I glanced at Callan and was relieved to see no trace of the poison bottle. “You said you’ve been waiting for us a long time,” I said, avoiding his question. “What did you mean?”
Oren cast a look around the trail. “I think this conversation is best done somewhere more private and out of the drizzle. Can you both treewalk?”
“Yes,” Callan said.
“All right then. Let’s go.”
We didn’t bother to deliberate before climbing into a tree and following him. We needed to know what Oren had to say. We fell in line in the canopy, with Callan a few paces behind Oren, and me in the back. The branches of the trees formed a narrow path for us, and we worked our way up the steep hill that made up the forest on one side of the Wildflower Trail. The rain began to fall in earnest, and I focused on the branches beneath my feet.
When we neared the top, Oren veered right, and soon, we approached a perfectly camouflaged tree house. It was like the ones at Evergreen Academy, though it blended into the forest even more seamlessly.
Oren invited us inside, and I could immediately see that the tree house served as a kind of office for him. Lit by hanging lights, the room contained scientific materials, papers, books, teacups, a kettle on a camp stove, and other little signs of life scattered around the built-in shelves.
“Have a seat.” Oren gestured to some wooden stools then got the kettle warming.
While the water heated, he turned back to us. “I have scouting vines along this trail. They’re quite well hidden.” He nodded to Callan, who had fallen into the habit of scanning for scouting vines wherever we went. We had never expected to find them along the Wildflower Trail, though. “I knew you were from the academy because I’ve seen you collecting the letterbox notes. But we aren’t due for a collection, so I thought something else might be afoot.”
I shifted on the stool.
“Was that vial in your pocket intended for Frank?” Oren asked, again nodding toward Callan.
Abandoning any stealth, as it was obvious we were busted, Callan removed the vial from his pocket and held it flat on his palm. “Yes. It’s a necrotizing agent and wouldn’t have caused any pain.”
“But you changed your minds.” Oren looked between us, his eyes finally resting on me.
“It… It didn’t seem right,” I said. “I’m from here, and we have cuttings of Frank at our house. I think the community would mourn his loss.”
“I think you’re right,” Oren said, tilting his head slightly. “I thought I recognized you from around town. What’s your name?”
“Briar Whelan.”
“Ahh. Tessa’s daughter.”
I stilled at my mother’s name. Most people referred to me as Vera’s niece lately. “You knew my mom?”
“We were a few years apart in high school, but the Belrosetwins were pretty unforgettable. I was very sorry to hear about the accident.”
I swallowed and nodded my thanks before clearing my throat. As much as I loved hearing memories of my mom from others, we needed to use our time with Oren strategically. “Do you know why Frank is… special?”
“You mean the blocking Floracantus that runs through him?” Oren asked, and I sat upright.
“Exactly that,” I said. “Who put it on him? Did you?”
Oren shook his head. “Not me, but my great-grandfather did.”
The teakettle whistled, and Oren poured steaming water into three white porcelain cups then handed them to us, and a crisp bergamot jasmine aroma filled the tree house.
“Your great-grandfather did?” Callan pressed.
Oren took a sip of his tea and nodded. “I don’t know all the details, but the story within our family goes that he was asked to do so by a very powerful person in the magical botanist community. He never shared more than that it was to protect a book. We all guessed which one but never had any sort of confirmation. My family has been maintaining the Floracantus ever since. Frank links to a network of great trees all over the country.”
“That’s why the blocking spell was active in Washington too?” Callan asked.
“Yes. Frank was the original tree, likely because whoever tasked my great-grandfather with guarding him was involved with Evergreen Academy. But our family was told that the magic would be placed on other trees as well, especially aroundthe magical botanical conservatories, sort of like power boosters.”
“You’re the one I sensed using magic when we were here for the Halloween event,” Callan said.
Oren nodded. “I amplify Frank’s blocking Floracantus every fall so that the cuttings will contain a bit of the blocking magic too.”
