A figure emerged underneath a porch light, and I recognized the heart-shaped face of Meadow. She was wearing a baggy sweatshirt and leggings, her feet stuffed into fuzzy black slippers. “Look who finally arrived. My stowaways. Rhodes didn’t get you too airsick on the flight, did he?”
“I have to admit, it was pretty smooth,” I said.
“You all have a plan for the trees, right? I’m telling my parents you’ll be doing studies in the rainforest in the morning.”
“Rhodes thinks he has it covered,” Hollis said, joining Meadow on the porch.
“Just make sure you’re back in time for the annual strategic meeting.” Meadow directed those words at Callan. “Remember that we have to hike in and then change up there, so give yourself plenty of time. My mom thinks you’re all coming as part of a group project for school. Personally, once we’re there, I don’t care what you all do, but we have to make an appearance.”
“Annual strategic meeting?” Hollis scratched the back of his neck. “I think I’ll fake an illness tomorrow night.”
“Don’t let the name fool you. It’s the gala I was telling you about,” Meadow said as she opened a sliding door and ushered us inside. “Which, to be honest, is even more of a reason to play sick. But you all needed a cover for coming here, and I found us one.”
Chapter Forty-Nine
Iglanced at the four bunk beds at the spare room in Meadow’s house, realizing that I was going to be sharing the space with the two guys in the group. Still, I was too tired to care, and I quickly claimed the bathroom. I washed up and changed then went to choose a bunk.
Callan came to stand by me as Hollis closed the bathroom door. “Chat outside?”
I nodded and followed him to the porch. There were a few bamboo chairs on the knotted white pine wood, and we each took a seat.
“I know you’ve been wanting more details about the plan tomorrow. The truth is, what we don’t know is almost as much as what we do. I have a plan for getting in that should only leave a small footprint, and we have intel on where the quill is being stored. What we don’t know is how many people will be working at the tree conservatory tomorrow, if any atypical protocols are in place, or if there has been any change of plans related to the quill.”
“You’re making this sound like a piece of cake, Rhodes,” I quipped, though my stomach was tightening. We were really doing this.
Callan’s smile was almost a laugh. “I think our chances are decent. I wouldn’t be risking it if I thought the situation was unsafe. But I wanted to give you one more opportunity to stay here or go to the moss conservatory early with Meadow. I can go in myself or take Hollis off patrol duty outside and bring him with me.”
I was shaking my head before he even finished his offer. “No way. I agreed to be one of the protectors, remember? That involves taking risks. Besides”—I cast my gaze out at the trees in the dark woods surrounding us—“who knows when I’ll have another opportunity to see the tree conservatory. Do you think I would miss out on that?”
Callan shook his head. “No, I don’t think you would. A little risk has never scared you, though.”
I glanced at Callan and saw his hand was rubbing a small circle in the center of his chest.
“Is that your gemstone?” I asked. I knew Callan wore his gemstone on a necklace since I’d glimpsed the chain a few times, but I had rarely seen the stone.
After a moment’s hesitation, he pulled the necklace from under his shirt.
I leaned in closer to look at it under the porch light. “It’s beautiful. Peridot, right? We’re both greens.”
Callan’s eyes shifted to my emerald ring, and I held it up, letting it glimmer as the light caught it. “Pretty fine handiwork. Do you make the jewelry for everyone on campus?”
“Any of the founders’ descendants can do it. It’s something we learn growing up. My aunt taught me.”
“Your aunt? The florist?”
Callan smiled, seemingly surprised that I remembered. “Yes, she’ll try her hand at any craft. She became a bit of an amateur jeweler, and she taught me. Her lessons were more fun than my parents’.”
“How so?” I was eager, as always, for more about Callan’shome life.
“Let’s just say my aunt is more into the… mystical side of magical botany.”
“Mystical? Like having plant affinities isn’t mystical enough?” I laughed.
“Some theories are a little more out of the mainstream, I guess you could say. She’s a big fan of a fringe theory about birthstones.”
I nodded for him to go on. “What is it?”
“You’ll think it’s silly.”
