“Callan.” I rested a hand on top of his. “Can we assume he doesn’t?”
He studied me for a moment then nodded. “I guess so.”
“I also think perhaps we should return the quill to him so he can stealthily return it to its rightful place. It’s not like we need it anymore, and no one can use it without having all the affinity powers.”
Callan twined our hands together. “That’s a good idea. And if it seems right to tell him about the charging plans in one of your meetings, I’ll leave that up to you. So,” Callan said slowly, and I could sense the conversation was about to change direction. “College acceptance letters should start arriving soon. I’m hoping to hear from my top-choice medical program.”
I squeezed his hand. “There’s not a school on this earth that wouldn’t let you in, not with the research profile you submitted. You have to be leagues ahead of the other candidates.”
“Well, if not, maybe I should become a senator after all. My mom would be happy for about ten minutes, until I started voting against all of her policies.”
I tensed. I knew he was joking, but the idea upset me. “No way, Dr. Rhodes. Leave that job to someone who wants it.”
“Did I tell you that most of the ivy leagues have special tracks for magical botanists?”
My heart rate sped up. “They do?”
“We do some of our classes with the rest of the students and other, more accelerated studies with other botanists.”
“That sounds… incredible,” I said.
“We’ll find out soon enough. Have you made any decisions about art school now that you’ve been accepted?” He seemed gently hesitant.
I sighed. “I don’t know. It’s the strangest thing. For so long, I wanted nothing more than to follow in my mom’s footsteps. But now I’m not sure that’s the best path for me. The campus she went to is beautiful, but there are hardly any plants there. How would I use my powers?”
“There’s nothing wrong with changing your mind. But I support whatever you want to do.”
“It seems a silly thing to be concerned about right now,” I said.
“Maybe it’s exactly the thing to be focusing on. If we succeed on the spring equinox, your future is going to be a question everyone has for you.” Callan took my hand. “Some of the schools I applied to have top-tier art programs.”
“Are there secret artist tracks for botanists?” I asked, only slightly joking. The idea had piqued my interest more than I was willing to admit.
Callan’s mouth quirked. “If there aren’t yet, there could be.”
I pulled back. He was serious. “Are you asking me to go to college with you, Callan Rhodes?”
“If we can get everything sorted here and I don’t have to become a senator and you don’t have to go into hiding from my power-hungry parents, then… yeah. I want to go to college with you, local.”
“I mean,technicallywe’re already in college together.” I waved around at Evergreen Academy’s campus.
He bumped my leg with his. “You know what I mean.”
I stopped joking then and squeezed his hands, looking him directly in the eyes. “There is nothing I would like more than to continue going to college with you.”
We sat in silence for a few moments as I considered the new possibility. I ran my fingers along the swirling leaves-and-vines tattoos on his forearms. His skin was warm beneath my hand.
“When did you get these?” I asked.
“When I was sixteen. Right after Wyatt left for Evergreen Academy and I was still home with my parents. They’re made from plant-derived ink and were done by a magical botanist.”
“Do they have a special meaning?”
“They’re a reminder.”
“Of?”
Callan hesitated then spoke in a deep, quiet voice. “That I’m not powerless.”
