I parked near the other cars and then took both loads of sweets to the ceremony site, leaving them with the bride’s mom at the picnic tables. There were colorful wildflower bouquets on each table, and I hurried away when I noticed them bending their blooms in my direction.
As I navigated out of the ceremony site, I considered how close Evergreen Academy might be. I was still feeling a strong pull to at least cruise by. The academy was slightly due west of here, and I didn’t want to have to go all the way back out to the freeway.
Seeing a dirt road to my left, I decided to take it.
Twenty minutes later, I smiled in satisfaction as I glimpsed themassive brick wall that surrounded Evergreen Academy’s grounds. I pulled over near a tree, deciding to hop out and get my bearings. I wasn’t sure which direction to take to get to the front gate.
As I scanned the brick wall, an anomaly in the weathered, moss-covered brick caught my attention. There, built into the brick, was a tiny arch that met the ground. It looked like what I imagined a fairy door would, compact and well-blended with its surroundings.
I remembered the previous summer when Maci had jokingly claimed that the ring of stones outside the Evergreen Academy gate was a fairy ring.
Curious, I walked closer and crouched to examine it. In the center of the arch, there was a carved symbol of roots and swirling vines. The symbol looked familiar, but I couldn’t recall where I might have seen it before. Most likely, I had come across it in one of the many textbooks I’d been absorbing like an oversaturated piece of moss throughout the past year. I ran my fingers across the engraving on the rough brick.
Just then, I heard a rustling overhead and looked up automatically. My heart rate accelerated as I scanned the canopy. I knew that sound. Someone was tree walking above.
Chapter Two
Ipeered into the canopy, trying to make out a figure. Unless someone was randomly climbing trees out here in the woods, it had to be one of the tree affinities from the academy.
“Hey!” I called out.
The rustling stopped.
A moment later, a girl with straight, fading dyed-black hair and a heart-shaped fair face dropped down from the nearest oak.
I didn’t recognize her from school. “Who are you?”
She cocked a hip. “I could ask the same of you.”
“I’ve never seen you on campus before.” As I studied her more closely, I noticed a few thin purple streaks sprinkled throughout her hair. She was wearing black skate shoes and a spaghetti-strapped black romper.
“So, you’re a student.” She broke into a coy smile. “You can never be too sure. There are always random people poking around out here in the woods.”
Out of nowhere, a slithering vine came rushing my way, and I lifted a hand.
“Discedite.” The word was out of my mouth instinctively, and the vine came to an abrupt halt.
The girl smiled broadly, and there was a hint of mischief in it. “Nicely done. I’m Meadow.”
“What was that for?”
“Just making sure.”
I let out a breath as my heart rate slowed, grateful that I was a few feet back from the academy walls and that my powers worked here. “Thanks for the warm welcome. I’m Briar. Are you here for the solstice, or…”
Her mouth formed a small o before she smoothed her expression. “Briar Whelan? I’ve heard of you. You made quite a splash on the spring equinox.”
I felt myself tense. “How do you know about that?”
“They tell all of us founders’ descendants relevant information when we enroll.”
“You’re a founder’s descendant?” Things began to click into place then. That would explain why she was here on the solstice. Then I remembered the tree walking. “A tree founder’s descendant?”
“No, mosses. I have a trailing tree affinity, though. Makes tree walking a little risky, but that’s why I like it. And to answer your question, yeah, I’m here for the solstice with my parents.”
“Are any other founders’ descendants here?” I didn’t want to ask about Callan directly, so I resorted to fishing.
“It’s just me, Rhodes, and Hollis at the academy this year. Hollis has been here since Tuesday. I heard Rhodes and his parents arrived late last night, but I haven’t seen him yet.” Her eyes sparkled, and she asked, “Want to have a bit of fun?”
