Ellie's Flames BOOK 2

21: Two Grown Men Growl At Each Other

I still haven't unlocked my phone from where it's hidden away, so I figure I should probably check to see if my mom and dad have tried to contact me at all during the whole sleep-or-stone thing. I really don't feel like doing it the normal way, so I snap my fingers and it appears in my hands with a puff of smoke.

It takes me a minute to figure out why it was so easy for me to get. I never gave back the ember! I pull it out of my pocket, examining it. It doesn't look like much, but I know Pluto is on his way here and he needs the ember to wake up Audrey.

Leaving my phone behind, I get up and start running for Audrey's dorm room. Sure enough, outside the window, I can see a hand-and-ankle-cuffed Pluto being led down the walkway to Auradon Prep.

I sprint down the halls, getting to Audrey's quicker than FG would allow students to move in hallways. I knock on the door, slightly out of breath. I feel a little embarrassed now, because I realize I probably should've just POOFed my way over here. Mal answers it quickly, her face going from somber to surprised to relieved in an instant.

"Ellie!" She says.

"I forgot to give the ember back." I explain, holding it out.

"I know." She kind of laughs, accepting it. "I actually just send a guard to go get you."

"Oh---I'll go back." I offer, starting to turn.

"Wait!" Mal says suddenly. "No. You should probably come in."

"Why?" I ask curiously, facing her again.

"You'll see. Just come on." She takes my hand, pulling me inside the room. Audrey is still pale and unconscious, with Queen Leah by her side, stroking her hair. Belle, Beast, and Fairy Godmother stand on the other side of the bed while Ben is pacing on the far side of the room.

And sitting on the sofa, talking in hushed tones, is my parents.

"Mom! Dad!" I yell in shock. They look up and stand. We all rush for each other at the same time, embracing kind of awkwardly since it's a trio instead of a pair.

"They got here this morning." Ben explains. "Turns out Hades' teleportation powers weren't working, either. Something about Audrey's spells interfered with your magic, according to Fairy Godmother."

"I'm so glad you're okay. You weren't answering my texts or calls, and I thought you'd gone crazy and went back to the Isle---and then I found out it was my Uncle, and then I really had no idea why you weren't answering me---" I stammer out, and my father laughs nervously.

"Yeah. You see, Marshmallow stepped on our electrical housing, so everything electric has been down for weeks while we got it replaced. No phones, no heating or air conditioning... it's been rough."

My heart slowly stops beating wildly, my limbs relaxing again. "So Pluto really is my uncle?"

"Yeah." Dad admits, running a hand through his hair. His short, brown hair that I remember. "I really meant to tell you sometime, but I never got around to it."

"So did you know Mal was my cousin?" I demand, gesturing to her.

"No. I swear. I had no idea my brother even had my ember, let alone a daughter!" Dad chuckles.

"It's kind of weird thinking you have a brother." Mom says. "I mean, you'd mentioned him, but I never really thought about it until now."

Dad shrugs.

"So how did the ember work for him?" I ask. "If it's yours?"

"I left it on the Isle." He replies. "I suppose once I left it behind, it decided it didn't want to share powers between Pluto and I, and bonded to him. Theoretically, if I called it back, it'd still come to me and sever itself from Pluto. But I don't really need it."