Yasmin spoke up quickly, reciting the planned story. “She was collecting castor beans for a batch of eyelash serum, plus a few other things, in the Perilous Grove. She must have mixed the castor bean concoction with another substance, then something must have gone wrong, because she dropped to her knees and started moaning and clutching her stomach.”
“Did she ingest something out there? That doesn’t seem like a mistake Briar would make,” Professor Sage asked, examining my skin.
“I don’t know. It all happened so fast,” Coral replied, and I was impressed by the very real-sounding note of concern in her voice.
“Go see if any of you can find Callan Rhodes. I think I saw him in the teahouse a little while ago. Ask him to run out to the Grove and see if he can figure out what she might have gotten into. Without Professor East, he’s our only botanist with a trailing defensive affinity.”
I heard the shuffling of feet as my friends left the room.Professor Sage approached me and brought a strongly scented cloth near my face. “This should help take the edge off, Briar. I’ll see you when you wake up.”
I caught one last glimpse of the butterfly’s delicate wings before everything went dark.
Chapter Fifteen
“How is she?”
“She’s tough, but it’s going to take a few days for her to recover. Maybe as long as a week. Her friends think she’d like to convalesce at her aunt’s home in town,” Professor Sage said.
“Don’t you think we should monitor her here? She’s a valuable asset to the school,” Feathergrass said.
I tried not to roll my eyes as I came out of my stupor. Of course that was what Feathergrass cared about, not the well-being of one of his students who had just been poisoned.
“She may be more relaxed in a comfortable environment, away from all the commotion of the school,” Professor Sage insisted gently.
“Very well. I hope she can be back in classes next week.”
“I think that’s likely.”
Professor Sage’s wheelchair hummed as it rolled across thestone floor, and a second later, he was by my side. “Ah, you’re awake. How is your stomach?”
“It doesn’t feel like I’m being stabbed anymore, but it does feel like I have a horrible stomach flu.” I searched the room for a trash can in case my illness went in that direction.
“Do you know what you got into? Your friends mentioned you were collecting castor beans.”
“I was, but it’s all kind of a blur. I must have mixed some things I shouldn’t have. I can’t believe how careless I was.”
“These things happen, but you should know to always take extra care in the Perilous Grove. Your friends thought you might want to spend the week convalescing at home. Is that the case?”
When I nodded, he said, “I’ll pack you a bag of medicines to make you comfortable and some food that should help you get back to full health as soon as you’re ready for it.”
“Thanks, Professor Sage. I appreciate all your help.”
He nodded. “Just get better and take care of yourself. We want you back in classes soon. Take your time getting up. Callan Rhodes was here earlier. He’s trying to track down what caused your illness out in the Grove. He offered to drive you to your aunt’s home and quiz you further.”
I tried to force a look of puzzlement onto my face. “Okay. I guess that’s fine.”
About five minutes after Professor Sage left the room, Callan slipped inside. More quickly than I could register, he was at my side, pressing a hand to my forehead. “You’re warm. And clammy.” He cursed in the cute way only magical botanists could. “I really wish we could have thought of another plan.”
“Just take me away, Dr. Rhodes.”
I said it jokingly, but Callan nodded and lifted me into his arms.
“Oh no. We don’t need everyone seeing me getting carried out like this. Maybe I can—” I tried putting weight on my feet but immediately saw black spots.
Callan’s arms were back underneath me in an instant. “Not when you’re about to faint. Don’t worry. Our friends made sure the central vein was clear. Hollis is doing a striptease in the teahouse.”
Despite my fevered state, I choked out a laugh. “What?”
“He covered his chest and arms with ferns and is magically removing them one by one. Apparently, some people like to see his abs. Your friend Coral was in the front row.”
