Ellie's Flames BOOK 2

17: This Will Hopefully Be The Last Ellsicle/Icy Pop Joke

Ellie's POV 

An instant before the flash of light, I felt a swirl of magic inside of me, bursting out in a flurry of snow that layered over me before the spell did. I can feel my ice covering me, and a blanket of something else over that that prevents me from moving anything. I never even noticed that I had the tendency to bounce lightly on my toes until I suddenly can't do it anymore. My mind moves a bit slower, and I lazily wonder if this is what Arson feels like.

Oh, my gosh. Arson. Audrey. My mind speeds up to normal, everything flinching as I try and fail to move. We must've been turned to stone!

Audrey's magic must really be powerful now. My magic is supposed to protect me from spells and curses. I guess there's only so much it can do. Maybe it's allowing me to see and think.

Well, I say see. I can only see in a straight line, no peripheral. All I can look at is my hand holding Carlos' and him kneeling down to pet Dude with his free hand. It takes me a moment for the thought to finish. Carlos isn't moving. Neither is Dude.

We are stone.

I try to hear something, anything, but all I can hear is a buzzing noise in the back of my brain.

I start to panic. Every second feels like a year, and I can't see anyone else, not even Sera. My fingers are partially in front of my eyes, from when I was covering my face, so that probably doesn't help either.

I nearly jump a mile when I see Mal, perfectly fine but with tears rolling down her face, kneeling in front of Carlos and saying something. She looks at him like she would a little brother, then stands and moves to me next, holding my gaze while still speaking.

I can see you, Mal. I want to scream. She moves away, out of my line of sight. My heart pounds inside my head. Where a moment ago I was horrified at her, even furious, I would give anything to help her now. She's going to fight Audrey, I know she will, but without the ember... she doesn't have a chance. Audrey's magic is way too strong to fight now.

I am the daughter of Hades. I remind myself, struggling with myself to calm down with everything I have. And the daughter of Elsa. I am the daughter of the Lord of the Dead and the Snow Queen. Stone can't stop me. It WON'T stop me.

I call back the feeling I had when I defeated Pitch. I have the power of two gods running through my veins. Nothing should be holding me back except for myself. I gained control over my powers when Pitch attacked, and I love using them, but using them the way I'm about to isn't meant for a pure mortal.

So I'd better make this count.

I draw everything to my center. All my anger at Mal and at Audrey, all my fear for my friends, all my panic for my sudden inability to move. And the good emotions as well. The love that I feel for my parents, my boyfriend, my group of friends that have turned into my family. The laughter we all shared today with Uma and Harry, the last people I'd ever expect to have fun with.

Some instinct I have tells me not to force it out. Let it happen slowly, gently. In one thought, I expel it all from me. The stone crumbles in an instant, and I fall to my knees, my grip on Carlos' hand dissolving. I gasp for air, trembling as my ice melts away from my skin and falls gently on the grass.

I did it. I laugh shakily, looking at my trembling hands. Glowing blue veins pulse quietly, sinking back to normal as my power's effects fade away. I laugh again, marveling at the power I feel in this moment.

And then I hear a terrified cry. "MAL!"

My europhia washes away. I stand to my feet, clenching my fists together.