Chapter 59
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Heath’s words and reminders about what we were fighting for energized me, adding a zip of motivation to the nerves that were already pulsing through my veins. As we continued to walk under the wisteria-covered trellises toward the pond, I looked around, searching for only one person.
Despite any nerves I was feeling about the night, my heart soared when I caught sight of Callan.
He wore a perfectly tailored pair of pants, a vest, and a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up so that I could catch the rich lines of the browns, blacks, blues, and greens in his tattoos.
His hair was tousled just right, a tendril on the top of it catching a bit of a breeze.
I froze, wanting to take in how he looked in the moment, a coy smile pulling at the corner of his mouth at something Hollis had said.
Coral elbowed me. “Spores. Hollis cleans up good.”
“We already knew that,” Yasmin muttered. “Callan, too, of course. What is it with founders’ descendants men? Is there something in their DNA that makes them look good in a suit?”
“While you all are ogling, I’m getting some food,” Aurielle said. “We’re going to need our energy if we want to pull this off tonight. And we still have to monitor our research presentations.”
As my friends began to make for the appetizer table, Callan turned, and the smile that was only partially there with Hollis stretched across his face. We were striding toward each other when I spotted someone familiar in the background, speaking with Feathergrass.
“Your mom is here,” I said, nodding in her direction and keeping my distance from him.
“I thought she might be.”
“Should we pretend we don’t know each other?” I asked, unease settling on me. That was how it had been the previous times she came to the academy.
Callan stepped forward, put his hands around my waist, and gently tugged me toward him. “No. I meant what I said when Wyatt showed up. We’re stronger together. I’m done being afraid of what they might do.”
Heat rose in my cheeks at the feeling in his voice. “So we don’t have to sneak around if I want to put my hands on you?”
Callan entwined my hand firmly in his. “I don’t plan on letting you go all night.”
“Until the charging hour,” I said, though I was reluctant to break the moment. The idea of holding hands with Callan all evening almost made me want to scrap the entire plan—almost.
Callan squeezed my hand. “Even then, I won’t be far.”
When we headed toward the dinner table, Wendy Rhodes intercepted us.
She eyed our clasped hands meaningfully.
“Well, I was under the impression you two were barely friends, and now look at this. Quite the development.” As she assessed us, I got the distinct feeling she was plotting how to use our relationship to her advantage.
“Happy equinox, Mother,” Callan said, his voice neutral. “Is Dad here?”
“He had business to attend to at the capital. Speaking of which, how is your field study assignment going? They said you haven’t been to Sacramento recently.”
“You didn’t hear? I transferred my field study.”
I straightened, turning to Callan in surprise. I quickly hid the expression, though. The discussion was between him and his mom.
“What?” Wendy cast her eyes around before stepping closer and pitching her voice low. “Callan, that is unacceptable. If you want to be a senator—”
“That’s the thing. I don’t want to be a senator. I never have. I want to be a doctor and a medical researcher. I have since I was a kid. You know this, but you choose to ignore it. So now I’m ignoring your wishes and pursuing the research I want to pursue.”
I tried to keep my face relaxed, but I was cheering inside. Leaves, Callan was attractive when he was standing up for himself.
“I suppose you had something to do with this?” Wendy asked, turning her attention toward me. “Are you still under the belief that botanists should follow their… What was the term you used? Oh yes. Passions.”
“Absolutely,” I said, not hesitating for a moment. “You’re lucky that your son’s passions are ones that are going to directly save lives and make our world a better place.”
Wendy narrowed her eyes. “I thought I explained this already. The world needs a firmer hand from magical botanists. Plants are being destroyed at an unprecedented rate. If we don’t get more botanists in positions of power—”
“Mom,” Callan said, taking a step forward so that he was positioned between me and Wendy. “This ends now. I’m going to medical school. Briar is going to do whatever she wants. We’re adults, and you don’t have a say in it.”
Wendy’s face became very still, and she looked at Callan then me then our intertwined hands and back at Callan again. “Youth. Always thinking you have it right.”
“Following our dreams and believing we can make the world a better place through our actions isn’t a delusion of youth,” I said, meeting her eyes. “It’s our superpower.”
Wendy pursed her lips and held my gaze for several moments. When she finally spoke, she said, “I hope I’ll never have to say I told you so.” With that, she turned and went back to the head table with Feathergrass.
“There. Let’s hope that bombshell will keep her distracted while we get down to business,” Callan said.
“Are you okay? Did you really transfer your field studies assignment? Are you working on the medicine research fully now? Did Feathergrass approve it?” I asked.
“Yes to all except for Feathergrass’s approval, and I feel better than I have in a long time.”
“For what it’s worth, I’m proud of you.”
He touched a hand to my face and ran a finger along my bottom lip. “That’s worth a lot, Briar. It’s worth everything.”
Hollis cleared his throat. “Hate to break up this little love session, but how about you two try not to draw the attention of the whole academy tonight?”
I looked around and noticed that most of the students were getting seated for dinner. “What?” I turned to Hollis. “Eyes aren’t on the fern founders’ descendant for five minutes, and you have to intervene?”
Hollis grinned at me then said to Callan, “She’s a keeper.”
“I know. Let’s get seated.” Callan took my hand, and we went to the table, taking a spot by some of the tree affinities.
My friends were sitting directly across from us, with Hollis and the other ferns, and Meadow was pretending she was too cool for any of us, as planned. Aside from Callan’s little display of affection that I hadn’t seen coming, the plan was to keep everything about our actions as normal as possible.
Before the meal was served, Feathergrass rose for what was Professor East’s traditional speech.
“Happy equinox, botanists. With the changing of the seasons, I hope you can all reflect on your accomplishments this term. Consider whether you’re working as hard in your studies as you should be.
Judge whether you’re giving your all to your field studies assignments.
And most of all, consider how you can pursue excellence in magical botany so that you may climb the highest ladders of our society and change the way humanity interacts with plants.
If you are ever unsure if you’re being ambitious enough in your plans, please do not hesitate to make an appointment with me. ”
Feathergrass stood for a few more moments as we gave a weak round of applause, then he took his seat.
“Lamest equinox speech ever,” Coral whispered.
“Let’s hope it’s the last one he ever gives,” Hollis said.
We brought our glasses together in a toast at our section of the table.
“Cheers to that,” I said.