“Eli didn’t say if there would be any outward appearance of the genes activating,” Yasmin mused.
“True.” I took that as my cue to connect with the flower on the cellular level. After a minute of searching Rosie’s cells, I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary.
“Maybe we need to play with the soil concentration. More nitrogen, less phosphorous, that sort of thing.” Callan reached into his backpack and pulled out a notebook then quickly drew a perfectly straight table with names of common soil nutrients in its columns.
“Isthiswhat you do all day at Evergreen Academy? Take measurements and create graphs? I thought magical trainingwould be more exciting,” Aunt Vera said, though she was eyeing Rosie with interest.
I laughed. “There is plenty of work involved in magical botanist training, but I can assure you there are exciting parts too.”
We got to work, with me manipulating the soil and checking the flower’s cells for any reaction while Callan recorded null result after null result. After fifteen minutes, my aunt brought us all glasses of spring cider, and we took a short break.
“You’re exceptionally good at working with soil, B,” Yasmin said.
I shrugged, surprised by her words. “Maybe it has something to do with having all the affinity powers.”
Yasmin bit her lower lip before saying, “Maybe.”
I stared at Rosie, searching through her cells. The lack of any changes was strange because of the fertilizer. “Maybe it’s not the quantities that need adjusting,” I said after thinking it through. “Perhaps I need to work on her uptake mechanism. Maybe in her dormant state, Rosie doesn’t take up nutrients correctly.”
“Good hypothesis,” Callan said.
I zeroed in on the plant’s roots and xylem, gently modifying them with a common Floracantus to increase nutrient uptake. Only a few seconds passed before Rosie’s bright-pink flowers emitted a soft glow.
Aunt Vera gasped, Yasmin clapped, and Callan gave me a high five.
“I take it back. That was exciting,” Aunt Vera said, runningher hand along one of the glowing petals. “How did you do that?”
“I can teach you one day, if you’d like.”
“I’ll think about it. What happens now?”
“Now,” Callan said, grinning at me, “Briar is going to test out your family’s ancient powers.”
Chapter Forty-Four
“Any specific requests for the type of Floracantus I try to make first?” I joked, trying to ease some of my tension. I was in the Evergreen Conservatory with Callan and the rest of the Root and Vine Society. With everyone gathered, my nerves were showing their pesky faces as I wondered if I could successfully make a new Floracantus.
“Whatever you want, B,” Aurielle said encouragingly.
I surveyed the cave and found the lily of the valley flowers I had grafted there after my initiation into the Root and Vine Society. “Maybe I’ll try making those glow, like the genetically modified moonflower plants.”
Callan nodded as if he liked the idea. “Do you have a name in mind for the Floracantus?”
“Does it need to be in Latin?” Meadow asked.
“We think it could be any language. Eli’s family Floracantus wasn’t in Latin,” Callan said.
“But since this is through my family line, which historicallyused Latin to create Floracantus, I’m going with that just to be safe,” I explained.
“I’m dying to see how this works,” Heath said, his eyes alight.
I had memorized da Vinci’s riddle, so I recited it for the group:
With two hands, we gather power.
Bring each botanical gift to center.
Lay to canvas. Sprinkle light. Make the new creation bright.
