Choosing Home

Chapter Thirty One

Claudine's heart raced as she drove toward the Isle, thankful for the foresight to have grabbed a remote to open the barrier in the first place. Normally she'd never run from a fight—especially not from her brother.

She was the faster draw after all, when it came to firing off a dagger. Plus Henry had trained her on swords while she had been with the Rats and Jay, Harry, Harriet and CJ had all worked with her to train while in Auradon. There was no way for Freddy to get the drop on her.

But this was different. He was different. Or maybe he was the same as he'd always been and she only now saw him for who he was. But Claudine knew that there was likely only one reason for Phil to text her something that vague and not respond—Freddy was looking for her.

The last words Freddy had ever told her rang through Claudine's head as she continued to drive to the Isle: you're dead Claudine. And Freddy was not the type to say something and not act on it.

Thank God I'm a VK and could sneak past my roommate, she thought as she parked the car, having arrived on the Isle. Macy's great but she can sleep like the dead. I'll stay on the Isle until I get word that Freddy's been caught and that it's safe to return...I hate doing this to Phillip and Aurora but it's the only thing I can do. The Isle doesn't have cell coverage after all.

King Ben had tried to get cell coverage for the Isle but in his defense, he had so much on his plate that cell coverage seemed ridiculous in the scheme of things.

Quickly covering her car so that it couldn't be found and stolen, or worse, Claudine makes sure she had the remote to open the barrier along with her sword and made her way through the pipe to Pirate Cove. Taking a deep breath, she smiled as she took in the smell of salt water and fish.

She didn't think it'd be something she would have missed in Auradon but it was. Along with the slightly wooden scent that seemed to almost be a part of Henry. Wood and steel and salt, with a hint of seaweed.

A small smile came to her lips as she saw Henry on the deck of the Lost Revenge. He must be on watch. Gods he...he looks miserable. Or at least very mopey. Did...did he hear about Freddy being in Auradon that quickly? Well no matter, let's see if we can't cheer him up.

Without taking another second to think about it, Claudine ran up the gangplank and into Henry's arms.

"We've got to stop meeting like this," she said with a chuckle.

"What the—Claudine! Gods, you're lucky I didn't stab you," Henry exclaimed before holding her close to him.

Claudine smiled before the panicked feeling from earlier seemed to seep back into her. Yes Henry was safe and she was now safe but that didn't change the fact that Freddy had been in Auradon. The one place she was supposed to be safe from him.

How had he even gotten off the Isle? Claudine was sure that Mal would have made sure that there was no way Freddy could even look at the docks. Not to mention the Rats would have chased him off if he got in their territory.

"Thank God you're safe," she muttered into his chest. She could wonder about Freddy later, she was with Henry. "Freddy...he's in Auradon. I...i couldn't stay, not when he could be after me! I know I ran instead of fighting but I just—."

"Hey, hey," Henry said softly, stroking her hair as he continued to hold her close. Yes it was rather alarming to hear that Freddy was in Auradon again but Claudine didn't need him to rant and rave about her half brother. She needed him to hold her close to him and reassure her that she was safe. "No one's going to blame you for getting to safety when dealing with Freddy. But how'd you even find out?"