Witchy Sour(24)
“They do this every time,” Poppy said in annoyance. “Did you know they banned Hettie from this building for seven years? She kept disappearing and causing trouble. I told her to watch it or they’ll kick her out again.”
“What sort of trouble?” I had to pick up my pace to stay with Poppy. “Poking into business that wasn’t hers?”
“That, among other things. For a while, Hettie used to sneak into the bathrooms and take the little bottles of hand soap.”
I burst out laughing. “Why would she do that?”
“She likes the scent!”
I laughed, struggling not to run into any of the clear walls. “Do you know where they went?”
“I have a feeling,” Poppy said. Then she whirled around and stomped toward the edge of the maze. “Before we find them, I have to ask you one thing.”
“What?”
“You don’t have to whisper. Nobody can hear us.”
It was eerie being here, surrounded by enough glass to build a castle. Everyone could see one another, but nobody could hear whispered secrets. It was a bit of a thrill. “Is everything okay?”
She stepped so close that her nose was an inch away from mine. Then she ignored her own advice and dropped her voice to a nervous whisper. “I’m running low.”
“Low on what?”
“The Vamp Vites. I only have a week’s supply left.”
“A week?” My jaw flew open. “Poppy, you should have said something!”
“You told me you were looking for the missing ingredient!”
“I was! I still am. But you should have given me more advance notice that you were almost out. Some of our suppliers take two weeks to ship the goods. Even if we find it, the stuff might not get here in time. Not to mention, I don’t have the potions book right now. With The Magic of Mixology stolen, I don’t have any of my recipes.”
“How have you been operating in the meantime?” Poppy frowned. “Gus has to remember, right?”
“Probably,” I said. “But I haven’t asked him about the details because I haven’t had all of the necessary supplies.”
“You can do it. I know you can, Lily.”
“Do what?” My voice turned into a bit of a screech. “Find a book stolen by a professional thief? Find an ingredient that Gus and I have never once seen? All in one week?”
“Yes.” Poppy’s voice was firm as she nodded. “I have faith in you.”
“How? I haven’t done anything yet.”
“You’ve done plenty,” Poppy said. “You don’t think Gus brags about you when you’re not looking? I’ve heard the stories. Plus, I know all about why you had to close up shop today. Creating and serving The Elixir is serious business.”
“How do you know about The Elixir? That just happened this morning.”
“I work dispatch with all of the Rangers, and when things out of the ordinary are happening, it’s their job to know about it. If you think they’d miss something like a request for The Elixir...” Poppy blew out a breath. “Let’s put it this way. They knew the second that man walked into your bungalow.”
“But how?”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about Rangers, and it’s going to have to stay that way. They don’t share their secrets and techniques for a reason, and I really shouldn’t be talking about it. Especially here.” Poppy’s gaze shifted around the room as if she thought we were being watched. “Let’s go find Hettie.”
“Poppy...” I reached for her hand. She stopped abruptly at my touch, and I gave her fingers a squeeze, offering her an olive branch of a smile. “I’m going to find the missing ingredient. Between Gus and me, we’ve got the situation under control. Don’t worry.”
Poppy gave a serene smile. “I’m not worried.”
Chapter 8
After weaving our way through a few more glass hallways, the scenery changed from clean and modern into old and regal in an instant. We passed through tall, stone arches with columns rising high on either side of a path covered by plush red carpet. Purple tapestries dangled from the doorways, hushing the hallway. Statues in all forms of undress posed around us, and for a moment, I might’ve believed I was standing on Mount Olympus itself.
“This place is beautiful,” I said with a note of reverence. “What is it called?”
“The Hall of Fame.” She, too, spoke in a hushed voice. “It’s where we honor the greatest of supernatural beings.”
“And this is where we’ll find Hettie?”