Eli gave a firm nod in response and positioned a small bag over his shoulder.
“It’s showtime,” Wyatt said, skipping any preamble as he glanced up at the dark starlit sky.
“Put these on.” Meadow passed the Shasta lily pendants around.
No one asked questions as they pulled the pendants over their heads and tucked them into their shirts.
“Meadow will lead in, and I’ll bring up the rear,” I said to the group. “From there, I’ll head straight to the charging circle. Charging doesn’t normally occur until closer to midnight, so I’m getting in at the earliest opening to avoid attention. The rest of you are welcome to do whatever you’d like, whether it’s providing security or distractions.”
“I’m with you,” Eli said, nodding to me.
“Same,” Wyatt said firmly.
Professor East whisked stone steps into place with some wind, forming a staircase against the wall. Meadow climbed itand disappeared over the other side. Then one by one, we each followed her.
When my feet landed on the academy side, I took a deep breath. This was it. All the necessary players were on campus. The charging window for the verdant shield started in fifteen minutes. Everything we had been planning for the past month was coming down to whatever happened next.
“Callan and Hollis should be setting off the jewelweed right about now,” I whispered to the group as we approached the glass academy building, stepping carefully as we rounded the corner to the charging circle in the dark.
“We’re off to keep the festivities… extra festive. We’ll make sure the visiting board members stay busy,” Nevah said before peeling off toward the pond with Kai.
Professor East seemed to have vanished, likely off on an important mission of his own.
“Good luck, B,” Meadow said, then she skipped off after them with her mom.
As they began to walk away, a series of loud booms exploded in the distance.
A smile touched my mouth in spite of the nerves. “The jewelweed must be working,” I said. “Which means Callan should be heading this way any time.”
Wyatt pointed toward the tree line. “Here they come.”
Callan and Hollis approached our group, and Hollis was grinning, his eyes slightly wild. “Did you hear that?”
“You always were a bit of a pyromaniac.” Wyatt snorted.
“This is our window,” Callan said, not wasting any time. “Briar, the circle should be coded to your DNA to get through to access the Dandelion of Desire tonight.”
I snuck a look toward the circle, nerves churning in my stomach, but it was simply a stone circle in the dark. I tried to let the plainness of the setting calm me. Everyone else had done their part. Now I needed to do mine.
“Ready?” Callan asked.
Nodding, I stepped into the warded area. I let out a breath when I made it safely through. From there, I went straight to the soil and touched my hands to it. Using the skills I had been practicing with Wyatt, I connected with each layer and component of the earth, prepping it for new magic.
I could feel the original verdant shield Floracantus tied to it, and I did my best to loosen it without removing it completely. I needed to wait just a little longer for that.
Soil prepped, I turned toward the Dandelion of Desire, removed the phytoglass cover, and picked it up from the pedestal where it rested.
I ran through the steps I would need to do in my head then reached into my dress’s pocket and pulled out the nine seeds that had rested there all evening. I closed my eyes, and pretending I was doing nothing more than blowing out the candles on a birthday cake, I blew on the Dandelion of Desire.
When I opened my eyes, the seeds were releasing in slow motion, scattering around the charging circle like drops of dry rain.
Instantly, I felt a buzz along my skin, almost like a tickle. I shook the dandelion seeds off my body and adjusted to the extra power running through me. My magic felt even stronger than it had in the green zone. It was now or never.
“The charging window is open,” Callan said. He locked eyes with me and nodded. “Go ahead.”
I turned toward the circle of stones, knelt, and touched one hand to the soil. Dropping each seed in one by one, I connected with the plant material within each. I ran through every step I had practiced with Wyatt, and once I felt fully connected, I opened my mouth. “Terram protege.”
Immediately, the supercharged magic began to flow out of me. I pressed my palm to the soil, working hard to maintain my hold as my new Floracantus battled to push out the old one. It took longer than any practice session had, and I began to sweat as I maintained my concentration.
