Элисон Ноэль - Shadowland

“Rayne?” I kneel down beside her, holding my breath as she rolls over and opens one eye.

“Oh hey, Ever.” She rubs her eyes and struggles to sit. “Only I’m not Rayne, I’m Romy. Rayne’s over there.”

I glance at her twin at the far side of the room, noting the scowl that crosses her face the second she realizes it’s me.

“What’re you doing here?” I ask, focusing on Romy again since she’s always been the nicer of the two.

“We live here.” She shrugs, tucking her wrinkled white shirt into her blue plaid skirt as she gets off the floor.

I glance between them, taking in their pale skin, large dark eyes, and straight, black, shoulder-length hair with the razor-slashed bangs, noticing how they’re both still dressed in the same private school uniforms as the first day we met. But unlike in Summerland where they always appear so clean and pristine, now they’re pretty much the opposite—sadly disheveled and completely uncared for.

“But you can’t live here. This is Ava’s house.” I shake my head. The idea of them squatting here leaves me extremely unnerved. “Maybe you should think about going home. You know, back to Summerland?”

“We can’t.” Rayne pulls on her kneesocks, making sure they’re of exact equal height, unintentionally providing the only real clue that helps me tell them apart. “Thanks to you, we’re stuck here forever,” she mumbles, taking a moment to glare at me.

I glance at Romy, hoping she’ll explain. But she just shakes her head at her sister, before looking at me. “Ava’s gone.” She shrugs. “But don’t let Rayne give you the wrong impression. We’re quite happy to see you. We had a running bet on how soon you’d show.”

My gaze darts between them, laughing nervously as I say, “Oh, really? Who won?”

Rayne rolls her eyes and points at her sister. “She did. I was sure you’d abandoned us for good.”

I pause, something about the way she just said that—“Wait, you mean you guys have been here this whole time ?”

“We can’t get back.” Romy shrugs. “We’ve lost our magick.”

“Well, I’m sure I can help you return. I mean, you do want to return— right ?” I look at them, seeing Rayne smirk as Romy just nods. Knowing this’ll be a lot easier than they think since all I have to do is make the portal, get them settled, then say my good-byes and make the return trip back to Laguna alone.

“We’d like that very much,” Romy says.

“And we’d like to leave now ,” Rayne adds, eyes narrowed. “After all, it’s the very least you can do.”

I swallow hard. I deserve that, but I still wonder who’s more desperate for them to leave, them or me?

I motion toward Rayne as I head for the futon, wondering why neither of them thought to sleep on it instead of the floor. “Come,” I say, glancing over my shoulder. “You sit here on my right, and Romy, you sit here.” I pat the lumpy cushion. “Now grab my hands and close your eyes, then focus on seeing the portal with all of your might. Envisioning that golden shimmer of light as though it’s before you. And as soon as the image is clear, I want you to see yourself stepping right through, knowing I’m right there beside you, keeping you safe. Okay?”

I peek at them, seeing them nod before we go through the motions, re-creating all the right steps. But just as I step through the light and into that vast fragrant field, I open my eyes and find I’m alone.

“Told you,” Rayne says, the second I return. Standing before me, eyes angry, accusing, small, pale hands clutching her plaid skirted hips. “Told you our magick is gone. We’re stuck here now with no way to get back. And it’s all because we tried to help you !”

“Rayne!” Romy shakes her head at her sister, then glances at me with an apologetic look on her face.

“Well, it’s true!” Rayne scowls. “I told you we shouldn’t risk it. I told you she wouldn’t listen. I saw it clear as day. The overwhelming possibility she’d make the wrong choice— which , I might add, she did !” She shakes her head and frowns. “It went exactly as predicted. And now we’re the ones paying the price.”

Oh, you’re not the only ones, I think. Hoping they’ve lost their ability to read minds as well, since I’m immediately shamed by the thought. No matter how much she’s annoying me, I know she’s right.

“Listen,” I say, swallowing hard as I glance between them, needing to defuse this. “I know how bad you want to get back. Trust me, I do. And I’m going to do everything I can to help you.” I nod, seeing them glance at each other, two identical faces marred by complete disbelief. “I mean, I’m not exactly sure how I’m going to do it, but just trust that I will. I’ll do everything I can to help you get back. And in the meantime, I’ll do everything I can to keep you both comfortable and safe. Scout’s honor. Okay?”

Rayne looks at me, rolling her eyes and heaving a sigh. “Just get us back to Summerland,” she says, arms crossing her chest. “That’s all we want. Nothing short of that will do.”

I nod, refusing to let her get to me when I say, “Understood. But if I’m going to help you, I’ll need you to answer some questions.”

They look at each other, Rayne’s gaze signaling a silent: No way, as Romy turns, nodding at me as she says, “Okay.”

And even though I’m not quite sure how to phrase it, it’s something I’ve been wondering for a while now, so I just dive in. “I’m sorry if this off ends you, but I need to know—are you guys dead?” I hold my breath, fully expecting them to be mad, or at the very least insulted—pretty much any reaction but the laughter I get. Watching as they fall all over themselves, Rayne doubled over, slapping her knee, as Romy rolls off the futon, practically convulsing. “Well, you can’t blame me for asking.” I frown, definitely the one who’s insulted. “I mean, we did meet in Summerland where plenty of dead people hang out. Not to mention how you’re both unnaturally pale.”

Rayne leans against the wall, fully recovered from her laughing fit and smirking at me. “So we’re pale. Big deal.” She glances at her sister, then back at me. “It’s not like you’re exactly rockin’ a tan. And yet, you don’t see us assuming you’re a member of the dearly departed.”

I wince, knowing it’s true, but still. “Yeah, well, you had an unfair advantage. Thanks to Riley you knew all about me long before we met. You knew exactly who I am and what I am, and if I have any hope of helping you, then I’m gonna have to know a few things too. So as much as you may resent it, as much as you may want to resist, the only way we’re gonna get anywhere is if you tell me your story.”

“Never,” Rayne says, staring at her sister, warning her not to rebel.

But Romy ignores her and turns right to me. “We’re not dead. Not even close. We’re more like— refugees . Refugees from the past, if you will.”

I glance between them, thinking all I have to do is lower my guard, focus my quantum remote, and touch them for their entire life story to be revealed, but figuring I should at least try to get their version first.

“A long time ago,” she starts, peering at her disapproving sister before taking a deep breath and forging ahead. “A very long time ago, in fact, we were facing a—” She squinches her brow, searching for just the right word, nodding at me when she says, “Well, let’s just say we were about to become victims of a terribly dark event, one of the most shameful times in our history, but we escaped by fleeing to Summerland. And then, well, I guess we lost track of time and we’ve been there ever since. Or at least until last week when we came to help you.”