“As you’ll soon discover, I have a special connection to plants and flowers, which is why I’ve been asked to teach this particular class,” Juniper continued. “The High Priestess is keen for me to share my knowledge with the coven.”
Laurel waved a hand in the air, wearing a puzzled frown. “I thought this class was folkloric herbalism.”
“That’s a fancy way of describing my connection with a plant’s very essence. There are the physical characteristics, of course, but then there are the unseen properties. Their consciousness and their vibrational energy.” She paused dramatically. “Their spirits.”
“She sounds like a nut,” Millie whispered.
“I don’t know,” Begonia said. “When you think about the type of magic we do, someone with less knowledge might think we’re nuts too.”
Begonia made a good point. Never would I have pictured myself as a sorceress in a paranormal town taking classes at a magical academy, yet here I was. I decided to reserve judgment.
Juniper sauntered over to a row of plants on the table. “We’ll start simple with identification based on physical properties and ease our way into the nitty gritty. Who can name one of these plants? Doesn’t have to be the first in the row.”
Several hands launched into the air. Juniper called on a witch named Kayla in the front of the room.
“The third one from the left is an aloe plant,” Kayla said.
“Very good. Kayla, right?” Juniper focused on the witch like she was the only one in the room. “I remember you from my other class.”
The witch nodded. “My doll had the hair mishap.”
Beside me, Begonia snorted. “It was unfortunate. All the hair fell off the doll and Kayla ended up bald until they could sort it out.”
“I’m glad we figured that out,” Juniper said, still focused on Kayla. “But how freeing was it to have no hair for that brief period?”
“Once I got over the shock, it wasn’t so bad,” Kayla said.
“And your crowning glory was restored so all is well.” Juniper spun around to address the aloe plant. “What should I tell them about you?”
Several of the pupils exchanged amused glances. Juniper was a far cry from Professor Holmes or even Ginger, for that matter.
Juniper lifted the pot from the table and held it up for closer inspection. “I call this aloe plant ‘Merry’ because she has such cheerful energy. Healing is her main power and she can use it both internally and externally.”
A wizard named Howell raised his hand. “How do you know she’s a girl? Where do you check?” He couldn’t resist a juvenile snicker.
Juniper took the question in stride. “I don’t have to check the plant’s physical properties to know she has female energy. It’s understood, the same way you understand you’re breathing oxygen even though you can’t see it.”
Laurel didn’t bother to raise her hand. “Do all plants have to have either male or female energy? Can’t they be non-binary?”
“An excellent question, Laurel, and I’d expect nothing less from you.” Juniper addressed the rest of the class. “In my experience, most plants fall within a spectrum of energy from very masculine to very feminine and on the outskirts of that spectrum is what I would consider non-binary, where the energy is neither masculine nor feminine, but I wouldn’t get caught up on that aspect. It isn’t our focus in this class.”
Laurel scribbled notes in her book. She’d be able to open an academic library someday stocked solely with her own personal notebook inventory.
“I know you’re all comfortable with facts, so let’s start there,” Juniper said. “Tell me what you know about the aloe plant.”
“It’s of the genus Aloe,” Avery called out.
“Yes, and what else?” Juniper prompted.
“Its origin is the Arabian Peninsula,” Avery continued. “And it’s an evergreen perennial.”
“Wonderful. Thank you, Avery.” Juniper set the plant in front of Kayla. “I’d like you touch the plant and tell me what you feel.”
I craned my neck to better observe Kayla as her fingers ran across one of the leaves.
“It feels like she has teeth,” Kayla said.
“Try to move past the physical characteristics,” Juniper urged. “Dig deeper.”
Kayla carefully touched another part of the plant. “I’m sorry. I don’t sense anything.”
Juniper offered a sympathetic smile. “Not to worry, Kayla. This is new to all of you and I don’t expect anyone to immediately form a connection. It will take time and practice.” She shifted the aloe plant to Avery. “Why don’t you try, Avery?”
Avery folded her arms in a defiant gesture. “How can we prove that anything you tell us is true?”
Juniper appeared unruffled by the question. “What do you mean?”
“I mean how do we know that this plant has feminine energy or that you can communicate with its spirit? The only proof we have is your word.”
The witches in my row leaned forward simultaneously, anxiously awaiting Juniper’s response.
“A true skeptic,” Juniper said, unfazed. “Not the first and certainly not the last.”
“When we perform a spell,” Avery said, “we can all see the results. We know whether it’s worked or not. No one has to interpret it for us.”
“I see.” Juniper paused for a long moment. “Who here has a familiar?”
Half the class raised their hands.
“Don’t be embarrassed, those of you without one,” the instructor continued. “I don’t have one either. My connections are preserved for plant life.” Her eyes met mine. “Emma, tell us about your familiar.”
“Sedgwick is an owl with an attitude,” I said.
A few pupils laughed.
“And you’re the only one who can hear Sedgwick, yes?” Juniper asked.
I nodded. “Unless there’s a spell at work, yes.”
“So we only have your word that you can communicate with this owl and that he—Sedgwick is a ‘he,’ yes?—is your familiar.”
“Yes,” I said. I didn’t mention my connection with Gareth. That conversation could take up the entire class time.
Juniper turned back to Avery. “Tell me, Avery. Do you have a familiar?”
Avery’s eyes flashed with annoyance. “Yes. A white cat called Shimmer.”
Juniper walked to the front of the class to address Avery. “And you and Shimmer communicate telepathically, I assume?”
“Yes.”
“And no one has ever questioned that you and Shimmer can, in fact, communicate, even though no one else can hear the words being exchanged.”
Listening to Juniper make her point, I felt like I was back in the courtroom. For someone so laidback and informal, the witch would’ve made a terrific lawyer.
“It’s not the same thing,” Avery said.
Juniper pinned her with a stony gaze. “How is it not?”
“Because many of us have familiars and we know how it works. What many of us don’t have is the power to communicate with plants and feel their energy vibrations.” Avery added air quotes around ‘energy vibrations.’
“I can see I have my work cut out for me in this class.” Juniper swiped the plant off the table and returned it to the front of the room. “That’s quite all right. I like a challenge.”
“What’s the point?” Avery asked. “So what if you can communicate with plants? We know everything we need to know about aloe. What’s left to learn?”
Juniper looked at the blond witch with an expression bordering on pity. “Oh, Avery. We have only scratched the surface with the plants we’ve identified. And what about those we haven’t identified? What if you’re in the forest and happen upon a plant you’ve never seen...Is it poisonous? Does it offer medicinal properties? If you can form a connection with the plant, then you can simply ask it for information.”
“Or I can use a spell that reveals the information,” Avery said. She clearly had no intention of backing down, althoug
h I wasn’t sure why she seemed so resistant to learning something new. The witch was usually like Laurel and Millie, eager to learn.
“What if you’ve lost your wand or you’re under duress and can’t perform the necessary spell?” Juniper pressed. “Even if that never happens, there are many lessons we learn that may or may not become useful to us. That doesn’t stop us from absorbing the knowledge. As users of magic, we should always be seeking to improve, to tap into our full potential and become the best possible witches and wizards we can be.”
I found myself more interested in Juniper’s lesson than I expected, although I was still glad to be missing out on the dolls. I really hoped the other witches didn’t start talking about communicating with the spirits of their dolls. That was one narrow step away from a horror movie.
“Some practitioners believe that the ability to connect with a plant’s spirit makes a spell more effective,” Juniper said. “So it’s in your best interest to learn how to do this if you want to maximize a spell’s potency.”
I remembered the healing flower that I used to save myself right before Diana’s birth. Thankfully, it worked without a special connection, but what if it hadn’t? I could certainly see the benefit of learning how to reach a plant’s spirit or tap into its vibrational energy. If nothing else, Althea would be thrilled. My assistant had the green thumb that I lacked, but I would love to step up my game and become a plant whisperer.
Of course, I had to keep a plant alive long enough to succeed.
Chapter Ten
Feeling inspired by Miss Brimstone, I kneeled in front of the windowsill in my office and talked to the three potted plants in a soothing tone.
“You probably already know this, but my name is Emma and I’d like to be your friend.” As ridiculous as I felt, I forged ahead. “I’m sorry I don’t know any of your names or…vibrational frequencies, but I hope to remedy that.” Assuming I didn’t accidentally kill them first. I wasn’t sure how I felt about getting to know these plants. It was as bit like naming the cow you planned to slaughter for beef.
I touched one of the leaves; it felt soft like velvet.
“I’d like to know more about each of you,” I said. “I know I haven’t been the most nurturing presence, but I hope to change that. I have a child now and I think being a mom has made me better.”
“I think being a mom has made you insane.”
I twisted awkwardly to see Althea staring at me. The Gorgon had her arms crossed and a suspicious expression on her face.
“What? We’re getting to know each other,” I said.
“Step away from the plants,” she ordered. “We both know what happens when you try to interact with them.”
“I have to try. It’s for a homework assignment,” I said.
“Since when does your academy homework involve my precious plants?” Althea brushed past me and leaned down to inspect the plants. “How are you today, my babies? Don’t let the mean lady frighten you. Mama’s here.”
“Hey!” I objected.
Althea cast me a sidelong glance. “Hay is for horses, missy. Have you given them water?”
“Yes, and I even bought special plant food.”
She narrowed her dark eyes. “Why are you trying to get on their good side?”
“I told you. It’s homework. I’m supposed to develop a relationship with a plant.”
“Does Daniel know about this?”
“Hardy har. Not that kind of relationship. A connection. There’s a new instructor at the academy—Juniper Brimstone—and she wants us to try to connect with the plant’s spirit.”
Althea appeared to take this information onboard. “Finally, one of those witches is speaking my language.”
“I would love your help,” I said. “You seem to have a bond with them already, so any tips you can offer would be great.”
Althea stroked the leaves of the plants. “I talk to them and give them what they need. I’m not sure about communicating with their spirits. That’s not in my wheelhouse.”
“Maybe because you’re not a magic user?”
“Could be,” the Gorgon said. “Do you have to use my plants for your doomed experiment, though? Can’t you get one of your own?”
“I guess I can try at home.” Daniel had ended up bringing home more flowers than we knew what to do with thanks to the festival. Some of them were probably close to death anyway. No harm in trying to work my mojo on them.
“That’s more like it.” Althea positioned herself in front of the plants and shooed me toward the desk.
“What time is my client due in?” I asked.
As if on cue, the office door swung open and a familiar head poked inside. “Am I late?”
I gave Althea a frustrated look. “No, Ansell. Come in and have a seat. You’re right on time.” The plants would have to wait.
“Can I get you anything?” Althea offered.
“I’m good, thanks.” I smiled at the client. “Anything for you?”
Ansell held up a cup. “I’ve got my caffeine jolt right here.”
“I’ll be next door if you need me,” Althea said. She disappeared into the adjacent office.
Ansell leaned forward and dropped his voice. “Don’t those snakes scare you?”
“They did when I first met them,” I admitted, “but they’ve more than proven themselves since then.”
“First impressions can be funny like that.”
“I guess you would know,” I said.
He grunted. “No kidding.”
“I spoke to your friends,” I said. “I’ve ruled out Miriam as a character witness.”
The ogre’s brow furrowed. “No, I didn’t think she would be ideal. I told you, I don’t expect help from anyone.” Despite his words, I sensed an air of disappointment.
“Reggie likes the sound of his own voice, but Carter and Violet seem to support you,” I said.
He cheered slightly. “Yeah, but they won’t speak up, not that they should. They need their jobs. Don would retaliate if they spoke on my behalf.”
“He’s a real piece of work, huh?”
Ansell shook his head mournfully. “There’s a special place in the underworld for Don Yates.”
“And yet you think you’re the bad guy.” I clucked my tongue. “We need to work on your self-esteem, Ansell Howard.”
He cracked a sad smile. “I’ll have plenty of time to work on it in prison. Might try my hand at basket weaving, too.”
I clasped my hands on the desk and sighed. “Why don’t we go through my notes so we can prepare your testimony? It’ll help with your confidence on the stand.”
Ansell squared his broad shoulders. “I have confidence.”
“Are you sure about that? Because you sound like you’re going to show up for your trial with your own set of handcuffs.”
Ansell gazed at the window. “I don’t want to go to prison,” he said quietly.
I straightened my papers. “Then I guess we’d better get to work.”
We spent the next hour going through the details of the case. Althea joined us, pretending to be the judge, while I posed questions to Ansell. The ogre seemed to loosen up a little as we progressed and I started to feel more optimistic about his case. The more time I spent with him, the more strongly I felt that he didn’t belong in prison. Nothing about the ogre suggested a penchant for violence or uncontrolled rage. Even when I asked him tough questions as the prosecutor, he didn’t flinch or get frustrated. He answered each question to the best of his ability and listened to my suggestions. Maybe his cooperation was due to the high stakes, but I got the distinct impression that this was simply the real Ansell.
By the time we finished, I felt better about his chances. I clapped him on the back and gave him parting words of encouragement, which seemed to help lift his spirits.
“See you in court, counselor,” he said, and saluted me as he left.
I returned to my desk and hurried to add a few additional notes to the file while th
ey were fresh in my mind. It was all too easy for a thought to slip through the cracks these days, especially when I was hopping from one task to another without much downtime in between.
The door opened and Sheriff Astrid strode through the doorway.
“Now there’s a sight for sore eyes,” I said. “I haven’t seen you all week.”
The Valkyrie sat in the chair across from me. “I passed Ansell Howard on my way in. I guess he was meeting with you?”
“We were prepping for trial. Do you know him?”
“No, my only interaction with him was when I arrested him for punching his boss and the guy was a perfect gentleman. Sheriff Hugo handled his prior arrests.”
Of course. “How’s everything on your end? Did the festival bring you any headaches?”
The Valkyrie smiled. “If Daniel is interested in the stats, I’d be happy to share with him.”
I waved my hands. “No, no. This is just me checking in with a friend about her job.”
“You can tell that husband of yours to relax,” she said, ignoring my protest. “A few minor incidents but nothing to cause alarm. In fact, violent crimes are down. All those flowers seemed to put everyone in a good mood.”
That was a relief. As popular as the festival seemed, if it caused too many problems for the town, it could still be nixed for next year.
“So we can have it again?” I asked hopefully.
“As far as I’m concerned, yes. And I’d suggest adding an extra day,” Sheriff Astrid said. “There was so much ground to cover, I didn’t get a chance to finish.”
“I bulldozed through parts of it,” I said. “It would’ve been nice to linger.”
She rested a foot on the opposite knee. “Are those plants from the festival marketplace?”
I glanced over my shoulder at the windowsill. “No, they’re Althea’s special friends. She caught me trying to coax them into conversation and thought I was cuckoo for cocoa puffs.”
The sheriff inclined her head. “Coaxing them into conversation does seem a little odd.”
“It’s a homework assignment for class. Miss Brimstone thinks…Forget it.” I paused, an idea popping into my head. “Speaking of odd, have you noticed any strange behavior from anyone lately?”
Halo Effect Page 9
