I could practically hear Hollis’s chest puffing out. “Who is ‘all’?”
“Me and my friends Yasmin, Aurielle, and Coral.”
“Good. It takes a fern affinity to truly appreciate the level of detail I went into.”
“I think Coral will be talking about the symmetry of your fronds for days.”
“That’s one compliment I’ll never forget.”
“What did you get for your artifact?” I asked. “It must have been something from outside, given the state of your costume at the end of the night.”
There was a soft clinking noise behind me, and I glanced back to see Hollis holding a velvet pouch. “Gemstones.”
My eyes widened. “Wouldn’t those come from Professor East’s office?”
“Not if you know where the gemstone cave is.”
“I’m sorry. Gemstonecave?” I asked, incredulous.
“You didn’t think these were ordinary gemstones, did you? They’re all formed here on campus.”
I whistled. “Nice going.”
“How about you? Ahh, fronds,” Hollis moaned.
“What is it?” We had reached the waterfall, and I paused to look at the sunset that was blooming brilliantly around us like a field of poppies and zinnias.
“My path goes over the rocks on the side over there, but they’re all slippery and treacherous.”
“Maybe I can make a water bubble around you if you want topass through the pool instead,” I offered. I had made a few small ones during my aquatic affinity studies the previous year. “It would keep you and the gemstones dry.”
“Um, yes please,” Hollis said, moving to the edge of the water.
“Okay, just give me a second.” I recalled the Floracantus for trapping a bubble of air in water. “Aqua tegmina,” I said firmly, swirling my hands to scoop the water around Hollis. I was concentrating too hard to smile, but Hollis’s face broke into a grin as a shimmery screen formed around him.
“Hot fronds!” he exclaimed, and he sounded like he was underwater.
I laughed, then I dove in next to him.
We were the first ones in the cave, aside from Kaito. Callan was nowhere in sight. I felt a twinge of nerves, hoping everyone had managed to collect an artifact without getting caught.
Hollis—perfectly dry from my bubble—was the picture of confidence as he sat on a large boulder, legs crossed at the ankles in front of him, studying the eclectic assortment of plants in the Evergreen Conservatory.
Other students began to emerge over the rocks on the sides of the waterfall—or from the pool, in Nalin’s case—the tension increasing as we waited for the final recruits to arrive.
Five minutes later, Callan finally joined us. Hollis stood and fist-bumped him as if he was already an accepted member of the club. Then, at last, Kaito got started.
“Welcome, everyone. We received each of your messages—well done on that,” Kaito said. “Now, you’ll each share your artifact with the group. Any volunteers want to go first?”
Hollis raised a lazy finger then poured some of the gemstones into his palm, where they glimmered by the fireflies and moonlight. There were many appreciative exclamations, and it was clear that the other non-founders’ descendants hadn’t known about the Gemstone Cave either.
Heath went next. “I brought the Wisteria Wind Chimes. Floralaffinities swear they can calm any situation, and there’s only one set on campus.”
Kaito nodded. “Could be useful. Who’s next?”
Ravenna, the grasses affinity, stepped forward. “I got the list of all field studies assignments from Professor Tenella’s office.”
I narrowed my eyes, wondering if my classified assignment was on there.
