He turned back to me. “That’s correct. I was going to fillCallan in more completely after our meeting, but since it seems that you’re already in the loop, I’ll tell you both. The results from the soil testing are back. Compared to the samples we took at the winter solstice and fall equinox, the soil has extremely high levels of salt and an uptick in cadmium. This is likely what’s causing the soil’s grip on the shielding Floracantus to slip.”
“Do you know where the contamination is coming from?” I asked, thinking that if we had the source, we could possibly slow and eventually stop the deterioration.
“Unfortunately, we do not. That will be our next line of inquiry. In the meantime, the vernal equinox is quickly approaching. Even with the founders’ descendants recharging the shield, it’s not going to be enough for much longer. If your power could contribute in some way…”
“Of course I want to help,” I said immediately. I realized that the time for hesitation about sharing my family history was over. Evergreen Academy needed help, and if I had any power to provide some, I would. “But can I ask, why can’t we just test it out on the spring equinox? I could join Callan, Nevah, and Quinn in charging the shield, and we can see if it works.”
“Two reasons, unfortunately. One, if you do have the ability to help charge the shield, I won’t need to call out others to assist. So if we can determine that in advance, it’s to the benefit of all. Second, the founders were somewhat… protective of what they created here. If someone attempts to charge the verdant shield who is not one of their descendants, there are… repercussions.”
“Repercussions?”
“They worked in a component to the enchantment that thesoil on campus would turn on someone who presumed to recharge the verdant shield that wasn’t a founder’s descendant. If you don’t have the soil on your side, most of the plants here would be inaccessible as well. Without their cooperation, studying here at Evergreen Academy would be very difficult.”
I sucked in a breath.Those sneaky, petty botanists. How old had they been when they’d created the school? Twelve?
Professor East took my shocked silence as a sign to continue. “You and I will review your family history together, starting tomorrow. Additionally, I’d like you and Mr. Rhodes to retrace your steps leading up to the winter solstice. There might be something we missed that activated your powers. That could be important in determining your heritage.”
“We can try, but I don’t remember everything I did.” I attempted to rack my brain, barely able to remember the details of the previous week, let alone months ago.
“Do your best. Consult your notebook. Many of your activities should be dated. Do you keep any kind of calendar?”
When I nodded and mentioned my phone, he said, “Good. Comb through that. Mr. Rhodes will be your second pair of eyes. Try to retrace your steps physically as well as mentally. There is a bit of urgency now, before I contact the Board of Regents, so I’d like you to get started today.”
He didn’t have to add that if I didn’t figure this out prior to the spring equinox, life as we knew it at Evergreen Academy might never be the same.
Chapter Fifty-Four
Ispent the next few weeks splitting my increasingly limited time among my SCC classes, Evergreen Academy courses and Affinity Studies, meetings with Professor East to review my family tree, and retracing my schedule leading up to the winter solstice with Callan, which I was struggling to remember. We’d already combed through my school notebook, my SCC class schedule, and my phone calendar. We had a few leads to explore but nothing that seemed promising.
“What are we going to do if we don’t figure this out in time?” I asked Callan. “Professor East is going to have to alert the Board of Regents, and some of them are going to have to come out here. And it’s all going to be my fault.”
“Your fault? There are many interesting things about you, local, but the fall of the verdant shield is not one of them. If you weren’t here, it wouldn’t even be a question. Professor East would have contacted the Board of Regents already, and they would already be planning their trip for the spring equinox.”
I supposed Callan had a point, but I still couldn’t help feeling there was more I should be doing. I dangled my legs back and forth over the tree branch we were currently sitting on. Callan had my notebook in his hands.
“The equinox is next week. How much notice does he have to give them?”
“I think he’s going to hold out on you as long as possible, but… he’ll probably give them at least two days’ notice.”
I clenched my hands. We were running out of time.
“Try to relax. You being a tangle of stress doesn’t help the situation.”
“But that’s the problem. Most people on campus don’t even know thereisa situation. I can’t talk to Yasmin, Coral, or Aurielle about this. I mean, they know the shield flickered after Capture the Roses, but it was so quick that I think most of them have already let it pass from their minds entirely.” Professor East had asked me not to discuss what was going on with anyone other than him and the founders’ descendants, since he didn’t want there to be panic around campus.
“I’m sorry you can’t tell your friends. But it’s just a few more days. Then, hopefully, everything with the shield will be back to normal. For a while, at least.”
For a while. The words were ominous. Was all of this just a short-term solution? Would it be the new normal for alumni founders’ descendants to travel to Evergreen Academy to help charge the school at each equinox and solstice? And what if even that stopped being enough?
“What about the soil method that Eli did? Is that something that could be refined and repeated?”
Callan let out a breath. “After what happened to Eli, thetribe does not want to share the Floracantus he used. Officially, that Floracantus doesn’t evenexist,since it’s not in theCompendium Floracantus. They don’t want to be seen as responsible if the outcome was worse for another student who used it.” Eli had made a full recovery and was attending class again, most of the school seeming to be none the wiser about what had happened.
“And I don’t blame them,” Callan continued. “Plus, soil can only hold so many nutrients. Eli wasn’t fully restoring the quality of the soil, more like giving it a brief boost with fertilizer. So that’s not a permanent solution, either, and not worth the risk.”
“But there has to be a way.” I was mulling it all over in my brain, trying to search for a solution, but I came up short. Besides, what could I come up with that Professor East, the other instructors, and all of the founders’ descendants couldn’t? I was a novice here, barely educated on matters of magical botany. Still, my desire to help was almost overwhelming.
Callan turned and took my face in his hands, and I stopped breathing. I met his eyes, reminded of how full and dark his lashes were. His palms were warm against my cheek, and I savored the feeling of rightness of his hands on me like this. His voice was gentle when he spoke. “This isn’t on you, okay?”
