“Hello, everyone. I’m sure you’re all wondering why I’m addressing you instead of Professor East. There has been a change at the academy for the rest of this school year. Professor East has temporarily gone on leave?—”
The room burst into gasps and murmurs.
“Oh no,” I said sharply, my heart sinking.
When Wyatt had come for the quill, I was prepared to offer it up myself. But Professor East had taken responsibility for the missing quill. Callan had said that he thought Professor East might have just fallen on his sword for us. Was he forced out?
It felt as if there were a stone in my stomach. If Professor East had been fired because of me, I was seriously going to be sick. I searched for Callan’s eyes across the room. He was already looking at me, and he shook his head slightly before turning back to Professor Tenella.
“Are we all going to settle down, or do I need to pull out the Wisteria Windchimes?” Professor Tenella asked.
The crowd quieted, but Coral whispered, “No, but I could really go for some of Professor Sage’s calming pies right now.”
“I’m sure you all have many questions, but I do not have many answers. I am here to introduce our temporary new director.”
The crowd went completely silent then, and I wondered which of our instructors had been tapped for the job.
When a white man with wavy brown hair and a trim beardentered the room, I frowned. I had never seen him before. But from the surrounding murmurs, I could tell a few students recognized him.
“Scholars, this is Frederick Feathergrass. He is a grasses founders’ descendant and the longest-serving member of the Board of Regents for Evergreen Academy. Please give him a warm welcome.” She clapped, and there was an unenthusiastic response of gentle hand claps in return.
“Thank you, Professor Tenella,” Frederick Feathergrass said. “It’s an honor to be serving in this position for the remainder of the year. The board hopes that, under my leadership, Evergreen Academy will thrive like never before, and each of you will realize your fullest potential as you embark into the society of magical botanists. I will be conducting personal interviews with a random sample of students to get your opinions on your experiences at school, and I would appreciate your honest feedback. Now, I’m sure you all have much to do to prepare for the start of the semester. Enjoy your evening, and I look forward to meeting you all in the coming weeks.”
Feathergrass waved a hand, and the ornamental grasses around the room and outside the patio swayed, as if doing a celebration dance.
“What the spores?” Coral said as the crowd began to disperse. “What happened to Professor East? And why did they bring in someone who isn’t even a teacher to run the academy?”
“I think I know what happened to Professor East,” I whispered, my stomach still twisting with guilt. There was no way I could eat at the moment, not even Professor Sage’s food.
“You do?” Aurielle asked.
“Not here,” I whispered. “There’s somewhere we can talk privately tonight. I just need to find Callan to let us in.”
All three friends looked at me strangely, but Yasmin wore a knowing expression. My roommate had sensed I had been hiding some things recently, and I felt guilty about that.
It was finally time to tell my friends everything. With any luck, the Root and Vine Society coalition was about to grow by three.
Chapter Eleven
After night had fallen and most of the academy students were tucked away in their rooms, Callan led me and my friends to a discreet place along the wall at the top of the stairs. Upon my request, he was taking us to the secret attic room he had shown me just a week before. It was an old hideaway of the tree founders, and Callan had shown me the room after our unexpected visit from his brother, when we had needed somewhere private to talk.
We confirmed no one was around, then Callan touched his peridot gemstone to the recess below the wall lantern. The hidden door swung inward—to gasps from Yasmin, Aurielle, and Coral—then Callan led us up the narrow staircase. Hollis and Meadow both sat in the room, casually snacking on roasted chestnuts that filled a beautiful acacia wood bowl.
“Is this the new meeting spot?” Meadow asked, eyeing my friends. “I figured it was only a matter of time before she read you three in.”
“Meeting spot for… what exactly?” Yasmin asked, clearly mystified about everything that was happening.
“We’ve decided to fill them in. On everything,” Callan said pointedly. “We need allies, and these three will have Briar’s back.”
Hollis shrugged. “They’re all ferns. They get my vote.”
Next to me, Coral raised her eyebrows, but she didn’t have a chance to respond before Callan said, “Glad you’re both on board. We’ll introduce them to the rest of the group as the opportunity presents itself. With Feathergrass here, we’re going to have to tread more carefully.”
“That name,” Hollis said with a snort. “Won’t be forgetting which affinity he has anytime soon.”
Coral stifled a laugh, and Hollis shot her a rueful smile.
“He and my mom are old friends,” Callan said. “He owns more plant-related patents than any person alive. His involvement here means the changes the board wants to make are about to accelerate.”
