by Sonia Parin
“We should try the knife throwing act now,” Luna purred. “Put the blueberries down and hover in front of me. I’ll throw the knives.”
The fairy Lexie had recently been ‘gifted’ blew Luna a raspberry, collected her blueberries and settled on the mantelpiece to eat them.
“Luna? What’s going on?” Lexie asked.
Luna gave her a kitty grin. “If you pick up another stray, we’ll have a full circus act and we can charge admission. I’ll manage the ticket booth and banking. Oh, and the knife throwing. We’ll work on an act for you. I’m thinking we could do something with those fireballs of yours.” Luna’s eyes sparkled. “We’ll be rich.”
Lexie turned and shuffled back inside her bedroom. A moment later, she strode out again. “I have a hole in my sock and I’m thinking we need to put up a Gone Fishing sign.”
Luna sat on her haunches and scratched her ear. “We’ve already had some time off. You’re still landing in the closet. Is this a good time for a vacation?”
Lexie rolled her eyes. “Can we get on the same page, please? We need to work together on this.”
“Which one do you wish to tackle first?” Luna purred. “As you have repeatedly told me, I have no thumbs, so I can’t help you with darning your sock or the Gone Fishing sign you want to put up.”
Lexie frowned. “I’ve never said anything about you not having thumbs.”
“Really? Are you sure?”
“Yes… I think so.”
They both turned toward Rebel.
“Are you any good at darning socks?” Luna asked.
Rebel looked up from the blueberry she’d been munching on. “Maybe, maybe not. It all depends on what’s in it for me.” Shrugging, Rebel finished her blueberry and went in search for more.
Luna stretched and yawned. “Perhaps we should make an appointment to see Dr. Mercedes Shrink. One session with her and I’m sure she’ll reach the same conclusion I have. There are too many of us living in this cramped apartment.”
Lexie sighed. “For the umpteenth time, we are not moving.”
“Fine. Whatever.” Luna sighed right back at her. “Come and sit down. I’ll put on my loyal feline companion hat and you can tell me what’s on your mind. Something is clearly bothering you.”
Lexie slumped down on the couch. “What day is it?”
Luna tilted her little head from side to side. “I’ve lost track. We’ve spent far too many days lolling about doing nothing. Not that I’m complaining. I am, after all, a cat and we excel at taking it easy.”
Rebel sneezed.
“Bless you,” both Luna and Lexie said.
Luna turned to Lexie. “Are you in a slump? We could get in touch with Octavia and ask if there’s any news about your dad.”
Lexie leaned back and groaned.
Her dad. She’d been told to sit tight and give him some time to get used to his new circumstances.
Reading her thoughts, Luna said, “I see. You’re still trying to come to terms with the news about him being alive. Well, sort of alive. You’re probably wondering why he hasn’t come around. I’m thinking he’s still trying to adjust to the idea of being trapped in the body of your mom’s evil twin sister.”
“I’m living in my own soap opera.” Closing her eyes, Lexie raked her fingers through her hair. A few weeks before, she’d been desperate to fill in the gaps and restore her lost memory so she could prove her innocence. Now…
“Now I’m getting mixed signals from you,” Luna said. “Do you want to see your dad or not? Do you want to be left alone, or do you want Octavia to storm in with news about a new assignment?”
Lexie groaned again.
“Would you like me to contrive a way to hit you over the head and make you forget again?” Luna asked. “I don’t wish to harp on about me not having thumbs but I’m sure I could come up with a plan. You could stand outside on the sidewalk and I could push something off the roof so it falls on your head.”
“Thank you. No. And I don’t know how I feel about seeing my dad again. I need more time to get used to it all. I’m just afraid I won’t know what to say.”
“You can always fake amnesia,” Luna suggested. “If your dad finally decides to come around, just look confused. If that doesn’t work, speak in a foreign language. He hasn’t seen you in ten years and he’s still trying to get used to walking around in the body of a woman. The man has a lot on his plate. I think he’ll buy it.”
“I’m going to grab a shower.” Lexie pushed herself off the couch. “When I come out, can we please start the day again? We’ll go to the Kitty Café for breakfast.”
Rebel cannoned into the sitting room. “Did someone mention breakfast? I’m famished.” As if to prove the point, she pressed her little hand to her forehead, swooned, floated down and landed on the mantlepiece, her arm and leg flopping over the side.
“Where does she put it?” Lexie didn’t even make it to her bedroom door when the front door opened and Octavia strode in.
“Sorry, I forgot to knock.” Her personal assistant gave her a bright smile. “I’m still getting used to coming in the conventional way through the front door.”
Lexie tried to remember if she’d actually issued a request for everyone to please stop barging in on her and to always use the front door. She knew she’d told her cousins to give her at least forty-eight hours’ notice before materializing in the middle of her sitting room, but that had fallen on deaf ears.
“Octavia!” Luna leaped off the couch and raced toward her. “Oh, that’s the most active I’ve been in ages. And, look at you! Still a blonde.”
Octavia flicked her blonde locks back and grinned. “Yes, I’m rather attached to it now.”
A month. Lexie had only asked for a month of peace and quiet. She looked heavenward. She’d asked nicely. She’d even put on her extra sweet smile. At least her cousins had been staying away.
Looking over Octavia’s shoulder, Lexie realized she’d spoken too soon.
Cat’s orb hovered behind Octavia. It turned a light shade of pink as she greeted Lexie. “Hello.”
The last time Lexie had seen her Australian cousin, she’d been stuck in her enchanted forest for the duration of the lunar cycle.
Had it already been a month?
Something else whizzed into her sitting room. Lexie’s eyes widened. “Mr. Ellsworth?” The gnome Lexie had met at Cat’s cottage came to a sudden stop and turned to clay.
“Oh, dear. Mr. Ellsworth. You promised you wouldn’t.” His wife, Mrs. Ellsworth whizzed in and tapped him on the head.
Lexie shifted her narrowed gaze toward Octavia.
“I can explain,” Octavia said.
Chapter Four
Not your regular garden variety gnomes…
Lexie took her time showering and would have stayed locked up in the bathroom for a lot longer but Luna barged in to demand she hurry up and tend to her guests who were still wary of her.
“Octavia asked me to step into the bedroom,” Luna complained. “For the record, I resent being asked to leave. Rebel took advantage of the opportunity to poke her tongue out at me. The gnomes are okay with her. I don’t understand why they’re afraid of me.”
“You could have made yourself invisible,” Lexie suggested.
Luna blinked up at her. “Oh, I forgot.” She disappeared. Moments later, she returned. “No, it didn’t work. Mr. Ellsworth sensed me coming and turned to clay. When are they leaving? You need to throw them out. What are they doing here? They don’t like the city. We should move to a penthouse apartment where no one can find us. Just listen to me, I’m on edge and all flustered. This stress will make my fur fall off. I’ll look ridiculous walking around with bald patches.”
“Take a deep breath, Luna. Relax.”
“I’m about to hyperventilate.” Luna’s breath came out in short bursts.
“Did they say anything?” Lexie asked.
“No. They’re sitting in silence, waiting for you to come out. Mr. Ellsworth
is twiddling his thumbs and tapping his foot while his wife keeps fidgeting with her apron and fixing her cap into place.”
Lexie checked her reflection in the mirror. Instead of seeing her regular clothes, she saw the chainmail dress her mom had recently given her. At the time, the situation had called for it. She’d dealt with the menace that had taken over Mackenzie Hall, but the chainmail dress had remained. She hadn’t stopped to think what that might mean. Now she had to wonder if, from here on out, she would remain battle ready.
“Come on, Luna. I’ll explain to them you’re harmless. Just stick close to me.”
When they strode out into the sitting room, Lexie saw Mr. Ellsworth freeze. His wife shook him out of his catatonic state and warned him to behave.
Before Lexie could speak, Octavia rushed to her side and whispered, “I can explain. They had nowhere else to go—”
Luna purred. “Okay. This is already headed in the wrong direction. Have you tried the YMCA?”
“Let Octavia speak,” Lexie said.
“She’s already said enough. They’re here to stay.” Luna yelped. “They brought luggage with them.”
Luggage and furniture.
Lexie could have sworn the small wooden stools Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth sat on hadn’t been in her apartment before.
Cat hovered in front of them, bright sparks shooting out of her. Mr. Ellsworth’s plump hands were clasped in front of him, his thumbs busy twiddling. Mrs. Ellsworth clutched a large travel bag against her chest. Her bright red curls poked out from under her red cap, springing up and down as she nodded at something Cat said to her.
Lexie focused on breathing and remaining calm. “Octavia, you were about to explain.”
Rebel sneezed.
“Bless you,” everyone chorused.
Octavia wrung her hands and bit the edge of her lip. “I can see you’re not pleased about this.”
Lexie’s shoulders eased down. “It’s not that I’m unhappy. Of course, if someone needs a place to stay, I’ll do my best to accommodate them.” Glancing over at the gnomes, she saw them casting furtive glances her way. “They don’t look comfortable here.”
“That’s good,” Luna whispered. “Play that angle. They’ll be happier elsewhere. And, if push comes to shove, loosen your hold on the purse strings and offer to pay for their alternative accommodation.”
Rebel sneezed again. Putting her little hand to her forehead, Rebel said, “I think I’m coming down with a cold.” She wafted down like a feather and landed on the table where she curled up into a tight ball. “I’m shivery.”
Mrs. Ellsworth rushed toward her, jumping onto the chair and then onto the table. “Oh, dear. You feel hot.” She looked up at Lexie. “You haven’t been looking after your fairy.”
Lexie frowned. “She just sneezed.”
“It’s this city,” Mrs. Ellsworth grumbled. “It’s full of germs. What sort of Mackenzie Witch are you? You’re supposed to live within nature, in a forest or a small village.” She turned back to Rebel. “When did she last fly around a tree?”
Lexie shrugged. “We haven’t been out of the apartment in days. Is it essential for her to fly around trees?”
Mrs. Ellsworth rolled her eyes. “She should be in bed. Poor dear. Look at her. She’s shivering. Where is her bed?”
“I’ll bring it over.” Lexie went in search of Rebel’s bed and brought it back to the sitting room.
“What is this?” Mrs. Ellsworth shrieked.
“It’s… It’s a soap dish.”
Mrs. Ellsworth shook her head and turned her attention back to Rebel. “You poor, poor dear. You’re so far away from home and she forces you to sleep in a soap dish.” The gnome clambered down from the table. “Show me to your fireplace.”
Lexie led the way and watched as Mrs. Ellsworth rummaged through her bag. “I’ll make her a broth. That should make her feel better soon.”
“You carry the ingredients in your bag?” Lexie asked.
Mrs. Ellsworth gave her a lifted eyebrow look, which seemed to suggest Lexie didn’t know much about gnomes. “And keep that cat away from me. She looks hungry and I have no intention of being her next meal.”
Lexie swung away and searched for Octavia. She found her in the kitchen with Cat’s orb.
“Would someone please tell me what’s going on? I think I’m missing parts of the whole picture.”
“I’ll leave you to it,” Cat said. “Nice seeing you again. Bye.”
Before Lexie could say anything, Cat disappeared in a shower of bright sparks, leaving Octavia clearly floundering for an explanation.
“Do I need to sit down for this?” Lexie asked.
Octavia scooped in a big breath. “Cat’s forest is under siege. Everyone had to flee for safety and Cat wanted to make sure Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth found a safe place to stay until order is restored in her forest. Mr. Ellsworth is the head gardener in her forest. She really can’t afford to lose him.”
“Cat’s forest? Under siege? By whom?”
“By refugees from Mackenzie Hall. Mirabelle has yet to restore the grounds to their former glory. Creatures are scared she-whose-name-they-don’t-dare-speak-out-loud will return. So, they fled.”
“Is this something I need to fix?” Lexie asked.
“No, Cat and Mirabelle have everything under control, but this is all too much for Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth. A few goblins stowed away and infiltrated the refugee camp. A curfew has been imposed and Cat is sure she’ll flush them out in no time.”
Luna gulped. “No time? Exactly how long will that be?”
Chapter Five
Shopping list
“Cat’s forest is under siege. Our apartment is infested…”
“Luna, we really need to be more understanding and sympathetic. Mr. and Mrs. Ellsworth are in a foreign land and eager to return home.”
Luna looked around her, her eyes wide with a mixture of disbelief and fear. “It seems only yesterday we had the place to ourselves, and, even then, the walls were closing in on us. We’re probably running out of air to breathe. The gnome has been doing a lot of huffing and puffing. That’s sure to use up more oxygen.”
Lexie nudged her chatty feline companion with her foot. “Hush. Mrs. Ellsworth is coming.”
The gnome’s bright red corkscrew ringlets bounced up and down as she marched toward them. “We fled in such a hurry, I am missing a few ingredients. I have the list ready,” Mrs. Ellsworth said and handed Lexie a piece of thick parchment paper.
“Turnips.” Lexie shrugged. “I’m sure our local store has them.” Although, she had no idea what people did with them.
She scanned the rest of the list and mentally ticked the items off. Her meals were served to her ready-made. She could boil water and, if push came to shove, she could fry an egg but it was never as good as the ones she got at the café.
Lexie bit the edge of her lip as she tried to picture what a turnip looked like. Not that she had much hope of succeeding.
For heaven’s sake, she’d been the type of kid who’d asked where fish sticks came from. Although, she’d always known apples grew on trees because their next-door neighbor’s tree had been within easy reach of the fence.
Mrs. Ellsworth shook her head. “Your local store? No. That simply won’t do. Everything on that list must be obtained in its purest, most unpolluted form. If you give her something from your so-called local store, you might as well be hand-feeding her poison.”
Luna curled her tail around Lexie’s ankle. “You should meet her demands. The sooner we get the stuff, the sooner they’ll be out of our hair.”
Mrs. Ellsworth lifted her chin. “Well? Are you up to the task or do I need to send Mr. Ellsworth out into that concrete jungle?”
Lexie glanced over at Mr. Ellsworth. His thumbs were twiddling at the speed of a propeller, his eye twitched and his foot wouldn’t stop tapping. She could see his lips moving but she couldn’t hear him speak so she assumed he was muttering to himself… who knew what. He w
ouldn’t survive a second in the city.
Lexie gave Mrs. Ellsworth a nod of assurance. “Leave it with me.”
“Does that mean you’ll be leaving the cat behind?”
Luna gave a vigorous shake of her head. “Please take me with you. Don’t you dare leave me behind. She might look meek and mild but those beady eyes tell me a different story. She’s been eyeing your caldron since she arrived and smacking her lips. For all we know, she has a ravenous appetite for cat stew.”
Lexie assured the gnome, “You don’t need to worry about Luna. She’s coming with me.”
“Hurry.” Mrs. Ellsworth looked over at Rebel. “She’s not looking good. I have a good mind to lodge a complaint against you for mistreatment of your fairy.”
Luna sucked in a breath.
Mrs. Ellsworth folded her arms over her robust bosom and rocked on her heels. “For the love of all that is bright and beautiful, you make her sleep in a sock.”
“It’s cashmere,” Lexie murmured.
Luna curled her paws around Lexie’s ankle and pulled. “Come on, already. You have your instructions. Let’s go.”
Octavia strode out of the kitchen, a mug of coffee in one hand and a thimble sized mug in the other.
Ordinarily, Lexie would ask Octavia to take care of things, especially things that needed to be purchased. However, the gnomes appeared to be comfortable around her. Lexie held up the parchment. “I’m… I’m going shopping. We should be back soon. Will you be fine holding the fort?”
Nodding, Octavia handed the tiny cup to Mr. Ellsworth who almost jumped out of his skin.
“My apologies,” he offered. “I… We… Mrs. Ellsworth and I are grateful for your kind hospitality but this is all very strange. Yes, very strange, indeed.”
Octavia gave him an encouraging smile. “You’ll both be safe here. No need to worry.”
Luna grumbled. “I don’t hear anyone offering me assurances.”
