My stomach clenched, trying to sort out what he’d just said. “The what of what?”
“The Magical Botanical Board of Regents. They oversee everything here at the school, as well as all magical botanical activity in the United States.”
“And they’re interested inme?”
“You have a strong affinity for every single plant group. We’ve been downplaying that here during your studies, but that is not something that Professor East would have been able to avoid reporting.”
“But what does the Board of Regents want with me?”
“Probably nothing yet. Right now, they’re seeking information. I imagine that once you’re trained, they’ll be lining up to recruit you for various high-level internships and careers.” His voice was carefully even.
“What?” I choked out. I hadn’t even thought about myself having a job as a magical botanist, let alone a high-level one, whatever that meant.
Callan seemed to sense my anxiety. “Right now, they’re just evaluating your potential. The next steps will really depend on you and the abilities you hone.”
I chewed on my lip. In another situation, I would see this as an incredible opportunity. It was as if the biggest art gallery in the world was showing interest in my work. But I hadn’t done anything to earn the recognition, and it didn’t sit right with me. Plus, I was getting a strange vibe from Callan about the Board of Regents, though I couldn’t put my finger on what it was.
“So you think the reason Professor East wants to research my family history has to do with the Board of Regents?”
“Possibly.”
I let out a breath. I handled a lot of things coming my wayin the past, but scrutiny from a powerful board like that? I wasn’t ready for it.
“And what happens if the board doesn’t get the answers they’re looking for?”
Callan looked at me for a moment but didn’t respond before proceeding to empty the first letter box, and somehow that was more ominous than any words could have been.
Chapter Forty-Nine
After a grueling Biological Applications of Physics class, where we worked on speeding and slowing the process of stomatal closure to study plant hydraulics, I met Nevah at the pond for an aquatics affinity session. My head was still spinning with recorded values and the strain I’d felt as the xylem tension approached an important threshold.
“You look peckish,” Nevah said, tossing her hair over her shoulder in a cascade of dark ringlets.
“We were doing hydraulics testing today in Plant Phys,” I said, using the common nickname for the course.
“Aw, enough said. Let’s start with something easy, then. How about a Floracantus to scatter the floating plants so we can study the submerged ones?”
I braced myself to switch gears to Latin, trying to remember the Floracantus that would move the water plants along the surface of the pond. “Per aquam labatur,” I saidfinally, and the plants gracing the top of the water moved a few millimeters.
“Remember to connect with the plants. You have to feel them before you utter the Floracantus.”
I tried again, reaching out to sense the tissues and then cells of the plants before uttering the words again. This time, they spread a little farther from one another, forming a small open circle on the water’s surface.
“Better. Now collect some of the water. We’re going to practice running a few tests.”
We worked near the pond for nearly an hour before Nevah shifted gears. “Let’s get some tea and go to the Perilous Grove.”
Relieved at the prospect of a short break, I followed her into the academy building, and we brewed a strong concoction that should restore my energy and tighten my focus. By the time we walked out to the Perilous Grove, travel tea mugs in hand, I felt my brain begin to rev up and stood a little straighter, ready to give my studies a fresh start.
“Forewarning, Callan put the pressure on to up your training in this area,” Nevah said once we entered the grove. “Apparently, theScopoliaincident really freaked him out. He is right, though. If you were far enough along in your training, you’d have been able to recognize the Floracantusthat had magically altered the plant’s properties and counteracted it immediately.”
“We’ve been training as fast as we can,” I said quickly, trying not to let feelings of being overwhelmed return.
“Agreed, but we may need to work harder. There is so much ground to cover with the number and level of affinities you have. And you’re already years behind most magical botanists.Our time here is limited, and we have to make the most of it. I’m going to push you harder to memorize the core Floracantus.” She flipped open her notebook and took a seat on a nearby tree stump, ready to observe my work. “Let’s hope that tea has kicked in.”
I nodded and slightly clenched my hands, letting my senses open to a nearby nightshade plant. “Let’s do it.”
Chapter Fifty
