Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
“Hollis, your ferns are shielding us, right?” Meadow asked.
She, Hollis, Callan, and I were pressed against the exterior wall of the academy. Even though it was dark, the ferns would provide an extra layer of protection in case someone approached with a lantern.
“Yes, ma’am,” Hollis said.
I held the nursery pots of scouting vines, and Meadow attached a piece of moss to them.
With a few murmured Floracantus from the moss founders’ descendant, the spongy substance crept onto the scouting vines and wrapped itself around them.
Meadow then moved her concentration to the glass wall of the academy, and the moss—carrying the scouting vines—began to slide up the surface.
“Let me know when you reach the windowsill,” Callan said.
Meadow nodded, her eyes never leaving the creeping moss. Finally, she said, “Okay, I’m there. Your turn.”
Callan raised his hands, and I knew that up above, on the second level, wind was powerfully and deliberately shoving Feathergrass’s office window open.
Inside the building, Yasmin, Coral, and Aurielle were making sure Feathergrass was busy observing the late-night studying happening in the teahouse. We had a signal worked out in case he left, but we all hoped we wouldn’t need it.
“Window’s open,” Callan said.
Meadow murmured something again, and I assumed the moss was creeping in to find a discreet place in the office, as discussed.
Unless Feathergrass had done a complete overhaul of the room in the few days since Professor East had departed, there would be plenty of potted plants and hanging vines to settle in with.
“There,” Meadow said, her posture relaxing. “They’re mixed in with the variegated pothos. I don’t think he’ll notice, unless he has a scouting vine capability we don’t know about.”
Callan shook his head. “I asked around. He doesn’t have any trailing affinity for trees, harvesters, or florals, the affinities that can operate scouting plants.”
“Are we all set, then?” Hollis asked.
I had nearly forgotten he was behind us, making a curtain with fern fronds.
“Yes,” Callan said. “I’ve got the sisters to those plants in the hidden tree founders’ attic. We’ll check in periodically to see if there’s anything to report.”
“Go, team,” Meadow said dryly before turning on her booted foot and heading back for the academy.
Hollis dropped the fern fronds, gave us a little salute, and followed her.
“Okay. I think everything’s in place for our trip to the aquatics conservatory this weekend. We just need to work on the getaway plan for the two of us,” Callan said.
“About that…” I switched my weight on my feet. I had been thinking about it all day but had been avoiding it. Since we were finalizing plans, it was time to get it over with. “I don’t think you should come.”
Callan froze. “What do you mean?”
“Think about it. With Feathergrass here and what you said about his being an old friend of your mom’s, surely they’re in communication.
She’s probably told him we’re friends and to keep an eye on us.
If we both suddenly find excuses to be out of school for a week, it’s going to raise some red flags. ”
Callan shook his head. “I’m not leaving you to go alone across the country to a location we’re not even sure of yet. Especially when you don’t have access to your powers at the conservatory.”
I pursed my lips. The lack of access to my powers on campus and in the conservatories was continuing to be a problem.
We’d worked on a solution in my field studies assignment the previous term, but we hadn’t been successful in countering the poisoning of my powers yet.
I wondered when I would hear from my field studies advisor, Petra.
With a shake of my head, I refocused. “I won’t be alone. Nalin is coming with me, and Nevah will escort us once we get there. I’ll be fine.”
Callan was silent, and I knew he was finding it difficult to counter my point about us both leaving campus at the same time. Seconds passed until he finally said, “Are you sure about this?”
I nodded. “Both of us being absent would draw too much attention. You know it would.”
Callan nodded, resigned. “Fine. But I’ll be asking Nevah and Kai to keep an eye on you.”
“Kai?” I asked.
“You’ll meet him when you get there. Promise to stick with them?”
“Deal,” I said quickly.
“To be clear, I’m not happy about this,” Callan said, rubbing the toe of his boot against the soil.
“I’m not, either, but this is our one shot, remember? We don’t want anyone chasing at our heels. Maybe you can keep Feathergrass so busy here he’ll hardly notice I’m gone.”
I caught a ghost of a smile on Callan’s lips under the glow of starlight. “Oh, I’ll keep him busy, all right. He may soon come to regret taking Professor East’s position.”
I smiled. There was the Callan I knew—always willing to fight for others, even if it involved a few underhanded tactics fit for a member of the Root and Vine Society.