“Professor East had to report the development with theshield to the board, and they indicated that they’d prefer to come and handle this on their own.” There was a tension in Callan’s voice that I could tell he was trying very hard not to let on.
I tried to put aside my personal concerns for a moment to pinpoint Callan’s reluctance. “Is it a bad thing if the board comes to help recharge the shield?”
“Evergreen Academy has always operated on the expertise of its instructors, with little oversight from the Board of Regents. And that has led to a lot of innovation over the years. But there are some on the Board of Regents who would like to take a… more direct role in the school’s day-to-day.”
“And you think that would be a negative thing?”
“Having people step in with their own agendas for the future of magical botanists beyond the pursuit of knowledge? Yeah, I think that would be a bad thing.”
I let out a deep exhalation and looked around. The forest that blanketed the base of the fourteen-thousand-foot mountain was beautiful in the spring. I knew that, not much higher up, snow still settled across the ground and wouldn’t be fully melted until well into the summer.
“Is there anything we can do to prevent it? It sounds like the shield can’t be fully restored without them.” My mind snagged on something then. “Wait, how did you all get the shield back up on Friday night if you’re not strong enough? It wasn’t a solstice or equinox. Recharging is only possible on those four days of the year, right?”
“Eli used an old Floracantus that didn’t recharge the shield but rather infused the soil with enough nutrients to get the shield goingagain. It’s a secret Floracantus that’s been passed down through the magical botanists in his tribe who have been working with the soil in this area for hundreds of years. It was actually a brilliant idea, but it drew on too much of his power. He passed out afterward. He’s currently at the health clinic of his tribe, recovering.”
“What?” I looked at Callan in alarm. He’d sure been keeping this little tidbit tucked away nicely.
“He’ll be all right. But obviously, we don’t want that to happen to any of us next time. Eli has a lead affinity for herbs, and his body is more adept at healing because of it. We can’t say that for the rest of us.”
“Which is why you need more people.”
He nodded, and I sighed, still thinking about Eli Quinn. I was glad that he was going to be okay, but I hated that he’d had to put himself in that position in the first place. I felt so helpless, and I remembered Coral casually saying that all of this was above our “magical grade.” But was it fair that it all had to fall on the shoulders of Eli, Nevah, and Callan? Were they really so different from the rest of us?
“I wish there was something I could do.”
Callan stopped walking and turned toward me. “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. Well, Professor East wants to talk to you. He thinks youcouldhelp. You have a strong affinity for each type of plant.”
“But I’m not a founder’s descendant.” I narrowed my eyes in confusion.
“That you know of.”
I froze.
“You’re joking. Hasn’t the school been tracking the descendantsof the founders carefully ever since the school opened? I think they’d know if I was one of them.”
Callan shrugged. “Most of the lines have been carefully tracked for generations, like mine, but there are two or three founders’ lines that have gotten fuzzy over the years.”
I inhaled sharply, understanding the implication of his words.
“It’s still a long shot, though. Back when the school was started, there were plenty of powerful botanists, not just those who founded Evergreen Academy. You could be descended from any of them. But Professor East still thinks it’s worth pursuing, just in case.”
Callan stepped off the path then and into a meadow, which was already blooming with wildflowers. The scenery here was so much different than at the academy. Instead of the overwhelming colors and smells that came from a property brimming with plants both native and non-native, magically enhanced and natural, the meadow and the forest that surrounded it were peaceful and calm, with nature in control of what survived and thrived.
When I took my eyes off the meadow and turned back to Callan, I saw that he had spread out a blanket and was removing containers of food from his backpack.
“What’s this?” I asked.
“I think we’ve had enough talk of verdant shields and lineages for one day. Even magical botanists take time to enjoy a picnic every now and then.” He popped the lid off a glass bowl and began to dig into some fruit salad.
With a smile that I thought must have taken over my entire face, I joined him.
Chapter Fifty-Three
“Thank you for agreeing to work with us, Ms. Whelan. I know that you have had some questions about the reason for researching your lineage that I was unable to satisfactorily answer before. I didn’t want to concern you, but now that the shield is showing signs of more severe damage, I felt that it was time to share.” Professor East sat behind his broad desk the next day, Callan and I seated across from him.
“As Mr. Rhodes explained, the original magic that created the protections here at Evergreen Academy has been diminishing over the years as the environment has changed. Between wildfires, drought, and reduced soil quality, that magical connection to the soil is slowly seeping away.”
“And it’s getting worse lately, possibly because of a chemical spill?” I asked. Professor East shot a look at Callan, as if he wasn’t supposed to share that bit of information.
