An Ember's Keeper

Chapter 18

The girls meet them outside when they get to Evie's house. Mal comes running out the front door so she and Ben can have their little fairy tale reunion. Evie looks over Jay and Carlos, anxiously making sure they're okay while periodically sending a smile towards Mal and Ben.

Uma comes forward to meet her boys and makes sure to take a personal second with each of them.

Gil wraps his thick arms around her in a tight but quick hug. Harry pulls her close so their foreheads can touch for a short moment. With Hayden, she simply reaches out and clasps his forearm in a grip he easily returns.

"Everything go alright?" Uma asks, raising her eyebrows when she sees the tears in Hayden's shirt.

"Well enough," he answers, releasing her arm and taking a couple of steps back.

Mal pulls herself away from Ben long enough to look everyone else over. Her eyes widen when she sees Hayden. "What happened?" she asks. "I mean, how did you get Ben back to, well, Ben?"

"The enchanted lake," Carlos tells her.

"Yeah," Jay adds. "Ben was kinda focused on Hayden," he gestures between the two, "so he managed to lead him there and flip him into the water."

"Focused on Hayden?" Mal repeats. She looks worried as she turns to check on Ben again.

Uma smirks. "Ooh, and how'd that little fight go?" she asks with a knowing look in the king's direction.

Ben smiles slightly and brings one hand up to rub at his chest. "Let's just say I'm definitely bruised."

"It was a good fight," Gil says with a nod. He turns to Hayden with a curious look. "What was all that anyway? I mean, I've only really seen you sword fight before this."

"Tha' an' pub brawls," Harry adds with a smirk.

"Pankration," Hayden says simply only to get blank looks from almost everyone.

Jay gestures vaguely with one hand. "Meaning...?"

"It's an ancient Greek martial art," he explains. "Virtually without rules and the favored sport of the Olympic Games."

"Virtually without rules?" Evie repeats, brow furrowed in confusion. "What does that even mean?"

Hayden smirks. "It means there's no biting and no gouging out of the eyes, nose, or mouth. Other than that, it's basically a free-for-all."

Carlos snorts. "You know, I feel like that explains a lot about you, Hayden," he tells him with an amused smile. He thinks back and chuckles slightly. "It also explains why you told Ben no biting."

Mal sighs and brings one hand up to rub at her temple. "Okay, first, Hayden, thank you for not killing my fiancé," she tells the godling.

Hayden shrugs. "Too much paperwork," he drawls, amused when she just rolls her eyes with a slight smile.

"Second, we think we know where Audrey might be."

"Sweet. Where?" Jay asks.

"Fairy Cottage," Mal answers, "but we have no idea where it is." She turns to Ben. "Did she ever take you there?"

"Every Fairy Godmother's Day," he says dryly. "It's not far though, so, that's good."

"Yeah, great," Uma interjects. "Aren't you all forgetting one little thing though?" She rolls her eyes at the blank looks she gets from almost everyone. "Circe? Evil sorceress? That ringing any bells?"

Harry shoots her that too-wide grin of his. "Oh, I think Circe migh' be a wee bi' busy righ' now."

Evie's eyes widen as she easily puts the pieces together. "You guys ran into Circe?" she asks, quickly turning to Hayden in clear concern.