by Gina LaManna
“Lily, don’t do this.”
“Do what?” I tried to put myself in an understanding, forgiving mood. My tone wasn’t quite there. “I will be at the press conference tomorrow, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“I’m sorry.”
I rested against the broom. “Do you want to stay tonight?”
Ranger X glanced painfully over his shoulder at J. “We have to finish up—”
“It’s fine,” I said. “Understood. Goodnight, X.”
He seemed prepared to offer another apology, an argument—something, but it never came. Instead, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “Goodnight.”
When he left, I locked the door and sent one more spell sweeping through the room to scrub the spilled Long Isle Iced Tea from the floor, the table, the shelves. Then, I grabbed the full beaker and stomped outside with it.
I tipped the glass container completely upside down, watching the potion drain to uselessness in the sand. In theory, it was stupid to waste such valuable ingredients. But I couldn’t leave them in my house.
My necklace still glowed bright, brighter than ever before, and the memories of my mother’s face flashed painfully into my head. I pushed those thoughts away. Long Isle Iced Tea had only brought me problems, and I had enough problems existing already without creating more.
I returned inside and washed the last dregs of potion from the beaker and my hands. The room smelled blissfully like lemon and clean pine, and thankfully, the taste of Long Isle had departed from my lips after some vigorous teeth brushing.
I climbed into bed and flicked open the drawer next to me. The press conference was on my mind, and the thought of appearing united with Ranger X while we were on rockier ground than ever before had me in fits of nerves.
Instead, I pulled the new note from between my socks and read it over.
Use what you have.
Use what you have, I mused. All at once, it felt like I had everything...and nothing.
Who’d left the note, and what could it possibly mean?
I drifted to sleep with the paper clenched between my fingers. My necklace continued to glow against my chest, and as dreams crept into my mind, I sunk deep into visions of my mother’s eyes as they stared back at me through the mirror.
Chapter 8
“ARE YOU SURE YOU’RE ready to do this?” Ranger X asked one last time as we prepared to climb on stage. “If you want to back out, I’d understand.”
“I gave you my word,” I said, striving for calm. “Plus, I don’t have to say anything. I think I can manage standing still and holding your hand.”
“That’s what the PR team is saying would be best.”
As a vote of confidence, I reached out and grasped Ranger X’s hand in mine. “I’m ready if you are.”
My small gesture worked like a miracle. The tension snapped in X’s shoulders, and he folded forward, dragging me into an embrace almost stifling in its thoroughness. His hands found my back, pressing me to his stone-hard chest, harder and harder until I relaxed into him.
My arms encircled his neck, and I pressed an olive branch of a kiss just below his ear. He shivered under the touch, shuddering as he stepped back, his gaze filled with a cornucopia of emotions.
“I don’t want any of this mess to come between us,” he said. “I meant my apology last night.”
“I know. It was a rough night all around.”
“Are we ready?” A woman holding an official looking clipboard scurried toward us. “Can we get moving? I like the look in his eyes right now. There’s some vulnerability in there, and I want to capitalize on it. Let’s move, people.”
Shock replaced the vulnerability as Ranger X turned his gaze to me. “I look vulnerable? Since when do I look vulnerable?”
“Well, now you look paranoid. Forget what that lady’s saying; just be yourself out there.”
“Be myself,” he repeated, but there seemed to be a question behind it. As if he’d forgotten exactly what it was like to be himself.
The thought made me sad. It had been impossible for him to avoid taking the islanders’ lack of faith as a personal attack on him. I’d never expected to see Ranger X’s confidence shaken, but lo and behold, the earth he walked on seemed to have shifted.
With a surge of my own protective instincts, I gave his hand another squeeze. A harder one. The PR lady rushed us forward, but I gave her a sizzling stare that bought us a few moments.
“Hey,” I whispered to Ranger X, leaning on my tiptoes to reach his ear. “You are Cannon. You’re the love of my life, and you’re the best protector this island has ever had. You can be both, you know. You don’t have to choose between the two.”
Ranger X slid an arm around my back, holding me against him, his grip tight.
“I’m sorry I was upset about the stupid decree. I know you’re just doing what’s best for The Isle. So do the rest of the people here—they don’t doubt you, not really. They’re just scared.”
“We seriously need to move it along,” the PR lady barked. “Show’s starting, folks.”
“Ready?” He expelled a breath and seemed to visibly steady himself. “Here we go.”
Together, Ranger X and I stepped from behind the curtain in the sizable amphitheater and faced a sea of curious faces. There was a long, extended moment of silence as the islanders, reporters, and guests, took in the united front before them.
Then the silence shattered, and chaos broke loose.
“Where’s Peter?”
“Who brought that article back?”
“Has The Faction infiltrated the island?”
“Crime is out of control! Why aren’t the Rangers doing anything about it?”
“Why aren’t the Rangers protecting us?”
“Miss Locke, what actually happened while you were with The Faction?”
I turned to X, leveled my gaze, and squeezed his hand. He took a breath, and together, we faced the fire.
“The Rangers and the Mixologist have joined forces here today to answer your questions,” X said boldly. “The first rules of the conference: no magic is allowed in the venue as a courtesy to everyone. We will not answer any personal questions. Ten minutes are on the clock, starting now.”
More questions pelted toward him, quicker than X could keep up.
He waved a hand for a moment of quiet. “I’ll start by addressing the article. It’s true that it was penned by one of our own, Peter Knope, who is currently believed to be a prisoner of the enemy.”
“Is it true Miss Locke left him behind when she escaped?” asked another. “Did Lily use him as bait?”
Ranger X handled each question with as much grace as possible, protecting me from having to field a single one myself, just as he’d promised. However, one shot after the next hurled his way, and it no longer began to matter what he said—his voice was barely audible over the growing roar of the crowd. The crowd’s fury built to a deafening din, as if a balloon of fear was expanding too quickly and on the verge of eruption.
It wasn’t long before the questions devolved into insults. The mob’s unrest fed off itself, growing to a boiling mass of anger. My heart raced from fear of something happening, some spark setting this tinder alight.
That’s when I saw it: the prick of a spell in the center of the mass of bodies. It grew larger, gleaming and swirling green as it hurtled toward us. I barely had time to open my mouth in surprise. I began to shout a warning, but X’s reaction was faster than mine.
Before I could utter a word, Ranger X stepped between the spell and me, raising both hands and projecting a golden glow that swallowed the spell whole as it hurtled toward us. There was a whoosh as the two magicks collided, and then a sudden silence.
Ranger X whirled toward the side of the stage, a fury so deeply ingrained into his face I didn’t argue as he took my arm roughly and swept me behind the curtain. As we left, the sounds returned outside, less furious, more curious in nature.
“Who le
t that happen?” X demanded at the PR team. “What the hell was it?”
The woman with the clipboard stood still, her mouth gaping open. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know...”
“We’re done.” Ranger X pulled me away from her, from the rest of the backstage personnel, while barking orders to the Rangers standing by at attention.
The faces of the other Rangers, too, were grave. I couldn’t find Zin, and I vaguely wondered if she was off working on her secret assignment and had been excused from security detail. I knew, however, that if she’d been here, she would also be wearing a scowl of disapproval. When one Ranger was attacked, it was aimed at the team. The family.
The first Rangers swarmed through the crowd, presumably looking for the person who’d dared light a spell at such a public event. They were under sharp orders from X to waste no time bringing in the culprit.
“When we find him,” Ranger X said to me, then quickly amended, “or her, they’ll pay.”
“It’s fine, I’m okay—nobody was hurt.”
“We have rules for a reason. That spell was a Soul Suck—a curse, a poison. Have you ever seen someone affected by it?!”
I inhaled deeply and shook my head. “No.”
“It’s deadly,” X said simply. “We’re going home. I’m taking you to my place, and—”
“Don’t I get a say in this?”
Ranger X slowed at the softness in my voice, the pleading there. “Of course, Lily. I’m just worried about your safety. Anyone who launches an attack against you launches one against me. And an attack against me is an attack against the Rangers.”
“It’s business. The spell could’ve been aimed at you.”
“No,” he said, hoarse. “It was aimed at you, and that’s what made it personal for me.”
A rough touch of his lips against mine sent the familiar singe of fire lighting down my spine as the kiss lingered. Disappointment followed the second we broke contact.
“I can’t go home with you now,” I murmured to him. “I have something I need to do.”
He frowned. “It’s not a good idea. Whatever it is. I’d like you to stay close to me.” As an afterthought, he added, “Please.”
“It’d take me away from The Isle,” I said, surprising both of us with my newest plan. “I need to go to the mainland.”
“Why?”
My confession confused me almost as much as it did him. It was an idea that’d popped into my head earlier this morning after I’d woken with thoughts of Liam’s visit on my mind. It hadn’t solidified until just now.
“The Master of Magic is in danger,” I whispered, tugging X deeper away from the crowd. “The morale on The Isle is in shambles. Something is wrong. I found a note in a drawer in my bedroom yesterday morning that had advice on it. But how could someone have gotten into my bedroom?”
“What did it say?” he asked sharply. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Use what you have.”
“Excuse me?”
“That’s what it said, word for word,” I said. “I don’t know what it means. I meant to tell you, but things got busy.”
I could see Ranger X’s hands clench into fists.
“I know you want to lecture me about safety, but let me assure you, the note wasn’t the most alarming thing of the morning, which is why I forgot to bring it up,” I said. “Liam appearing in my closet was a lot bigger surprise, so please, don’t lecture me now. Someone just tried to curse me, X. We have bigger fish to fry.”
He digested my plea, though his fists didn’t loosen in the slightest. “What’s on the mainland?”
“I don’t know, but it’s somewhere different than here. My presence on the island is making things worse all around—plus, it’s distracting you from your work. I’d like to visit Ainsley at MAGIC, Inc. and see if she has some information on the Master of Magic.”
“She won’t. Nobody does. He’s not connected to MAGIC, Inc. He was around long before the association ever existed.”
“I know, but they must have resources or thoughts on it.”
He didn’t disagree, and that gave me a bigger boost of hope than I’d expected.
Don’t fight me on this, X. I’ll be safe; I’ll go straight to MAGIC, Inc. I need to investigate somehow, to do something.”
“Use what you have,” Ranger X pondered. “What could that mean?”
“Nothing,” I said, shrugging my shoulders helplessly. “Or everything. It could refer to a potion in one of Gus’s spellbooks, or it could mean my friendship with Ainsley. If I don’t start looking somewhere, I’ll never find anything.”
“Don’t do anything rash.” Ranger X’s hand came up, brushed a stray strand of hair off my forehead. “I love you, and I trust you, but I worry about you.”
I nodded vigorously. “Thank you. Maybe it’ll free up some time for you, too. You won’t have to babysit me while you have other things going on.”
“I never babysit you, Lily,” he said sounding cross, his eyes flicking over my shoulder at an outburst from the crowd. “I just wish—”
He stopped short.
“What is it?” I asked. “What’s wrong?”
“There were extra spells set up around here to prevent magic today,” Ranger X said, crossing his arms as he stepped back to survey the hall. “How the hell could someone have conjured a Soul Suck when we had all spells blocked?”
“Why don’t you solve your problem,” I said, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek, “and I’ll solve mine. I’m going to arrange transport with Kenny. I’ll Comm you when I get to Ainsley’s.”
“Promise me,” Ranger X said, gruffly, “that you’ll wear your device at all times and let me know the second anything doesn’t go according to plan.”
I raised my wrist and showed off the magical Comm. “I promise. MAGIC, Inc. is one of the safest places to be.”
“I’d like to go with you; I hope you know that.”
“You need to be here.”
Ranger X grudgingly agreed. We both knew his offer had been merely show, a token of his desire to keep me safe. He offered another chaste kiss to my forehead before walking me away from the crowd and back to the bungalow where Gus would surely be waiting. We had a ten-minute walk together, but it ended all too soon.
“Go,” I told him, sensing an urgency in X’s footsteps as our feet landed on the white sand outside of the bungalow. I knew he was itching to study the scene of the spell. “I’ll let you know when I’m back.”
“Back?” Gus interrupted from the top of the stairs. “Where are you going?”
While X took his leave, I climbed the stairs to the bungalow and began gathering supplies. As I tucked vials and potions into my travel belt, I explained my theory to Gus, along with the discovery of the note in my sock drawer.
“I’m sick of sitting around,” I said, double-checking my supply belt. “I need to do something about that message. I have to look for information somewhere.”
Gus nodded, but beneath his nonchalance was a shred of worry. I was grateful he had the good sense not to argue, and instead, he tapped his cane thoughtfully against the floor. “Say, if you find something on the Tortoise Wars, I’d love a copy.”
“What are you talking about?”
Gus winked. “I’m sure Ainsley will take you to the only place in the world with more magical knowledge than me.”
“Where is that?”
“Let’s just say...” Gus mused, a smile quirking his lips upward. “You’re in for a treat.”
Chapter 9
“AINSLEY IS VERY BUSY,” a tart little blonde explained as we strolled through the shiny hallways of MAGIC, Inc. “I’m not sure she’ll have time to talk to you.”
“Well, it doesn’t hurt to check. I’ve traveled all the way here, so it’d be a waste not to stop by and ask.”
The young woman who had introduced herself as Nevada—likely a new intern—peered at me through glasses magicked to sparkle along the edges. “Who’d you say you were again?
”
I pointed to the nametag I’d been assigned after verifying my identity at the front desk. “Lily.”
Her eyes roved over it, catching the last name there and turning it over in her head, muttering my name several times under her breath. “I swear I’ve heard the name before.”
I made a noncommittal noise in my throat.
“Lily Locke,” she said again, unsure. “What do you do for work?”
I hesitated, which spared me an answer.
“Ah, here’s her office. She got a recent promotion, you know,” Nevada said. “I’m her assistant now.”
“That’s great. Ainsley deserves the promotion.”
Sounds came from inside the closed office. It sounded like quite a commotion in there, and I wondered if Ainsley might actually be too busy for a visitor—a fact I stupidly hadn’t considered before setting off for the mainland.
“I can wait outside if she’s dealing with something,” I said. “I don’t want to interrupt.”
“I told you she was busy,” Nevada said crossly. “She’s always in demand around here, and—”
“She shoots, she scores!” A loud, booming male voice roared. “Ainsley for the win, ladies and gentlemen.”
Nevada stopped short as the door to Ainsley’s office swung open. Out came a flood of six or seven folks, all dressed in business attire wearing broad grins on their face. The grins disappeared into guilty expressions as they found Nevada and myself waiting patiently in the hallway.
Through the door, we could see Ainsley perched on her desk, fists pumped in the air as if she’d won the world series. “Y’all owe me lunch, folks! I’m expecting—Lily? Hey, boss! How’s it going?!”
Nevada’s mouth dropped open as Ainsley completely ignored her assistant and barged out of the room, sweeping me into a grand hug. I wasn’t sure if Nevada was more surprised by the term boss, or by Ainsley’s dramatic display of affection.
“What brings you to these parts?” Ainsley was clearly still riding high on whatever fumes were coming from her office: her cheeks were flushed, her voice higher pitched than usual, and a slight amount of sheepishness snuck into her gaze as Nevada caught sight of the monitor behind her.
