Nevah sat forward, her eyes shining. “Have you tried it since we got in here?”
I shook my head and tapped the small backpack by my feet. When they all nodded, I opened it and pulled out the quill, keeping it low and out of sight on the small table between us, even though the area was free of people for the night.
The quill spun ever so slightly, pointing north. The magical distance key on the quill changed to indicate that we were within two miles of the book.
Nevah frowned. “Two miles. That wouldn’t be down here, then. Some of our barrier island research centers are within that range, but none of them are north of here.” She glanced at Kai.
“So, it’s not in the aquatics conservatory,” Nalin mused. “But it’s close to it. That’s strange. Do you think someone buried it nearby and thought that would be safer than hiding it within the conservatory, where it might be found?”
Buried.I hadn’t considered that possibility.
Kai gazed at the quill and the direction it was pointing. “I go out that way sometimes for research. There’s not much out there, but we can look. We’ll go first thing in the morning.”
Nevah leaned forward. “With everything you told me about what’s going on at the academy, it’s time I filled you in on what’s been going on here.”
Nalin straightened, and we both fixed our focus on Nevah. “Most members of the Magical Botanical Board of Regents also have appointments on the seats overseeing the conservatories. Here at the aquatics conservatory, we’ve been having more frequent visits from Primrose Marsh, the aquatics representative on the board.”
“What kind of visits?” Nalin asked.
“Checking in on who we are sharing our research findings with. Wanting to know what patents we have pending. Ensuring that ‘top talent’”—she made air quotes—“is recruited to work here. Kai has been under a lot of pressure.” She glanced at him, her expression gentle. “He’s not from a prominent family, but he has a rare gift. He’s constantly being tasked with missions when he would rather focus on research.”
“Rare gift?” Nalin asked then let out a soft gasp. “Can you waterbend? We heard rumors that there was someone at the academy who could do it a few years ago.”
Kai nodded, Nalin looked giddy, and Nevah hurried to add, “Don’t say anything back at the academy, though, okay? Very few people know the extent of his skill.”
“Does waterbend mean what it sounds like?” I asked.
Nevah made a loop with her finger, and a trail of water jumped from her glass to Kai’s hand, where he caught it with ease. “Most aquatics have some basic adhesion with water. But people who can waterbend can move much larger quantities of water at a time. I don’t know anyone else alive who can do what Kai can do.”
Nalin looked perplexed, and he stared at Kai. “Can I interview you?”
I stifled a laugh, but Kai just shrugged. “Happy to share what I can.”
“Callan can sense powers, and Kai can waterbend. What other rare abilities are out there?” I asked.
“There are a few more, all incredibly infrequent in the population. They all seem to have something to do with the natural elements, which is why Callan’s power sensing is an outlier,” Nevah said.
Kai’s eyebrows pulled together. “Is it an outlier, though? Do you know how his ability works?”
“What do you mean?” Nevah asked.
“Callan has a strong wind manipulating power, doesn’t he? Stronger than most of the tree affinities? What if his power sensing ability is an extension of that?”
“How would that work?” I asked. “The wind is carrying the trace of power to him?”
Kai shrugged. “Seems possible. Has he ever explained the sensation?”
“Not really,” I said, wishing Callan were with us so we could discuss it together.
“It’s not like you haven’t had enough mysteries to solve,” Nevah said with a smile. “All right, I know you two are on West Coast time, but I’m tired. We rise early in here because the ocean rises early. Let’s meet up for breakfast, and we’ll get you started with wherever the quill leads, B. Nalin, I’ll introduce you to your temporary research group.”
He nodded eagerly, obviously looking forward to it, and stuffed a few pieces of taffy into his pocket.
“In that case, I’ll see you both in the morning. Enjoy your first night under the ocean, B.”
Chapter Eighteen
When I went back to the underwater pod that would serve as my bedroom for the rest of the week, I fully intended on falling asleep watching the coral reef through the wall of glass that was my window. But once I returned to the room, I couldn’t stop looking at the quill. According to it, I was less than two miles from the book. Suddenly, I couldn’t wait any longer.
