Long Isle Iced Tea

by Gina LaManna

  “Zinnia is fine, as is Poppy. If anything, maybe the cousins are together, gossiping about what horrible mothers they both have.”

  “I hope so.”

  The sheer idea of it sliced me some, a jolt to my already fragile nerves. Why hadn’t they included me? Without realizing it, I backed down the front steps, retreating in a daze.

  “Lily, where are you going?” Trinket called after me. “Is Mimsey at the store?”

  I managed a nod. “If you hear from either of them, let me know. Please.”

  Trinket tilted her chin upward. At the last second, she forced a tilt of her head in acknowledgement.

  In one last ditch effort, I tried once more. “Are you sure you have no idea where she’s living?”

  Trinket began to close the door, but she paused and met my gaze. “I can’t imagine it’s anywhere decent. Rangers in training don’t earn a luxurious wage.”

  “Why wouldn’t she stay with me?” I asked, more to myself than anyone else. “I have plenty of space.”

  “If she were speaking to me, I would ask her.” Trinket slammed the door shut, leaving her yard neat, immaculate, and untouched once more.

  Grumbling, a mixture of fury and frustration bubbling inside, I headed toward home. I had to relay all of this to Gus, drop off my supplies, and get started on the vial. Then I had to loop in the Rangers to take care of the haunted house and hunt down both of my cousins.

  And not forget to plan a birthday party.

  I wished my sour mood would vanish. I was healthy, I had an incredible career and family, and I loved my work. There were some problems, but that was a hazard of the job.

  Even so, stress knotted my shoulders, a headache easing its way into my skull. I’d offered both Poppy and Zin a place to stay. Why had neither of them taken me up on the offer? Why go out on their own?

  They hadn’t even come to me for help or advice. Two weeks Zin had been gone, living somehow on the meager edges of a salary. The more I walked, the more I thought. The more I thought, the more hurt I felt that she hadn’t confided in me.

  I’d thought we were family. Family counted on one another, and…

  I stopped at the sight of smoke curling in thin wisps toward the sky.

  The haunted house.

  A large dark animal.

  Shadows in the window.

  My back snapped rigid, my temper boiling as I changed course.

  I no longer feared the thing hiding in the abandoned house.

  In fact, the two of us needed to talk.

  Chapter 18

  THE HOUSE HAD SAT FORLORN, silent and unused, for so long that even its most recent inhabitant had yet to wipe the loneliness from the air.

  If anything, the most recent tenant had taken drastic measure to ensure the house looked as if it remained empty.

  Unfortunately for her, I knew better.

  The bed was roughly made, same as the last time I’d peeked inside. No dishes sat out of cupboards and the trash was empty.

  It was easy enough to see how the gnomes believed that only spirits dwelled here. I also had a feeling the person haunting this space had used their wit and skills to prey on the superstitious culture of the gnomes living next door, encouraging their theories of ghosts and hauntings.

  I sat at the table inside the small kitchen, my hands folded carefully as I waited. I must’ve waited thirty minutes already, but I wasn’t going anywhere.

  As I sat waiting, I surveyed the space. It wasn’t so bad, I thought. Livable, especially for an animal.

  I didn’t bother to peek in the cupboards or scrounge for food—I knew there wouldn’t be any. Surely Zin would’ve taken pains to eat outside the house, only spending time here to sleep. And, since she’d likely worked the night shift, she should be home any minute. Zin wouldn’t have gone far judging by the smoke.

  I waited, and waited some more, until the soft rustle of grass and crunch of gravel underfoot signaled the arrival of someone outside.

  I tensed—a moment of panic settling in as I prayed my suspicions were true. If not, I could’ve walked into a trap. A thought I’d been too angry to consider until now—and now was too late for me to be wrong.

  The doorknob turned, sending my pulse skyrocketing. The door pressed open slowly, and as it did, the glint of sunlight off black fur caught my eye.

  Zin had partially transformed back to her human self, yet a lingering sheen to her dark hair and laziness to her gait gave away the jaguar form that had allowed her to escape unnoticed.

  She stretched, rolled her neck and cracked her knuckles, and then turned around and froze. “Lily?!”

  “Nice digs you have here.”

  “What are you doing here? How—”

  “How did I find you? I’m psychic.”

  “But—”

  “It wasn’t all that hard once things started coming together,” I explained, waving a hand across the room. “A house in use, dark shadows, reports of a large animal coming and going, a Ranger in training who has the skills to live out here alone.”

  “How did you know—”

  “That you moved out? Trinket told me this morning.”

  “It’s none of her business!”

  I cocked my head to the side. “She didn’t come to me. I went to your mother’s house to find you. She told me she didn’t know where I could find you. Did you honestly think nobody would notice?”

  Zin crossed her arms and scowled. “It’s not that unreasonable. It took you two weeks.”

  “Because you have been hiding it from everyone!” I stood up, my chair scratching away from the table. “You’re a Ranger, Zin. You’re excellent at your job. If you want to hide things from people, you shouldn’t be surprised when it takes us awhile to catch on. How have you been surviving here?”

  “Shifting in and out of my jaguar form.” Zin hung her head, sullen. “I come in when nobody’s around. Usually. I can feed easier in that state, too—you know, if I run low on supplies.”

  “Your mother said you’d have had to find a cheap place to live on your salary.”

  “And I found one for free.”

  “You’re living somewhere that doesn’t belong to you. What if the Witch of the Woods found out?”

  “I’m assuming she knows. I am a Shiftling, Lily. I spend plenty of time in The Forest in animal form. There’s not one of us—the creatures—who don’t know of her, respect her. She’s the grandmother to this island and all of the wildlife on it.”

  “Why go through the trouble?” My words came out blazing with heat. “Why not just stay with me? I have asked you to move into the bungalow. Multiple times.”

  Zin didn’t have a response, so I moved around the table and stood directly before her.

  “I offered you a place to stay, and yet you hid from me. From us, from your family. What is family for if not to help?”

  “I don’t need help!” Zin roared, her eyes turning more golden by the second. Even her hair grew a shade longer in her fury. “I’m soon to be a full-fledged Ranger. I’m a Shiftling. I should be able to take care of myself, and that’s exactly what I’m doing.”

  “You can take care of yourself! Nobody’s arguing with you on that. But you can’t do everything! Why sneak around here when you could live, openly and easily, at my place? There’s no shame in it.”

  “Ranger X would never lean on another person for help.”

  “You can’t know that.”

  “He’s self-sufficient, and he’s strong and powerful and capable.”

  “And he’s the golden standard of Rangers, is that what this is about? You’re trying to be like him?”

  “He made Head Ranger for a reason. Everyone on The Isle respects him. And if they don’t respect him, they fear him.”

  “I don’t disagree, but that doesn’t mean he’s free from problems.”

  Zin had a retort ready, but pulled it at the last second. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Nothing. I don’t understand why you�
�all of you Rangers—seem to think it’s a sign of strength to be completely independent of anyone you love.”

  “That’s what it means to be a Ranger.”

  “But is that what it means to be a person?” I shook my head, letting my shoulders sag and my hands drop to my sides. “It’s pointless to argue with you. With X. You both have your beliefs, and I’m clearly not going to change them.”

  “This isn’t even about me, is it?”

  “You know what? I don’t know.” I rested a hand on the doorknob, my fingers clenching around it. “I thought this was about family, and love, and trust, but I suppose it’s not. Love and trust aren’t one-way streets.”

  “Lily—”

  “Wise up, Zin,” I said, casting one last glance over my shoulder. “I love you. You’re the closest thing to a sister I’ve ever had. But you didn’t even think to ask why I came looking for you in the first place.”

  Zin’s eyebrows crinkle in confusion. “I assumed—”

  “That I wanted to give you a lecture,” I said. “Well, that wasn’t my intention.”

  “Then what was?”

  “Poppy’s gone missing.” I pulled the door open and stepped outside. “I know you care about her. Why don’t you use your Ranger skills to find her instead of hiding from your family? While you’re at it, maybe you can let your head Ranger know, too.”

  “Poppy’s missing? Where? How?”

  “That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it?”

  “But—”

  “I’m going home,” I said, raising my hands as I stepped away from the cabin. “My door is open. It’s always been open for you, and it will remain that way forever. Asking for help, or accepting it when it’s offered, is not a sign of weakness, whatever X might say. I’m your family, Zin. Don’t forget that.”

  I closed the door behind me, and turned toward home. I made it halfway there before I heard the shuffle of footsteps trailing behind me. My heart soared as I turned, a smile on my face, to greet Zin.

  My spirits fell when instead of my cousin, I found a small gnome jogging to keep pace.

  “Miss Lily!” Chuck called, still a few paces behind. “Wait a second!”

  I stopped, willing my heart to slow and my well of patience to refill. “Hey, Chuck.”

  “I heard you giving the spirit a piece of your mind back there,” he said. “That’s what it was, right? A spirit?”

  I shook my head. “No, I’m sorry. Just one of us.”

  “One of…us?”

  “An Islander camping out there. Nothing more than a misunderstanding.”

  “Does that mean you took care of it?”

  “I don’t know, Chuck.” I pursed my lips and gave a tense shake of my head. “I sure hope so. Either way, you’re safe. I promise.”

  Chapter 19

  “LILY,” GUS SAID, TAPPING the table repeatedly. “I said it’s time for a break.”

  I looked up, surprised to find darkness outside the bungalow windows. “What time is it?”

  “Nearly ten o’clock. You’ve been at this for almost ten hours straight.”

  “You never tell me to take breaks.”

  “I’ve never seen you work so intensely.” Gus adjusted a few vials on the shelf, cleaning up the mess I hadn’t realized I’d been making. “Throwing yourself into your work to forget about something?”

  “Not one thing,” I said on a sigh. “Everything.”

  “Well, maybe you should get stressed more often. Look at all you’ve accomplished.”

  I followed Gus’s sweeping arm across the room. A hint of satisfaction burned at the realization of all we’d accomplished. It wasn’t enough to wash away the stress entirely, but it helped fight back fatigue for the time being.

  “Helps the time pass,” I agreed. “Thank you for all your work today.”

  “I can’t believe I’m telling you this, but sinking into your work will not solve everything else.”

  I raised an eyebrow at Gus. “I can’t believe you’re telling me that, either.”

  He grunted, and then turned back to sorting the vials as I paced along the north window, surveying my handiwork.

  From left to right, there were multiple canisters filled with bits and bobbles of potions, ingredients, and more. Silver, soaking up the sunlight, sat in the largest one. The silver dust would need to be as strong as possible, and absorbing the rays of sun would help it reflect when the time came to activate the antidote.

  The vial, ingredients teased apart, sat on a shelf below it, hidden in the shadows. The blackness whirled faster, more violent by the day. When Gus had teased the smoke out of the curse, it turned more dangerous, more volatile. Just standing near it had me on edge, antsy to dispel its effect once and for all.

  Next, there were small packets of ingredients needed for the rest of the antidote, and I’d kept those sealed inside tiny, airtight jars. Beside those sat the fresh mixture for Vamp Vites, which still needed to simmer before I added the Dust of the Devil. It’d be ready for Poppy tomorrow, and with its readiness, I hoped Poppy would return, too.

  Lastly, a vase of neon pink liquid bubbled over a tealight. Long Isle Iced Tea, now perfected and beautifully safe. Earlier this evening, I’d turned into a bird while Gus transformed into a pirate. We’d both made it back in one piece. No lingering side effects, no painful hiccups. I only had to create it in bulk to be ready for Poppy’s party.

  A party that wouldn’t happen if Poppy didn’t return soon.

  “You shouldn’t let things with X bother you so much.” The clink of glassware accompanied Gus’s voice. He had a way of speaking with his back to me, as he organized shelves, that was more honest. “I harp on him a lot, but the kid loves you.”

  I smiled at Gus’s calling Ranger X a kid, but the glimmer of amusement didn’t linger. “It’s not just about that.”

  “What else is bothering you?”

  “I went back to the haunted house today, and—”

  “Lily, how many times do I have to tell you that’s not your job? I thought you were going to involve X. Is this because you two aren’t speaking? You can’t let personal spats get in the way of making solid decisions. Your safety comes first.”

  “It’s not a spat. I’m not upset, I’m just waiting for him to come to a decision.”

  “And in the meantime, you’re putting yourself at risk.”

  “I didn’t put myself at risk! I made a calculated guess, and it paid off.”

  “Of course you did, but what if it wasn’t Zin living there? What if it was something else, someone worse. What if it had to do with that lily blooming in the corner?”

  I watched Gus’s nod toward the flower, easing into another white bloom. “Well, I’m just fine, so that means my calculated guess…hold on a minute. How’d you know it was Zin? And why didn’t you say something sooner?”

  “I know the island well.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It means I keep tabs on things, and I keep an ear to the ground.”

  “That’s why you dismissed Chuck’s worry so thoroughly.”

  “I take concerns seriously, but only when it’s a legitimate fear.”

  “To the gnomes, it was serious.”

  “Then they didn’t do their homework because I discovered Zin had moved in within hours.”

  “And you didn’t tell me?”

  “It’s not my place. I don’t gossip, and I don’t share news that’s not mine to share. She’s not my family; I don’t give a rat’s arse what she does so long as it doesn’t interfere with you.”

  “With me?”

  “I’m your assistant.” Gus finally set the vials down, turned to the table, and gripped the edge until his knuckles glowed white. “Above everything else, above everyone else, my job is to protect and assist the Mixologist. Above my own safety, I need to protect you. You granted me the honor when you asked me to be your assistant, and I will never willingly let you down.”

  I’d meant t
o argue further, to chastise Gus for keeping a secret from me, but his words set me back. Tears had swum in the back of my eyes all day, a lump increasing in my throat as time had progressed. It was everything I could do not to cry, to let it all out now.

  “Well, then you needn’t have worried about me going there alone.” I swallowed and offered him a smile. “I understand now.”

  “It’s why I didn’t tell X to follow you. I figured this was between you and Zin.”

  I nodded a silent thank you.

  Gus’s eyes slid toward the potions. “You really did incredible work today, Lily. You’re learning far more quickly than I’d thought possible.”

  “Probably just a good teacher,” I grunted, before those tears came back and stabbed tiny pitchforks at my eyes. “Thank you.”

  “I’ve got the stardust ordered. Liam will have it here shortly.” Gus thumped over to the windowsill. He stood by my side and peered at the silver. “What do you think? Three days until it’s ready?”

  “If we can wait that long. It should function at a basic level by tomorrow, but I think we’ll need the extra time to strengthen it. If we have the time.”

  “Agreed. As for Poppy’s party, are you all set?”

  “All set except for the main ingredient.”

  “I thought you added the beet sugar,” Gus said. “Isn’t that the last bit?”

  “Poppy! I’m talking about Poppy.”

  “Well, obviously she can’t be here, yet. It’s a surprise party. Isn’t much of a surprise if she finds out about the potion now.”

  “Hold on.” I blinked, slowly facing Gus. “You don’t know?”

  “I hate games. What don’t I know?”

  “Mimsey…” I cleared my throat. “She’s worried that Poppy has run away.”

  For maybe the first time ever, Gus looked truly shocked. “Since when? I saw Mimsey last night, and she didn’t say a thing.”

  “They had a, um…chat this morning, and it didn’t go so well. I’m sorry,” I added at Gus’s stricken face. “I’m sure she was just waiting until she saw you to tell you.”

  “Here I am,” he said, in a gravelly, frustrated tone, “thinking I know everything there is to know about this island. I knew about Zin, I knew about X. I recognized Lumiette and knew to call Trinket. I can recite The Magic of Mixology backward and forward, and yet, I didn’t know that Poppy went missing.”