A large round bed was nestled under the window, with shelves of books surrounding it. Potted plants in vibrant planters ran along the low windowsill above the bed, whilehanging ones snaked down from the top of the window. I forced my eyes away from the glass to examine the rest of the room.
As would be expected in a college dorm, there was a wooden desk with floating wall shelves above it, and they were all covered with papers, plants, and a few teacups. There was a small closet, the doors wide open and revealing clothes in browns, whites, blues, and greens. Oversized fern plants adorned every corner of the room, both on the floor and hanging from the ceiling.
Yasmin waved her hand, and the ferns shimmied, as if waving hello to me, a dramatic reminder that Yasmin had a fern affinity. Aside from the one demonstration with the vine in Professor East’s office, I’d yet to see anyone using their affinity powers.
“Okay, I am officially jealous of this room.”
Yasmin laughed. “Well, you always have the option to move in if you want to. If not this year, then the next.”
I looked around the room and tried to imagine it. It was too strange to even contemplate. And she’d mentioned next year. I couldn’t begin to fathom what an entire year would be like at this school, let alone the idea of a second year. But a warmth bloomed in my chest at the thought that I could belong here.
Standing in this room with Yasmin, in the heart of the forest, calmed me in a way I couldn’t explain. It was art come to life. And I wanted to explore every inch of it.
“This is a two-year school, then? Like SCC?”
“Technically, yes. Though most students go on to do an internship with a magical botanical field office during their third year, which is run through Evergreen Academy.”
I wanted to ask her about the magical botanical field offices, but the existence of the academy was already a lot to process, and Yasmin was continuing her explanations.
“So, now you just have to do all your affinity tests this week, and then you’ll officially be ready to start classes.”
Reality snapped back into place. Right. It wasn’t all fun and games and leisurely time in the library. We still had to figure out where I fit in the field of magical affinities, which I didn’t at all understand.
The reminder that I’d never felt any kind of unexplainable pull toward plants snuck into my consciousness. Was there a chance that Professor East had been wrong in his assessment? If so, it would mean I didn’t belong here after all.
I didn’t look back as we left Yasmin’s room, and she softly closed the door behind us.
Shortly after our tour, I caught a ride back to the SCC campus with Professor East, my mind swirling the entire way. Despite the wildest theories people had proposed about Evergreen Academy, not one of them was as wild as the truth.
It was a school for magical botanists.
Magicalfreakingbotanists.
My thoughts were broken when Professor East spoke as we pulled into the parking lot at SCC. “Well, I’m sure that was a lot of new information today. I can drive you back to campus after classes again tomorrow to start your affinity testing, or you can drive yourself. Do you have a car?”
I nodded. “I can drive myself.”
“Great.” He pointed toward the ring on my finger. I’d nearly forgotten it was there, and I ran my opposite pointer finger across the smooth emerald.
“Just make sure you have that on you. Hold it up near the gate, and it will open for you. And Ms. Whelan”—his voice lowered an octave—“in case this hasn’t explicitly been said, Evergreen Academy operates in strictest secrecy. Only other magical botanists know of it. I know this may be difficult, but you can’t tell your family or friends about it.”
I met his eyes, heart racing. Perhaps deep down I’d known that I was being let in on a secret that others in my life couldn’t be, but could I really keep it a secret… forever? What about Aunt Vera? Maci?
“Can we count on your confidence?” His eyes were steady on mine, then they flitted briefly to my ring again, and I wondered what would happen if I said no.
But I swallowed and replied, “Yes, Professor East.”
The intensity in his eyes relaxed, and he smiled. “I thought so. See you tomorrow, Ms. Whelan.”
Chapter Ten
“Tell me everything,” Maci said, pulling me aside into an empty classroom before Biology.
I’d rehearsed what I was going to say to Maci the previous night, and the words flowed out of me now.
“There’s not too much to say because students are required to sign NDAs, but I can tell you that they do scientific research there. Mostly involving plants.”
I let out a deep breath, upset about the lie in the first part of my answer, but I felt that it would help me prevent future lies. If I was under a nondisclosure agreement, Maci wouldn’t constantly ask about my time there. And with the way Professor East had looked at me and the emerald ring on my finger, I couldn’t help but feel Iwasoperating on some sort of magical NDA anyway.
