Ellie's Flames BOOK 2

6: Captain Guyliner and Shrimpy Crash Our Party

After we meet up with our friends, who were unsuccessful in retrieving our bikes, we head for the Isle's exit. No VK's have bothered us yet, but that doesn't mean I'm not on the lookout for Uma and Harry Hook. Probably with Ares, or Pitch.

As we're heading that way, Carlos pulls me back. "So? I'm assuming you found Hades, since you have the ember. What was your dad's excuse?" 

I glance over at Mal. She's talking to Evie, but something tells me she can hear every word.

"He wasn't there." I say carefully. "We took the ember and got out."

Carlos' brow furrows up. "Really? He left it unprotected?"

"I guess." I shrug, pulling away from him. Part of me feels horrible about lying to Carlos, who's never been anything but good to me. But the bigger part of my heart knows I can't turn Mal in just yet. I saw how everyone reacted when the AK's found out Hades was my father. And she's going to be Queen!

"Are you okay?" Carlos asks me, looking concerned. "You look kinda... shaken."

"I'm fine." I don't meet his eyes, but I take his hand. "I promise. I just..." I clear my throat. "We should probably catch up."

"Ellie." Every warning bell is going off, but I look up anyway. Carlos can tell I'm lying to him, but he doesn't look angry. "It's fine if you can't tell me now, but I just want to make sure you're all right."

I manage a smile. "I promise I am."

"Then that's all that matters." He says, smiling. "We should probably catch up."

"Yeah." I agree, and we jog a bit to rejoin the group.

"All right." Mal says. "Get in, get out. Jay, you good?"

"Yeah." He says, pulling the barrier's remote out of his pocket.

"Okay, hold on." Mal stops us all while Jay points the remote at the barrier. Within seconds, a small circle opens up and we walk through it. All of us flinch, but Mal gasps in relief as her teenage self remains.

"Woah. You got a little Hades thing going." Evie laughs, pointing to Mal's hair. Her once-purple waves are now streaked with blue, resembling my hair a bit. And her outfit have changed as well. The green parts are gone, and the leather material has become almost shimmery-blue-purple-ish.

"Packs a punch, huh?" Carlos asks Mal. Slowly the barrier starts to shut behind us, and we all start moving forward. But right when the circle nearly closes, two people appear from nowhere and jump through the barrier, rolling to a stop and standing.

Harry Hook and Uma yell in joy, clapping their hands together before realizing they have an audience.

"Hey, guys!" Harry says to us, his eyes dancing. "We're just comin' for a... a wee visit!"

"Yeah, a visit to destroy the world." Sera mutters, shoving her way forward and sticking her nose inches from Uma's. "You still smell like shrimp. Shrimp." it's almost comical, because Sera is at least a head taller than Uma.

"I seem to recall you used to work for me." Uma says nastily, smiling when Sera's ears turn red.

"Why you little---" Sera seizes Uma's shoulders, but to my ultimate surprise it's Harry that puts a hand on both their shoulders.

"Why, now, we're jus' havin' a little fun." He says, turning to our group. Sera drops Uma in surprise. Harry surveys all of us before his gaze lands on me, and his smile grows.

"Well, well, well... it seems Miss Icy has dolled herself up a bit, yeah?" He laughs, moving forward. "I must say, I like this new, ah, villain look. You, my dear, are... ravishing."