Page 16 of Evergreen

“So apparently,” Nerion began, grabbing another handful of fries, “Cass Reed comes from one of those trying-too-hard witch families. You know the type. They’re always schmoozing at galas, always name-dropping connections they don’t actually have in an attempt to get somewhere.”

I paused mid-chew, processing this information. “How do you know that?”

“I have my sources,” Nerion said mysteriously, which probably meant he’d been snooping or drilling Teddy for information about the upper echelon of witch society. “But here’s the interesting part. His parents are absolutely desperate to climb the social ladder. They seem to want him to be just like the kids from the old witch families. To make connections, get rich, and marry well, all that boring elite witch shit.”

Teddy nodded, adding, “Which means he’s probably under a lot of pressure. He might be acting out against them.”

I thought about that for a moment, remembering how Cass had mentioned not wanting to go home. At the time I’d assumed it was just normal college kid avoidance, but now it made more sense. If his parents were constantly pushing him, constantly expecting him to be someone he wasn’t, no wonder he’d rather stay at Widdershins and work off a punishment than face them.

“That doesn’t excuse burning down the conservatory,” I said, but my tone was softer now.

“No,” Nerion agreed. “But it might explain why he was so desperate to impress those people at the party. He probably needed to feel powerful. Important.”

I hated that Nerion was making sense. I hated even more that I was starting to feel sympathy for Cass, which only complicated things further.

“So what, we’re supposed to feel bad for him now?” I asked, trying to keep the defensiveness out of my voice.

“We’re supposed to understand him,” Teddy said quietly. “There’s a difference.”

The cafeteria noise seemed to fade into the background as I sat there, turning this new information over in my mind. Cass had called down lightning without thinking about consequences. But maybe it wasn’t just recklessness. Maybe it was desperation dressed up as showmanship. Maybe he was just as trapped as I was, but in a less visible way.

“You’re doing it again,” Nerion said, waving a hand in front of my face. “That thinking-too-hard expression. It’s very attractive, by the way. Very brooding himbo energy.”

“Shut up,” I muttered, but I was already thinking about tonight. About how I could maybe approach things differently with Cass. Not as his supervisor, but as... what? A friend? Something else?

“We’re definitely setting up in the greenhouse this afternoon,” Nerion announced. “Teddy, you have to be there too. I need you to help me make sure Linden doesn’t act all awkward and weird around this guy.”

“Are you still trying to get me to date this guy?” I asked. “Even after all the stuff you found out about him?”

“No,” Nerion corrected. “I’d like you to fuck him first before you decide to date him.”

“Doesn’t that seem a little backward?”

“Not from my point of view,” he said with a dismissive wave. “Sexual chemistry is important. Even if you like each other, the dick still has to be good. If it’s not, things won’t last. Right Teddy?”

Teddy thought about it for a moment before nodding. “Yeah. That seems about right.”

“Wow. You two are so romantic.” I laughed despite myself, shaking my head at both of them. They were ridiculous, but in that way that made me love them anyway. “You two are impossible.”

“But we’re right,” Nerion said, raising his glass of juice like it was a toast. “Which is what matters.”

We finished lunch with Nerion laying out his master plan for the afternoon. Apparently, he was going to set up his easel near the western section of the greenhouse where the light was best, and he wanted both Teddy and me there to “help.” What he really meant was he wanted an audience and probably some moral support while he tried to orchestrate whatever he thought was going to happen between me and Cass.

I wasn’t going to stop him. Part of me, the part I’d been trying to ignore for the past two days, actually wanted to see Cass again. Wanted to talk to him about something other than our work together. Wanted to understand why someone with that much raw power would waste it on getting drunk and showing off instead of learning to be something worthwhile.

“I should get back to the herbalism building,” I said, checking the old mechanical clock on the cafeteria wall. It was one of the few clocks on campus that had been enchanted to never need winding. “Professor Paulson wanted me to help with some of the salvaged specimens before we do the full restoration work.”

“Of course she did,” Nerion said, already standing and gathering his tray. “You’re basically running that department at this point. They should hire you on full-time.”

“I’m just a senior,” I protested, but we both knew he wasn’t entirely wrong. Professor Paulson had been leaning on me more and more as the semester progressed, especially now with the greenhouse situation. Part of me was wondering if there would be a job offer after graduation. Professor Paulson was getting on in years.

Teddy walked us out of the cafeteria, his schedule taking him toward the academic buildings on the other side of campus. Nerion peeled off to grab his painting supplies from his dorm, leaving me to make my way alone toward the greenhouse.

The day was cold but clear, the kind of January weather that made everything look sharp and defined. The snow crunched under my boots as I crossed the quad, and I found myself thinking about what Nerion had said about Cass. About the pressure he was under, the expectations from his family. I wondered if that was why he seemed so angry all the time. Not at the world exactly, but at himself. At the situation he was trapped in.

I could sort of relate, being bound to the grove that was my home. Having to go back every few weeks meant I could never really settle anywhere else or just get lost in a new place. I always had to go back to replenish myself, my power, and care for the trees that were just as much a part of me as my hands or my head.

But maybe that wasn’t such a bad thing. At least I knew where I stood. At least the grove wanted me, needed me. Cass seemed like he didn’t know what he wanted at all.