I eyed the liquids, each labeled with a folded paper sign. There was everything from tequila mixtures such as Agave Attitude to Sake Secret to heather-infused beer. In the end, I settled on a sparkling lavender mocktail. Despite Yasmin’s promises that the botanists had magically distilled out some of the more harmful properties of alcohol, I still didn’t want to risk doing something stupid in front of a student body that I was just getting to know.
“Take a straw,” Aurielle urged. “They’re made of sugar and easily digestible cellulose. They disintegrate infinitesimally as you drink, so that by the time your glass is empty, they crumble into a little sugary ring that you can enjoy as dessert.”
“There’s Waylon,” Coral said, taking a sip of her beer. “Couldn’t hurt to go say hello when I’m looking this good. Anyone want to come?”
Aurielle nodded and followed her, but Yasmin and I found seats in an open gazebo. I startled when I heard a rustling above us and looked up to see two students walking across the branches overhead, lanterns swinging from their wrists.
“Tree affinities.” Yasmin rolled her eyes. “They can never act normal at a party.” As she said this, the ferns around the gazebo began to rustle, and I laughed.
“You’re all magical botanists. None of this is exactly normal.” I couldn’t help but glance back toward the trees, wondering if Callan was up there, but the soft glow of the lanterns was gone.
“Touché. So, who would you like me to introduce you to? The academy’s not that big, so, eventually, we’ll all get to know each other. I’m most acquainted with the fern and moss affinities, of course, but I also have a lot of friends with harvester and herb affinities. My mom taught me that it’salwaysgood to be associated with the people who make the food.”
“Your mom is a wise woman. My aunt’s a baker, and she would say the same thing. Whoever you’d like to introduce me to is fine with me.”
Throughout the evening, Yasmin led me around to various groups of people and worked me into the conversation. Whenever someone asked what my lead affinity was, Yasmin brushed them off with an “Oh, we’re still working on that.”
I wondered how long that line would work. Until the winter solstice when we changed classes? All year? Or had word already started to spread that I didn’t have any affinity powers?
A few hours later, the volume in the woods had risensubstantially. Students were singing and dancing to the music—which had a folksy undertone—and a group of students with floral affinities had started making flower crowns for everyone. I had to admit that, despite my initial nerves, I was having fun.
“Ah, the founders deign to make an appearance,” Aurielle said just after nine o’clock, and I followed her gaze to see Callan with the two other students I was beginning to recognize. I ran through the names Yasmin had told me earlier. The boy was Eli Quinn, and the girl was Nevah Trinity. Nevah’s curls were sleek and silky, as if her aquatic affinity kept them perfectly moisturized.
The three arrived together but went their separate ways, mostly gathering with others with their affinity powers. Many of the tree affinities were lounging around the campfire now, tending it, and Callan joined them.
It seemed like the clearing was quiet for a few moments when those three arrived, but then a boy who I’d met earlier—one of the aquatics—yelled, “Who’s up for late-night pond races?” and the volume rose again as most of the aquatic affinity students ran after him.
“Pond races?” I asked.
Yasmin rolled her eyes. “It’s hard to keep the aquatics out of the water, even when it’s only fifty degrees and dark out.”
“That reminds me, I have to get up for work at five thirty tomorrow. I should probably get going.”
My three friends whined but also expressed their sympathy for my lack of ability to sleep in the next day, and we bid one another farewell. I didn’t tell them that I would likely wake up naturally at five whether I was working or not.
“See you Monday!” I called over my shoulder then returnedmy mason jar glass to the receptacle on the table. At the last second, I remembered Aurielle’s words from earlier and peeked at the bottom of my glass, spotting a peach ringlike gelatinous substance. I fished it out and popped it in my mouth, the not-too-sweet taste a perfect palate cleanser, like having a mint after dinner.
As I was leaving the clearing, someone strode up to my side. Thinking it was Yasmin, I turned toward her casually but then straightened when I recognized a deep voice.
“Hey, stranger.”
“Hello,” I said, not sure what else to say. What was Callan doing here? Yasmin’s words from earlier rang in my ears.The most powerful magical botanist in generations. “Shouldn’t you be walking the other way? You just got to the party.”
“I was a little curious about why you’re leaving so early.”
“I have to work the morning shift tomorrow, so…”
“Got it.” There was a hesitation in his voice, as if he wanted to say more.
“Yep, so no late Friday nights for me.”
“How was your first official week here?”
I let out a breath, deciding to go the truthful route. “Well, the school’s amazing. But I’m way behind on… everything. Especially anything related to math.”
“Hmm,” Callan said, and I stopped walking.
“‘Hmm’? What does that mean?”
