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24
Harper
I’m using as much magic as I can during my classes. Sadie helped me make some potions I can use for cleaning and basic things around our dorm. Anything I can do to keep my rank high.
Despite everything I’ve tried, my rank fell two places in the month since I started wearing the necklace.
Em tried to hex me once, and the spell actually bounced off of me and hit her. When the same thing happened to Tasha, they stopped trying to spell me.
I should be thrilled about that. The problem is that I can’t practice fighting with anyone, either. Jule sent a fireball right at me and I stood there waiting for it to hit. The thing actually changed course and bypassed me.
Without my friends being able to fight back, I don’t feel right fighting them. My only hopes are the little pieces of magic I can do here and there but it’s not looking good.
If something doesn’t change by next week, I’m going to have to consider my other option.
Luckily, I get to use magic during my magical herbs class. Making potions and caring for plants doesn’t seem to bother the protection charm I’m wearing.
Corbin is already waiting for me near the professor. He smiles when he sees me and I relax a little just from his presence.
In the last month, I’ve been able to spend one on one time with him and with Liam. Damon and I even completed our research project. At least there have been some good things happening.
Seeing the males in my life reinforced that I was making the right choices. Keeping them safe was my priority. Though, I have to admit, I want to stay with them. The clock is ticking.
I can only hope that whatever we’re doing in class today will help get me some more points.
With each passing day, I’m getting closer to considering Adrian’s offer. I’m trying to avoid binding my magic to anyone, but it might end up my only option to keep the king from gaining it.
“Any idea what we’re doing today?” I ask quietly.
“Nope,” Corbin says.
Our classmates talk among themselves while we wait for Professor Maxim to call us to attention. It doesn’t take long.
“Who’s ready for some transplanting tonight?” he asks. “It’s a perfect spring evening.”
“Transplanting?” I groan internally. That doesn’t sound like it’s going to help me gain any points for the rank boards.
“It’s an important part of the plant lifecycle,” Professor Maxim says. “Our Trilla Trees are ready to move to a place where they’ll have more space. They can only be moved on a full moon so tonight’s the night. And the best news is that there’s a plant for each of you,” he says as if it’s the most exciting thing in the world.
From the silence around me, I can tell I’m not the only one who is less than impressed.
The grounds are bathed in moonlight. It’s beautiful out here tonight. Stars fill the sky, though not as many as some nights since the moon is so bright.
We shuffle after him toward a grove of tall, pink trees that look like baby palms. They practically glow in the moonlight.
After a quick demonstration on how to dig each tree out around the roots and transfer it to a pot, we set to work.
I quickly dig out my tree. While I’m in the dirt, I have to admit, I stop worrying for a few minutes. Maybe there are benefits to working in the garden. It’s more soothing that I realized.
Our class looks odd. Twelve of us walking in line, each carrying a pot with a pink palm tree.
We leave the greenhouse and follow Professor Maxim away from the school toward a wooded area. I’m surprised to see more of the trees mixed in with the standard green trees. Since they’re smaller and mixed in, I never noticed them before. Now I’m wondering how I missed a bunch of pink trees scattered between them.
It’s amazing how much we don’t see until we’re looking for it. Brimstone sure is full of a lot of those situations.
Soon, we’re all finding places to re-plant our little trees. I have no idea what a Trilla Tree is or why we’re growing them in the first place but I’m afraid to look stupid by asking.
“Over here looks good,” Corbin says, pointing to a little clear spot between two taller trees that remind me of oak trees back home.
