Page 49

Chapter Forty-Nine

I glanced at the four bunk beds at the spare room in Meadow’s house, realizing that I was going to be sharing the space with the two guys in the group. Still, I was too tired to care, and I quickly claimed the bathroom. I washed up and changed then went to choose a bunk.

Callan came to stand by me as Hollis closed the bathroom door. “Chat outside?”

I nodded and followed him to the porch. There were a few bamboo chairs on the knotted white pine wood, and we each took a seat.

“I know you’ve been wanting more details about the plan tomorrow.

The truth is, what we don’t know is almost as much as what we do.

I have a plan for getting in that should only leave a small footprint, and we have intel on where the quill is being stored.

What we don’t know is how many people will be working at the tree conservatory tomorrow, if any atypical protocols are in place, or if there has been any change of plans related to the quill. ”

“You’re making this sound like a piece of cake, Rhodes,” I quipped, though my stomach was tightening. We were really doing this .

Callan’s smile was almost a laugh. “I think our chances are decent. I wouldn’t be risking it if I thought the situation was unsafe.

But I wanted to give you one more opportunity to stay here or go to the moss conservatory early with Meadow.

I can go in myself or take Hollis off patrol duty outside and bring him with me. ”

I was shaking my head before he even finished his offer.

“No way. I agreed to be one of the protectors, remember? That involves taking risks. Besides”—I cast my gaze out at the trees in the dark woods surrounding us—“who knows when I’ll have another opportunity to see the tree conservatory. Do you think I would miss out on that?”

Callan shook his head. “No, I don’t think you would. A little risk has never scared you, though.”

I glanced at Callan and saw his hand was rubbing a small circle in the center of his chest.

“Is that your gemstone?” I asked. I knew Callan wore his gemstone on a necklace since I’d glimpsed the chain a few times, but I had rarely seen the stone.

After a moment’s hesitation, he pulled the necklace from under his shirt.

I leaned in closer to look at it under the porch light. “It’s beautiful. Peridot, right? We’re both greens.”

Callan’s eyes shifted to my emerald ring, and I held it up, letting it glimmer as the light caught it. “Pretty fine handiwork. Do you make the jewelry for everyone on campus?”

“Any of the founders’ descendants can do it. It’s something we learn growing up. My aunt taught me.”

“Your aunt? The florist?”

Callan smiled, seemingly surprised that I remembered. “Yes, she’ll try her hand at any craft. She became a bit of an amateur jeweler, and she taught me. Her lessons were more fun than my parents’.”

“How so?” I was eager, as always, for more about Callan’s home life.

“Let’s just say my aunt is more into the… mystical side of magical botany.”

“Mystical? Like having plant affinities isn’t mystical enough?” I laughed.

“Some theories are a little more out of the mainstream, I guess you could say. She’s a big fan of a fringe theory about birthstones.”

I nodded for him to go on. “What is it?”

“You’ll think it’s silly.”

“Well, now I really want to hear it.”

“Some botanists believe that certain birthstone combinations are nature-blessed matches.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Nature-blessed matches?”

Callan sighed like he regretted bringing it up. “Like something about their unique properties complements each other.”

“Huh. I’ve never heard of it.”

“There’s not much evidence behind it, so it wouldn’t be taught at Evergreen Academy, which prides itself on its scientific study of magic. But there are some circles where it has a huge following.”

“So does your birthstone have any nature-blessed matches with other stones?” I eyed the soft peridot stone around his neck again.

“According to the theory, similar colored stones meant their wearers had a connection. Ruby and garnet. Turquoise and aquamarine.”

I noticed he hadn’t mentioned our stones. “Emerald and peridot,” I breathed, gazing at the clear pale-lime hue of his stone.

He glanced toward my ring again. “Because emerald and peridot are the only two green birthstone rings—and green is the base color of plants and photosynthesis—the theory says their combination is extraordinarily powerful.”

I glanced down at my ring then too. “Powerful, how?” I spoke softly, lost in the magic of this moment with Callan, in the middle of the forest, discussing the ring that had brought me into the world of magical botany.

Callan let out a soft laugh. “I told you, it’s silly. What’s reality is that we have an early day tomorrow.” He ran his eyes over my pink pajama top and shorts. “And we both need to get to bed.”

I crossed my arms over my chest, having completely forgotten what I was wearing. “Well, I, for one, don’t think we’ll have any trouble tomorrow,” I said as I rose. “After all, we’re destined to be extraordinarily powerful together.”

Callan shook his head as if he wished he’d never told me, but there was a little spark in his eyes that twinkled in the porch light.