a peg, we’re all good. Though now Meadow may be the one with the overinflated ego.”

“You all have to go charge the verdant shield soon, right?” I asked, glancing toward the star-littered sky. It had to be nearing midnight.

Callan nodded. “Yes, but I’ll be leaving after that.”

“Leaving?”

“I’m working on a few projects before school starts, and unfortunately, they’re going to keep me away from the academy for a little while longer. ”

My stomach twisted as my heart sank. “But you only just arrived.”

“I had to come back for the charging. I should only be out for another week or so.”

“Is everything… okay?”

He broke eye contact for a moment to fist-bump with another tree affinity who walked by and shouted, “Ayyye, Rhodes!”

“That’s what I wanted to ask you. I heard someone from the board was here today.”

“Oh, yes. Kale Brightmoor from the harvesters.”

“He spoke with you?”

“Yeah, it was weird. It seemed like he was almost… selling the harvesters to me. Seems pretty silly for a girl who doesn’t even have access to her powers.”

Callan frowned. “I think you can probably expect more of that throughout the year.”

“I feel like I should be flattered, but I can’t help wondering what they want.”

“Power is beginning to… shift hands,” Callan said slowly. “The affinity groups are surveying their assets. Some may see you as one.”

“As an asset? That sounds like some spy business.” I tried to joke, but Callan’s face was entirely serious.

“I’m sure you handled yourself like a champ just don’t… Don’t make commitments to anyone, okay?”

“What kind of commitments could I even make?”

“Promises to visit their conservatories. Concessions to focus your research in their affinity area. That sort of thing.”

I swallowed and nodded. “Okay, I won’t. But nothing like that has technically been asked of me.”

“Good. Let’s hope we can keep it that way.” He glanced toward the academy building. “I have to get to the shield and rescue Meadow from the celebrations, but I’ll see you in a week or so, okay? ”

“Good luck, Callan.”

My friends pounced on me as soon as Callan left, as if they’d been waiting for their opening. My eyes tracked the head of chestnut hair disappearing in the dark even after Coral started jumping up and down.

“I lit Waylon! I lit Waylon! He’s covered in green dust.”

Coral’s enthusiasm finally wrenched my attention from Callan, and I smiled and gave her a high five. “Nice work. And not a spot on you.”

“I managed to hold out until the end. An aquatic affinity from your team tagged Yasmin, though.”

I looked at my roommate and confirmed that she was covered in orange dust.

“Honestly, I don’t even care that we lost. I’m just celebrating accomplishing my mission.” Coral looped her arm through mine, and we began to walk back to the academy.

“So, tell us how Meadow took out Hollis,” Yasmin said.

Aurielle rushed to fill her in on the thrilling tale, including her role in it. But I tuned it out as I wondered what Callan was doing and why he wasn’t attending classes on Monday like the rest of us.