Read Online Hex on the Beach (The Magic & Mixology Mystery Series Book 1) by Gina LaManna - Free Book Online Page A

else.”
    I couldn’t tell if Gus was disappointed or relieved at the thought. His tone dropped in pitch, and he averted his eyes to the large book between us.
    Patting the cover, he eventually met my gaze again. “Like I said, it’s in your veins, so you won’t need this book. More for me to keep track of everything for you. Only when you get to the powerful stuff will you need the last few chapters of the manuscript, but that’s years away.”
    “So if Mixology runs through bloodlines, does that mean the last Mixologist was my mother?” I asked, glancing around at the bar with a newfound perspective. Did my mother belong to The Isle? If yes, then why did she leave, and how did my father play into the equation?
    “It’s complicated.” Gus pursed his lips. “The last true Mixologist was your grandfather. He passed away two years ago from old age, peacefully. After that, we had crews searching for the next Mixologist. There were rumors you existed, rumors your mother had taken you to live with the humans, but we didn’t know.”
    “Why didn’t you know? It’s not like I kept my name a secret.”
    “The curse.” He must’ve seen a question in my eyes, but he raised a hand to stop me before I could open my mouth. “I can’t talk about it more than that. It ain’t my place.”
    “So you went without a Mixologist for the last two years?” I asked.
    Gus tilted his head. “Sorta. We had a fill-in, and we called him by the title even though he wasn’t the real deal. He didn’t have it in his blood. He was talented, but no matter how skilled he became, he wouldn’t be able to hold a candle to you. The deal was that as soon as you took over, he’d become your assistant.”
    I cleared my throat. “When will I meet him? I hope he’s not upset that I’m here. I can be the assistant for now, maybe take over in a few years once he’s trained me—”
    “It don’t matter,” Gus said. “That’s not gonna happen.”
    I frowned. “Why?”
    “He’s dead.”
    “Dead?” My jaw dropped. “Oh my goodness. What happened?”
    Gus shook his head and looked down at his fingernails. “Murdered.”

Chapter 7
     
    “What if I don’t have talent?” I asked over breakfast.
    Gus had refused to go into any more detail about the previous Mixologist’s untimely demise, insisting that we get to work. After over an hour of memorizing the names of herbs, plants, and flowers that could be found on The Isle but not in the Twin Cities, I’d needed a break. It was all new to me. And it was very confusing.
    For example, Wart Leaf, unlike its name, did not cure warts or curse warts, while a petunia petal had different qualities when used fresh versus dried. If ground into a fine powder, the stuff became deadly. I wondered if the poor Mixologist before me had substituted a Bingle Berry for a Schwarp Buckler on accident, killing himself with deadly fumes. It would certainly be easy enough to do.
    “You have talent, dear,” Mimsey said, sliding three plates of eggs, bacon, and toast onto the bar. Despite her threats, she hadn’t burned Gus’s toast. “We vetted you before we made the announcement. You have the gift.”
    “I’m never going to remember all of these herbs,” I grumbled. “Never in a million years.”
    “You’d be surprised.” Mimsey smiled. “Now let’s finish up. You can have another lesson until lunchtime. Over the lunch break, I’ll have the girls give you a tour around The Isle. Then you’ll come back for an afternoon lesson.”
    I sighed. “My brain might explode.”
    “It seems like a lot now, dear. But it gets easier.” Mimsey squeezed my hand. “The first week is the hardest. Once you get the hang of it, I’ve heard that being the Mixologist is quite enjoyable.”
    Gus rolled his eyes.
    “Oh, stop it, ya old fart.” Mimsey took a bite of toast. “You’d better start enjoying life before you’re too old to smack people around with that cane of yours.”
    Gus shoveled another