The Skye Trilogy: Isle of Skye, Isle of Night, and Isle of Dawn. * Bonus: Scrumptious Skye Confections Cookbook* (20 page)

When I walked into Uncle Cuddy’s store, it reminded me vaguely of walking into our old neighbor Mrs. Bard’s house. The place was crammed with so much crap that I couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Uncle Cuddy was a hoarder. The only difference between him and Mrs. Bard was that he was trying to sell this stuff.

“Willa, my dear niece, I wasn’t sure if we would see you again,” he said as he came over and gave me a big hug, which I will forever refer to it as ‘A Cuddy Hug.'

“Hey Uncle Cuddy,” I said. “Why on earth wouldn’t you see me again?"

“Well, everyone said you were depressed and wouldn’t get out of your room, I thought they would find you in the bathtub with your wrists sliced." he said.

“Uncle Cuddy I was taking a few days to acclimate myself not planning my suicide. God, that’s the most morbid, fucked up thing anyone’s ever said to me." I said shaking my head. “You know I adore you, by the way, you are now, officially my favorite Uncle."

"Of course I am!" his loud voice echoed through the cavernous store. “Let me show you around the store."

Thirty minutes later I couldn’t decide if he was a wacko or a genius. The way his store was laid out, at first seemed haphazard, but when he explained his system, I worried when I realized I got it.

“I would love to expand next door that way I could display some of the vintage clothing I have better. Winifred’s dragging her heels on turning Archie’s old bakery over to
me." he said sadly

“The old bakery is next door?" I asked

“Right through this wall,” he said pounding his fist lightly.

“Well, Uncle Cuddy we have to go, I’m starving, and there’s a lot more to see.” I said backing up to the front.

“Now remember, you need help designing your new flat, you come to me. I would love to do something midcentury modern, what do you think?” he asked thoughtfully

“I’m down with that." I answered

“Have a good afternoon ladies, enjoy the rest of the day." he waved at us as we walked out the front door.

I returned his wave halfheartedly before grabbing Serena’s hand and pulling her next door.

The building itself was narrow but had two bow front store windows and painted a dark cranberry color.

“What’s going on?" she asked wearily

“Serena, I need you to break into this building for me. I mean technically it’s not breaking in. My grandmother owns it so really I just want you to open the door ever so roughly of my future inheritance."

“Willa...” she started

“What? All the windows are covered up. I need to see this building Serena." I pleaded

“Oh, all right." she grumbled. She looked around inconspicuously first before she turned the knob and pressed her shoulder to the door and just like that it was open.

"Thank you, thank you, and thank you." I said stepping in through the door. The old bakery had definitely seen better days, but it was still charming in an old fashion way. The floors were a faded black and white checkered tile. The plaster walls which had once probably been a brilliant white were dull and scuffed.

“Willa, what’s up? Are you thinking of opening another bakery?" Serena asked

“Shh,” I said holding up my hand to silence her as I took in the abandoned space. Three gorgeous glass display cases formed an inverted u near the back. They were dusty and a bit dirty but a little elbow grease and they would shine once again. I walked around them and spied a magnificent old brass cash register. I pressed the buttons and realized to my delight it still worked.

I went through the swinging wooden doors that led to the back. I let out a little sigh at the sight of the wide, long, white marble table in the center of the kitchen. I ran my fingers over the surface and could almost feel the flour and sugar that must have been rolled out on there for decades.

The ovens though were another matter altogether, all the appliances, needed to be updated. I spied a few store rooms off the back and calculated that they could work for a walk in fridge and freezer. Two doors off the right revealed a small powder room and a tiny office.

“Good afternoon Serena, I must say I am a little shocked to find you here. May I ask why you have broken into our Queen’s store?" I heard a voice say

“Hi Leo, well the...” Serena started, but I had quickly walked back out to the front rescuing her from this somewhat awkward situation.

“Good afternoon, Leo is it? I’m Princess Willa, Prince Cormac and Princess Cecily’s daughter.” I interrupted smoothly

“Oh, oh my, Princess, this is a delight. Forgive me, I was walking by and saw that the door was opened, so I got worried.” Leo stammered

“No worries, I’m afraid I convinced my Guardian to break in for me. You see Leo I owned a bakery where I lived and was fascinated to see the one that was here.” I explained

“So now you're a Princess?" Serena muttered to me. “Willa may I present to you Leo Lestavian.” she introduced

“A pleasure Leo,” I smiled

“No, it is I, who has the honor." he said as he bowed his head.

“So what is it that you do Leo?" I asked

“I am the Isle’s only Real Estate Proprietor and Housing Specialist,” he replied proudly

“Perfect, you’re just the man I wanted to see,” I said brightly

“Uh, really?" he asked

“Leo, I would like you to draw up papers to negotiate a lease for this property."

“But, but," he stammered. “Your Grandmother, the Queen owns it, I’m sure she would just let you have it."

“Perhaps but something that’s important to you shouldn’t come free or easy."

“You are so wise,” he said adoringly

Serena snorted. I ignored her and continued, “So can you draw up the papers for me?"

“Of course, it would be a honor." he said

“Good, but before that, I need you to find me a place to live. Are there many properties for rent on the Isle?"

Both Serena and Leo looked at me in horror. I almost felt like turning around to see if a guy in a scary mask with a chainsaw over my head was behind me.

“Willa, what are you talking about now? The royal family lives at the castle. It’s the safest place on the Isle. You can’t live somewhere else." Serena said

“She’s right." Leo agreed. “All the royal family lives there, I’m sure the flats that are available will suit you just fine."

“No, I want my own space, thanks." I said

“Willa, think about this. Think about the security issues alone,” Serena groaned

“My fate will be that of the rest of the residents then. I’m sorry Serena, I know that you think you’ll get in trouble, but I need to do this. I can’t live there. I need my own home, my own sanctuary, free of Guardians lurking around and disapproving family members."

“OK, but do me a favor,” Serena said

“What?” I answered

“Visit me in the dungeon, maybe bake me some sugar cookies?"

“You may be part of the royal guard Serena but you are my Guardian. No harm will come to you. Not on my watch. Mathias may throw us both in a cell together, which would be cool, huh, roomie?” I smiled. “All right Leo, show me what you got."

*************************************************************************************************************

Two hours later we had seen a small flat, a three story townhouse, and a little outdated cottage near the castle. While none of them was necessarily bad, none of them felt right either.

“I liked the townhouse. You were literally in my backyard,” Serena said

“It was cute but not what I was thinking of for my own place." I answered

“What exactly are you envisioning Princess?" Leo asked as he pulled over on the side of the road.

“Something private but beautiful,” I answered. “I would love a view of the sea and a large kitchen. That’s all I guess. I’ll know it when I see it."

“Hmmm, I may have something, but it’s not exactly in town." Leo mused

“Where is it?" Serena asked suspiciously

"I was thinking of a particul
ar house on the point,” he said, “Ri and Mei Lau’s house?"

“Huh, well that might work. It’s beautiful, very modern, and right next to Mathias. It also has the vampire special." Serena said thoughtfully

“The vampire special?" I asked

“You’ll see,” she said with a secret smile. “Good call Leo, let’s go check it out."

We headed out of town into a more wooded area of the island. The beauty struck me on this end. To my left I could see the ocean peeking through the branches and to my right was dense with trees and small bushes.

“Our end of the island is called ‘The Forest.' We have a lot more trees over here." Serena offered

“Why is that?" I asked curiously

“There’s not as many of us as there are Gypsies so we have a little more privacy than most of the residential sections." she answered

“How many Guardians and Gypsies live on the island?"

“There are, as off this morning, two thousand five hundred and forty eight Gypsies and one hundred and eighty five Guardians."

“Wow that seems a little low, as far as Guardians go,” I remarked

“That’s quite a bit. Normally we only have a hundred or so around. After Gussie and Julia were kidnapped a bunch of Guardians came back to the island. The thing is most Guardians leave after a few hundred years or so, they get burnt out and need to go out and explore."

“Like Robert, who went with a decoy on a road trip, to get the Rau off of our tail?"

“Yes,” Serena said

“Here we are.” Leo sang happily as he pulled into a long driveway. We came to a fork in the road, and he pointed to the right.

“That’s where Mathias lives to the right and to our left is the property,” he continued up a short driveway to the left and came to a stop.

My first impression of the house was somewhat lukewarm. It was a square, long structure with weathered brown wide boards. The front double doors were also brown with a small window above each one in mission style design. Two large round windows flanked either side of the door, and shrubs pruned within an inch of their life rounded out the front part of the house.

“Welcome." Leo said, as he unlocked the front doors and pushed them open, stepping to the side he gestured us in the home.

The entrance was tall and airy with a gorgeous mission style chandelier suspended from the two story ceiling. To the left was a door, which Leo pushed open.

“Here is the guestroom, now you will notice this place comes fully furnished, so all this stays."

I poked my head in the room and took in the soft yellow walls, queen size bed, dresser and small sitting area near the wall of windows. I noticed that, although it was wooded and private on this side of the house, a glimpse of the sea was just visible.

“Very nice,” I said taking a quick look at the well-appointed bathroom. “This room is a perfect guest room."

“Now are you ready to be blown away?" Leo asked mischievously as he led us back into the foyer. Moving out of the doorway, he put his hand out and pointed to the most glorious view I had ever seen.