“You can leave the cave to get your plant of choice,” Kaito said. “Make sure your signature is embedded before you return to the academy for the night.”
The botanists began to disperse, exiting the cave to choose a plant of their lead affinity.
I turned to Callan. “Where’s your signature?”
“Take a closer look. Can you tell?”
I scanned the area again. There were tree bits grafted onto the cave all over the place. How to know which was Callan’s?
I opened up my senses and searched the tree’s cells. When my attention caught on a tiny tree growing out of the cave wall, there was a familiar sensation in the magic that tied it to the stone.
Callan had demonstrated his magic to me many times since we’d met. I knew it almost as well as I knew my own. That graft was his signature style. So simple. So clever. And unlike the other tree bits that were only a branch or two, he had managed to include the whole miniature tree there.
“That one,” I said, pointing to it.
He nodded, a slow smile creeping across his lips. “Very good.” Callan’s voice dropped even lower, his eyes never leaving mine as he leaned in closer and said, “As much as I liked your plant lady costume, I think the fairy gave it a run for its money.”
I startled, heat flushing my neck. I hadn’t known Callan had seen my costume, but apparently, he had noticed me from some secret vantage point during the evening.
“Yeah, well, I hadn’t intended on traipsing through the entire forest and scaling a wall in it. I’m surprised I didn’t leave a trail of glitter from the scene of the crime straight to my room.”
Callan’s lips twitched, then he nodded toward the mouth of the cave, urging me to start my task.
I swam out of the cave, noting a little tug of pleasure deep in my belly. Each slow smile from Callan was like the first bloom of a dormant plant in spring. Sweet, assuring, and with the promise of something to come.
Once I was back on campus, I headed straight for the Perilous Grove. While I could have chosen from any of the plant affinities, Iwas starting to identify with the defensive plants much more since my training with Petra. Plus, I was the only one in the group with a defensive plant affinity. It seemed fitting to make that my contribution.
I scanned my plant options, wanting to choose something that would add to the beauty of the space despite its deadly qualities. Before long, I landed on lily of the valley. The delicate white bells drew the eye immediately.
By the time I collected a bunch of the flowers and returned to the cave, other botanists were already in the midst of attaching their plants to the damp floor or walls.
Studying the area, I noticed a spot that was typically dark but where a sliver of moonlight was beginning to shine through, illuminating the pool of water below. Perhaps it was where the name Moonlit Falls had come from. I got to work grafting my flowers to the wall.
I glanced at Callan, thinking of when he had me practice grafting on our rock climbing outing. Callan was watching Laurus attach a bundle of sage to an already overfull portion of the wall.
Once my lilies of the valley were grafted, I took a step back and admired them. They were shining in the moonlight, like little moons themselves.
“Interesting choice,” Callan whispered in my ear, and I shivered, not realizing he had joined me.
“Exactly. It’s unassuming. Only the people who know its power will ever see it coming.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
November rolled along, and I met Petra each week in the lantern-lit cabin on Mount Shasta to continue our development of counterpoisons. Tonight was our last meeting of the month, and I could tell we were both itching to make some progress.
“Okay, the yarrow- and comfrey-based concoctions didn’t go anywhere, but maybe this sweet clover will give us something.” Petra stirred a pot that was simmering on a camp stove. “Once this cools, you can test it out. Let me get the shield up.”
Petra stepped outside, and I knew she was touching the earth, imbuing it with a shield that we hoped slightly imitated the one at Evergreen Academy. The only way to truly test if any of our antidotes worked would occur when I went back on campus, but we were both hopeful of some kind of breakthrough here under similar conditions.
A few minutes later, I felt access to my powers cut off. It wasn’t as stark as it was at the academy. I could feel that they were there, but it was like they were resting behind a thin wall. Petra stepped back inside and closed the door. “It’s ready. How’s the antidote looking?”
I held up the drinking glass I had poured a portion into. “It doesn’t smell great.”
“Well, at least you’ve got the honey for taste. Okay, go ahead.”
I lifted the cup to my lips and swallowed a tablespoon-size serving. The concoction was lukewarm and syrupy. Then as practiced, I began to test my magic at five-minute intervals.
“Petale expandere,” I said, aiming the Floracantus at the wilted flowers on the table. After our previous tests, I wasn’t expecting anything to happen, but Petra was rigorous with the scientific method.
