“It wouldn’t be if all you did was visit. I need the artifact, Callan.” Wyatt’s voice was losing patience now.
“And I already told you, I don’t have it.”
Well, he wasn’t lying.
I glanced at Callan’s door, which now had moss creeping along the cracks, as if sealing it closed. I glanced to Meadow, who flashed me a quick smirk.
Wyatt’s lip twitched. “Dealing in semantics now? Fine. I’ll lay out the evidence. I find you by the display at the tree conservatory where said quill has recently arrived. A bit odd since no one had expected you at the conservatory, but as a tree founder’s descendant, you have every right to stop by. As part of—we’ll call it a routine check—we scanned the exhibit that night. Imagine our surprise when we realized the defenses were down.”
I winced again. That one was on me. If only I’d been able to put the defenses back up. The block on my powers was really starting to tick me off. My hands twitched at my sides.
“We take a look at the quill—just to be safe—and something’s a little off about it,” Wyatt continued. “Don’tget me wrong, it was masterfully done. It was unfortunate for you that someone I was traveling with has a specialty in these things. It didn’t take long to put two and two together.”
“Doesn’t sound like evidence,” Callan said. “Sounds more like conjecture.”
“I’ve been given leave to search your room,” Wyatt said, a note of finality in his voice. He turned to the door once more.
“Good luck.” Callan returned his attention to the door again, too, and gave a leisurely wave in its direction, but I noticed him frown when I assumed he spotted the moss. He glanced over his shoulder, but Meadow had already closed her door and disappeared.
Wyatt sighed, as if he was getting bored of the resistance. “Look, I was hoping to avoid turning this into a spectacle, but if you insist. I’m getting the quill. Now.” He raised a hand.
But before he could say anything else, Professor East stepped onto the landing.
“Quill?” our instructor asked, voice calm and slightly inquisitive. “You wouldn’t be talking about the artifact from the tree conservatory, would you? By the way, it’s nice to have you visit again, Mr. Rhodes. Your visit wasn’t announced.”
Wyatt’s gaze shifted to our instructor in surprise, and I saw Callan’s eyebrows lift slightly as well.
“Hello, Professor East. My visit is time sensitive, I’m afraid. You know about the quill I’m here to collect?”
I waited with bated breath as Professor East spoke. Callan, though his expression remained stoic as always, was rubbing the side of his neck.
“That’s what this is about? If so, I apologize for the confusion, Mr. Rhodes. I requested to have the quill on a temporary display here for students to research this spring, with the agreement that it would be returned to the tree conservatory at the end of the year. It arrived this weekend. Were you under the impression that it had been misplaced?”
I cast my eyes to Callan as time seemed to slow down. Was Professor East… covering for us?
Wyatt hesitated. “You have the quill from the new tree conservatory display?”
“It’s secured in the library, ready for students when they return from the break,” Professor East said, and I nearly balked at his smooth-as-silk delivery.
“Well, then let’s take a look,” Wyatt said.
Wyatt and Professor East headed to the library first, and I let out a slow, deep exhale as Callan and I followed them.
“What is going on?” Callan whispered.
“I think we’re getting bailed out,” I murmured. We followed the two men into the library, and my stomach did a flip that I couldn’t decide was from tension or relief when Professor East led the way to a collection of magical botanical trinkets that was always on display in the library.
The quill I’d handed him was settled among a few other trinkets, resting underneath a clear phytoglass cover.
Wyatt stepped up to Professor East’s side, appraising the display.
Callan turned and caught my eye, giving a slight disbelieving shake of his head.
“Is this what you were looking for?” Professor East asked, hands clasped behind his back and posture straight. This man was getting my vote for teacher of the year, hands down.
“Let me see.” Wyatt removed the phytoglass then tested a few Floracantus on the quill, which resulted in several shivers of the feather.
I tried not to let on how nervous I was as we all waited for the verdict.
