“Make the new creation bright,” Callan repeated. “If Petra’s theory is correct, that has to reference creating Floracantus, right?”
“Seems likely. Which would make the rest of the riddle instructions. But it doesn’t seem like much to go on.”
“The first two lines could be somewhat straightforward. Use both hands. Call on all nine affinity powers.”
“But what about ‘lay to canvas’ and ‘sprinkle light’? Da Vinci was a painter, but what would that have to do with this?”
“I’m not sure,” Callan admitted. “Since da Vinci was known for writing riddles, it could be helpful to study some of them to learn his style.”
It was a good suggestion, and I brightened at the idea. “I’ll do that as soon as I get back to the academy.”
“Now that you’ve found the book so quickly, what will you do with your remaining days at the conservatory? Can you tag along with Nevah?”
“Actually, Petra invited me back to the defensives conservatory. She wants to pick up where our field studies left off.”
“I can’t believe you got to see the mysterious defensives conservatory. What was it like? Was everyone’s hut covered with defensive plants to keep others out?” Callan joked.
I laughed. “No. It was surprisingly peaceful. Like being at a high-class nature retreat in the middle of nowhere.”
“Interesting. I’d better get back to the academy. The rest of the school will be waking up soon, and I’ve been trying to make regular appearances so Feathergrass doesn’t go looking for me or you.”
“Thanks for holding it down for us. I’ll see you in a few days.”
“Stay safe. And if you find any more books that are hundreds of years old and highly coveted by the society of magical botanists, give me another call.”
“I promise.” I grinned as I hung up the phone.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
For the next few days, I left the aquatics conservatory before the sun made its way over the ocean, before most of the other researchers rose, and took the boat to the water hemlock patch. The defensive plants along the hidden path to the conservatory seemed to show off for me, and I noticed new species each time I went through.
Spending time at the defensives conservatory was like an extended and more immersive version of my field studies. Each day, I interacted with a selection of the unique defensive plants before Petra and I set in to work on my powers.
We tried several recipes that included rose petals from Rosie, but so far, none had released the poison that was stifling my powers.
“Did you feel anything?” Petra asked after I’d ingested our third recipe of the day. She had included a pressed-oil version of the petals in the most recent experimental antidote, which wasmore concentrated. It made the hut we were working in smell like a perfume store that only sold rose-scented formulations.
I tilted my head to the side, deciding how to explain what I was feeling. “Yes. It’s like the time in the cabin on Mt. Shasta when I felt like we were getting close. The petals from Rosie seem to almost be… relaxing my system. I’m not sure if it’s a placebo, but I feel calmer than when we usually do this. Almost like I took a muscle relaxant.”
“That’s interesting,” Petra said. “Even if it is just a placebo, like you say, you are obviously very used to the scent of Rosie, and that may naturally be calming your body down.”
“I don’t think I’m going to have any luck cutting through the bonds on my magic when I’m this relaxed. It might even be having the opposite effect of what we want.”
Petra studied my face as if I were a complex puzzle. “The opposite effect of what we want… Perhaps we do want you relaxed. If you were fully relaxed, others could attempt to undo the bonds on your magic. I wonder if we could try to… What do they call it? Tag-team it? This conservatory houses the most defensive botanists you’ll find at any one place in the world. If we all worked on undoing the magic of the defensive founder, perhaps here, in this other place she built, the effects of the Floracantus will finally come loose.”
“Let’s do it,” I said, sitting upright. I wasn’t sure whether it was my relaxed state or the eagerness to try something new that told me we should do it, but either way, we were running out of time to keep tweaking the antidote. I couldn’t return to the academy with a book of unsolved riddles and nothing else to show for it.
Petra nodded, and I waited in the hub while she gathered eight other magical botanists.
“That makes nine of us in total. The same number as there are affinities. Seems like good luck, I think.”
“Magical botanists operate on science, not luck,” one botanist chastised her in a voice that sounded practical rather than reproachful.
“Perhaps you’re right, Yew, but thanks for joining, regardless,” Petra replied. “On the count of three, I would like you all to target the founders’ poison in Briar’s magic. If you sense it, try to counter it with your own magic. Briar, make sure you don’t block any of us. Hopefully, Rosie will help with that. Let our magic work and help us if you can.”
I nodded, bracing myself as questions ran through my head.Will this hurt? Do I care?I had poisoned myself to get here.Could this be any worse than that?I inhaled the fragrant scent of the roses in the hut and let Rosie work her relaxation magic in my bloodstream. “I’m ready.”
“One… Two…” Petra began. On “Three,” I felt a cool liquid sensation as other defensive magic began to search my body for Jean-Claudia’s curse. Thankfully, it wasn’t painful, and I tried to give in to the calm I was already feeling, guiding their magic toward where the poison had a hold on mine. Soon, I could sense the other botanists’ magic beginning to work on the poison, tugging and slicing. I focused on breathing and letting their defensive affinities work.
