This is nice, too.
“Good Khlorie,” he encouraged.
Drowsiness began to take hold. I think I’ll sleep. Rubbing my cheek against Perry’s hand like a cat with a scratching post, I closed my eyes again.
“No, you need to keep your eyes open,” he replied patiently, but with an urgency I didn’t understand. “Open your eyes and keep them on mine, Khlorie.” Drowsily, I did as he asked.
“You have nice eyes,” I replied absentmindedly. He responded with a light chuckle.
“I want you to hold very still. I am going to get my gardening shears.” Part of me wanted to go to sleep, but the part that wanted to watch him won out. What I saw in the room when he took a step back cut my magical connection with the plants instantly. All the tension and awareness came flooding back to my body as I took in the scene of the classroom around me.
“Please stay calm,” Perry added before walking out of sight. “I will be right back.”
Have you ever noticed that people tell you to stay calm at exactly the moments that elicit the largest panic? This was no different. The culinary plants that Ed hung on the walls now covered almost every surface of the classroom. The plants grew and twisted into an intricate web with me as the epicenter. I was like a trellis that they had all been trained to grow towards. Plants encircled my ankles, waist and wrists, holding me suspended equidistant from the floor and the ceiling. I couldn’t move, and I could barely see anything through the foliage. Despite Perry’s warning, I began to panic, and the plants grew more aggressively, tightening their hold on me. I had magically asked them to keep me calm, and the further away my feelings got from that, the harder they worked to maintain my will. The plants on my wrist began cutting into my skin as I struggled to release myself. There was nothing to do but wait for Perry.
Ugh, Perry . Embarrassment flooded me as I remembered my behavior. I would have to apologize later. Well, if he ever found his way back.
Like he could read my mind, he appeared again with the shears. “Khlorie, I’m still here.” He assessed the situation quickly. “The plants are responding to your emotion. I know it is hard, but you have to stay calm.”
“Yeah, I figured that out. It’s just easier said than done.” I looked at him and he was eyeing the way the plants had encircled me, apparently trying to decide where to cut first. He glanced back up to meet my eyes.
“Well, the good news is that you have triggered another power.”
“That doesn’t feel like particularly good news at the moment.”
He laughed heartily. “Do you know how you did this?” He asked, as he began testing the bonds at my ankles and wrists.
“I was so angry about what Dido wrote…”
“Yeah, she’s a charmer,” he said sarcastically.
“I was trying to calm myself down with an herbal grounding spell, one I use all of the time.” I looked around. “It didn’t work the way I intended.”
He laughed. “I should think not.”
“It was intoxicating. I felt so blissful,” I paused. “Sorry about...before.” My cheeks flushed.
“I think you have nice eyes too,” he added quietly, without looking up at me. Then, his brow furrowed as he gripped the shears and continued to examine how the plants had their hold on me. “Well, we can’t spell you out. Some of those plants ward off charms.”
I could not believe my powers had gotten out of control again. Less than a week into my college career, things were not going well. I sighed. “Maybe, everything Dido said about me was right. I am destructive and I am dangerous.”
Perry stopped assessing the damage and looked up at me. “Khlorie, I know it is hard. Our magic, elemental magic, is very tied to our emotions. You are more powerful than someone like Dido can even imagine, and you can use that power for positive things once you get a handle on it.”
“That’s what everyone keeps telling me,” I replied in disbelief.
He grabbed one of my hands and met my eyes “I know you don’t know me, but I need you to trust me. Can you do that?” I nodded and he smiled his sweet yet shy smile. “I am going to cut the herbs off your arms first.” He waited for my consent and then trimmed back the plants encircling my wrists. When my hands were free, I smiled brightly at him while rubbing the sore, red areas.
“See, everything is going to be ok,” he said almost to himself as much as me. “Now your legs.” I nodded consent, and he bent down to trim back the plants that had captured my ankles. I pulled my skirt up to reveal where the plants were twining around my legs. The cold metal of the shears slid against my skin. Snip. Then again. Snip.
“Okay, feet are free. We are almost there Khlorie.” He smiled as he stood up, surveying the remaining plants grasping my midsection.
“Perry- what is going on in there? Are you and Khlorie, ok?” My head snapped towards the door. I had forgotten about Ed and the class! I was still dangling, hung by plants at my waist, and I began using my arms to try to clear plants to see if I could see anyone else in the room.
“We are fine, Ed.” Perry shouted, not taking his eyes off of me.
“Is everyone alright?” Panic and guilt mingled inside me. How could I have forgotten about the people in the classroom I destroyed?
“Everyone is fine, Khlorie. Ed and the class, they all got out in plenty of time.” He paused to make sure that I was looking at him. “No one is hurt. Do you hear me? You got the worst of it.” He held up my wrists to show me the cuts. “Let’s worry about you.” I nodded defeatedly. “Now,” he paused awkwardly, “I am going to put my arm around your waist so that when I trim back the plant, you don’t fall. Is that... ok?”
“Oh,” I replied bashfully, cheeks flushing a red that must have rivaled Ed’s prized summer tomatoes. “Alright. Thank you for not being afraid to help me.”
He paused and looked up at me. “You’re not that scary,” he replied smiling.
“You don’t even know me, and you have been so kind.”
“Well, you’re my trainee. It’s my job to look out for you. Remind me to tell you about the time I caused a tornado because someone insulted my mother.” As he spoke, his face looked simultaneously pained and embarrassed. I knew talking about this wasn’t easy.
“Thanks for giving me something to look forward to,” I jokingly replied. “I have Magical Weather on Friday morning. Maybe you should just pencil me in to be on the safe side.” I smiled, hoping that I wasn’t jinxing myself to another destructive episode.
“Orph and I will be on the lookout,” he replied congenially. “Our powers are not easy to control, but we will work on it together. Ok, let’s get you out of there.” He held the handle of the gardening shears with one hand and wrapped his other arm around my waist. Feeling him pressed against me, my breath caught. He smelled like a spring morning, like flowers covered in dew and newly tilled soil. There was something about Perry that felt so familiar and comforting. He was gentle with me as he jostled to get the shears in position to cut me loose. With a snip, I fell forward onto him. His hands dropped the tool quickly enough to shakily catch me. I looped my arms around his neck to steady myself.
“I’ve got you,” he said quietly, keeping his hold on my waist firm. I tightened my grip on his neck, pulling myself a little closer than necessary. I was pretty sure that I had forgotten how to breathe as our eyes connected. I thought for a moment that he was going to say something, but then Perry looked away shyly and lowered me gently to the ground. As soon as he let me go, I missed his touch. Fighting the urge to walk closer to him, I looked down at my boot stepping on a floor entirely covered entirely in greenery. I could barely move. We were surrounded on all sides by plants. It was like a culinary garden turned jungle.
“Ummm…” Perry started with less confidence. The hands that had been holding me minutes before now twiddled nervously. “What do you say we get out of here?”
“Do you know where the exit is?”
“Nope,” he replied honestly. “I have a plan though
.” Perry's hand reached out and grabbed mine. When I entwined my fingers in his, he looked back at me, surprise evident on his face. Confused by this reaction, I tried to pull my hand out of his. He held fast.
“It would be better if we stayed together.” He explained, before quickly adding, “But if you don’t want to hold my hand, I understand.” In response, I entwined my fingers back through his. Standing there, our eyes locked for a moment. My stomach fluttered.
“So, what’s the plan Hyperion?”
“It’s Perry,” He said smiling brightly now. “You aren’t the only one with elemental magic.”
He held out the hand that wasn’t in mine, and a warm breeze filled the room. It got stronger and stronger. Soon, it was acting as a leaf blower, pushing plants out of our way. I spotted the door to the lobby of Coventry Hall off to our left.
“Perry, this way,” I called pointing. He turned so that his hand faced that direction and I watched as plants went flying out of our way. The path to the hallway outside of the gardening classroom became clear and Perry lowered his hand causing the breeze to cease. Hand in hand, we walked towards the lobby where President Sager, Ed, Mr. Ampyx, and about 15 students and 5 professors I didn’t know were looking on. My body stilled once I caught sight of the audience, but Perry gave my hand a reassuring squeeze and led me out of the classroom.
As we passed Ed, she slapped Perry on the back and looked at me. “Khlorie, the potions lab is always asking me for more culinary herbs at the beginning of the year. This might be the first year we have enough.” I smiled at her for being such a kind and gracious person even after I nearly destroyed her classroom.
We walked past Dido who was glaring at Perry’s hand nestled softly in mine.
“Khorie. Perry.” President Sager called. “Why don’t the three of us go and finalize your independent study schedule.” Perry nodded and I walked with him across the hall to the President’s office. I should have felt horrible, but with my hand in Perry’s I felt happy to be exactly where I was.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Pacing at the threshold to the library, I clenched and unclenched my hands. The clock in the hallway ticked loudly, counting down the seconds until 7pm. Waiting much longer would make me late for our first independent study session, but something was holding me back. Well, it wasn’t something. It was definitely someone. Perry. The memory of his hand in mine rushed forward, heating the skin where he touched me. Thinking about how he took my head in his hands, held me by the waist...
Shake it off, Khlorie. You need to focus on learning how to use these powers.
This wasn’t me. I was not the girl who let a guy distract her, and definitely not the girl who swooned over holding hands. There was just something about this guy.
You don’t even know him . This is crazy!
In Gardening class this morning, I kept sneaking glances at him while I prepared my garden plot. Watching him, I learned that he is every bit as talented as Ed promised. Deftly he moved between plots, sharing spells for testing the nutrients in the soil and helping Ariston turn his topsoil. Despite the fact that he captured my attention, though, he never lingered by my plot or even met my gaze.
Readying myself to see him again, I moistened my dry lips, took a deep breath, and entered the library. Surprisingly, for the first week of school, it was full of students sitting in comfortable chairs, reading or writing on enchanted tablets. Books were appearing on tables across the library, dotting the space with instances of more color. No silence was observed here, in the main room. Students were bent over tables in intense conversations.
“No way,” one began as I walked past her table. “The healing properties of witch hazel are severely underused. We are doing too much casting instead of being ready with potions and tinctures.”
I smiled, thinking of my mother and her endless supply of potions and tinctures. As a potioneer, she would agree wholeheartedly with this student.
Walking through the student seating area, I spotted Perry at the circulation desk. Seeing him was not helping me with my plan to stay focused. He was wearing a pair of black jeans and a green V-neck shirt with a gray cardigan. The picture of casual cool. Leaning over the desk, he was talking animatedly to an elderly woman with shock white hair and pink cat-eye glasses. As she laughed, the large bow on her bronze shirt bobbed up and down- a Time Witch, I noted. Getting closer, Perry’s voice reached my ears.
“Of course, I’ll let Mom know.” I heard my trainer tell the librarian with a smile. “How’s your wife doing?”
“She’s been so busy! You know how the tourists love her candles. It’s like this every year. I’ll see her once the fall comes around,” the Time Witch responded with a laugh. “Here is the key to your study room, dear.” She handed him a large metal key with a tassel attached. “Everything you requested is already in there.” The librarian noticed me as I approached the desk. “And here comes your study buddy!”
“Merry meet,” I greeted formally. At the sound of my voice, I could swear Perry’s body tensed up next to me. The familiarity he had with the elderly witch seemingly dissipated and he went on as if a personality shield was now in place. The Time Witch must have noticed it too, because she glanced curiously from him to me and back.
“Madame Spine, this is Khlorie Lethestone,” Perry added in a slightly strained voice. The librarian adjusted her oval glasses and smiled warmly in my direction.
“It’s lovely to meet you my dear. You’re Finch Bishop’s granddaughter, aren’t you?”
“I am,” I replied.
“His books on time travel are some of my absolute favorites. It must be fascinating to have him in the family,” she added with a look of interest.
“Grandfather certainly has a lot of great stories,” I replied truthfully.
“Is it true that he can travel all the way back to ancient times?” She asked, smiling.
“It is! Though he said he couldn’t sustain it long enough to write a book about those trips. He did once bring me back a theater mask from the City Dionysia festival in Athens, though.” Madame Spine’s eyes got wide with awe. Turning to Perry, I saw him taking me in. His questioning stare scanned me, like he was trying to figure me out with just a glance. When he noticed me watching, his eyes snapped away.
“Well don’t let me keep you two,” Madame Spine said, breaking an awkward pause “Khlorie, it was lovely to meet you. Let me know if you need anything.” She nodded goodbye and then walked over to help a very stressed out second year.
“Thank you,” I called after her and she gave me a small wave.
“Come on,” Perry commanded and began walking out of the main area, towards the back stacks on the first floor. Following behind, I was on high alert. With every step I took, my head swiveled from side to side. Years of experience told me that witching libraries can be quite dangerous. Sometimes the magic contained on the pages is just too powerful, causing books to shoot off the shelf. Other times, spilled potions caused disasters that took days or weeks to erupt. I’d even seen books that were transformed into something else and never quite turned back properly. On the shelves, books were arranging themselves and returning into empty spots. I bent my head to dodge a few finding their homes. The deeper we went into the stacks, the darker it got, as the tall shelves blocked most of the overhead lights. Sconces were mounted where bookshelves met, but their soft glow was not enough to fill the space.
“Just a little bit further,” Perry whispered, addressing me for the first time since we left the circulation desk.
“Are you sure you are not a mind wizard?” I replied.
“Definitely sure about that,” he responded as though he regretted the fact.
When we reached the very back corner of the first floor, there was a wooden door labeled “Fireplace Study Room.” Perry put the key in the lock and opened the door to reveal a room with dusty blue walls, brightly lit by a fire roaring in a brick fireplace, and a black, rectangular chandelier lit by candles overhead. Over t
he mantle was an oil painting of the Maine coastline flanked by an old clock and a potted plant. Next to the door was a matching side table piled high with books under a note saying “Prentice-Lethestone, Fireplace Study Room, Wednesday Night.”
“Wow, this is nice!”
Perry walked over to the stack of books. “Here are the books I requested for you. I think that the best thing for you to do is to spend time reading them. Make notes about anything that seems even remotely related to your power. You can give me the notes in gardening on Monday.”
“You’re not going to stay?” I asked, shocked by his work plan.
Perry’s blue eyes avoided mine as he started backing up towards the door. “You don’t need me to read,” he answered simply.
Feeling suddenly self-conscious, I smoothed out my skirt and walked over to the little stack. Looking over the pile of books, I saw some familiar titles. “I read these for my Spell Writing courses at Gables. They are about magical correspondences.” I sighed. “I know that you can use the color yellow to represent air. I know that water is the element that rules sunset. Fire can be represented by plants with spicy properties in potions or cooking witchery. And I know that Earth is the element that rules winter. How does that help?”
Perry kept edging closer to the door, like he couldn’t get there fast enough. Gone was the man who tenderly held my hand days before. “There are no books about witches with elemental powers. We have to read books like these to give us clues about how to access and use our power.”
I didn’t know how to respond, not to the total lack of any inclination to work with me. Not to the fact that Perry could not get out the door fast enough. This wasn’t how I thought our independent study would work. However, I wasn’t planning to be difficult on the very first day. Maybe he just had someplace he had to be.
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