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Chapter Sixty-One

T he next morning, I left the campus early, before sunrise.

I had formulated more protective plans for the quill as I fought sleep the night before, trying not to think about the conversation Callan and I would soon have with Professor East about Alex.

The rain had ceased sometime during the night, leaving the plants in the forest a bright, vibrant green.

When I walked through the gate to leave the academy grounds, I immediately felt access to my affinity powers return and tried to draw on the strength and reassurance I felt from that as I crafted my plan.

Taking inspiration from some of the plants in the Perilous Grove, I grafted a few defense mechanisms to repel water and light, for basic protection, then imitated the mechanism of the lithops pebble plants, which appear like stones to the untrained eye.

“Instead of a quill, I’m going to make you appear as a bald eagle feather,” I whispered before murmuring a camouflaging Floracantus I had practiced with Petra.

I watched in delight as the quill metamorphosed before my eyes, its grayish feather shifting to the distinctive white and black of a bald eagle.

The quill tip sealed and shrunk, emerging as nothing more than a normal feather shaft.

Satisfied with the work, I slipped the feather into my bag. As I prepared to return to campus, my phone rang. I was surprised by the caller.

“Hey, Bryce,” I answered. “Everything okay?”

“Hey, B. Sorry to bother you. Your aunt says you’re busy with studies and all of that. I just wanted to get your opinion on something.”

“It’s no problem. What’s up? How are you both?”

“It’s Vera. She’s fine—there’s nothing you need to worry about—but she is acting a little… strange.”

I chewed my lip, wondering where this was going. “Strange, how?”

“She won’t stop talking about flowers. She wanted to stop at every florist on the way to visit my brother’s family, and she’s been preparing flower arrangements and covering every spare surface in the house with bouquets.

” He hesitated. “I guess I’m just wondering…

do you think this might be some sort of weird post-wedding blues? ”

I frowned, processing what he had said. I wasn’t sure if Bryce was prone to hyperbole, but my aunt’s actions did sound a little unusual. “On Christmas Eve, she mentioned that I had inspired her with the flowers I did for your wedding. Has she said anything about that to you?” I asked.

“She did say she was thinking about it as a new business venture. I didn’t think it was serious, but now I’m not so sure. Have you ever seen her get obsessed with something like this before?”

“I mean, sure. She can get on little kicks. She was obsessive when she first started the bakery. There were days our kitchen was completely overrun with scraps of numerous in-the-works recipes. And she’s always maintained her patio garden.

Maybe she’s just getting antsy for spring.

You have a whole yard for her to landscape this year. ”

“Yeah, you’re probably right. I’ll indulge her. It’s not like my brother and his wife are complaining about too many flowers in the house.”

I laughed. “Yeah, I’m sure it’s nothing. But if she starts to take over their house completely, maybe no more trips to the florist?”

Now Bryce laughed, audibly more relaxed than when we had first started talking. “Thanks, B. I think it’s just nervous newlywed stuff on my end. This is the first time we’ve visited my family together. It’s a big step.”

“Look at you two, doing cutesy married stuff,” I teased.

“All right, all right, I’ll let you go. Happy New Year. We’ll see you soon?”

“Of course. You two owe me dinner for getting straight A’s this fall, remember?”

We hung up, and I walked toward the academy gates. The sun was creeping over the horizon, and I stopped to watch it as the sky split orange and pink around the backdrop of Mount Shasta.

Professor East drove by on my way in, and I flagged him down after he parked. “Good morning. I know it’s early, but Callan and I were hoping to talk to you about something important. Do you have time today?”

“Sure,” Professor East said. “Just let me get inside and set up a little. I’m returning from a trip. Say, thirty minutes?”

“Sounds great. Thank you.” I hurried off to find Callan.

When I entered the teahouse, Callan was pouring himself a cup of coffee the size of a quart of milk.

“Woah there. Rough night?” I asked.

Callan’s smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. “The thought of the contraband in your room did have me a little anxious, yes.”

At his words, I gripped the strap of my bag, and he noticed.

“We’ll have to find somewhere safe to stash it until we can figure out the blocking spell.

” He twisted around and looked over the empty tearoom.

Most students were still on winter break.

As far as I knew, the two of us, Hollis, and Meadow were the only students around.

“You were up early,” Callan said, changing the subject.

“I wanted to be ready when Professor East arrived, and I had a few things to do off campus. He said we can meet him in thirty minutes.”

Callan nodded. “Everything okay? The reason you went off campus, I mean.”

“Oh, yeah. I mainly needed to check my phone.” As we stood there, I was hyperaware of what Hollis had told me about how Callan had made concessions in his field studies all so that I could get the training I needed.

I turned so that we were facing each other again.

“Before we go talk to Professor East, I just want to say that it means a lot that you’re always looking out for me.

” There. I hadn’t spilled the beans on what Hollis had shared, but hopefully he got the message that I knew he had my back, even at his own expense.

“What kind of tutor would I be if I threw you to the thorns?” He asked it jokingly, but there was a note in his voice that told me my heartfelt message had gotten through.

“Hurry up and get that coffee kicking in. I’m about ready to get this conversation over with. How are we going to tell him about Alex without mentioning our trip to the tree conservatory?”

“I think we’re going to have to tell him about that. I’m not worried about it. Do you want to take the lead, or do you want me to?”

“You,” I said, relieved that he’d offered. “I think I’m still in shock about the whole thing.”

Callan nodded and took a large swig of his coffee. Then he set the enormous carafe on the table and said, “All right, then, local. Let’s see if Professor East can help us smoke out a weed.”