Ellie's Flames BOOK 2

3: Everything Can Burn...

lI'm kind of in awe of how fast Auradon Prep can move. 

I mean, in less than half an hour, I'm packed and in my dad's car, on my way back to my mom's ice castle in the North Mountain. 

It takes like four hours to get there, in which my dad says nothing. Won't even look at me. I mean, if he was in a normal mood, he would just POOF us back and we'd be home by now. But he's not doing it. 

In hour three, I've got to admit I'm going a little insane. 

"Dad?" I ask. He doesn't answer for a few minutes. "Dad. Come on. Say something."

He sighs and tightens his grip on the wheel. "What in the world do you want me to say, Liss?"

He used my nickname. Good sign. He's not totally mad. 

"I'm sorry." I say. "I don't know what happened. I've never been that out of control before."

He taps the wheel of the car and it starts driving itself. With a poof, he's in the backseat with me. 

"Liss, what exactly happened?" he asks. "As far as I know, you've been getting better with your powers. What in the world happened that made you so mad? Your friends told me you seemed fine before.  You enjoyed your party. You enjoyed the presents. So what happened?"

I suck in a breath and let it out slowly. "I'm not entirely sure."

He sighs. "Liss..."

"I know what you're going to say." I break in. "You're going to say that I should've kept better control, I shouldn't've let the fire get to me, and---"

"Actually, I was going to ask if you wanted ice cream." Dad says, POOFing back to the front seat and turning into an Anna's Frozen Custard shop. 

"Um... But..." I say stupidly. 

"So, no ice cream?"

"Are you kidding me, of course ice cream!"

He snaps his fingers and we appear inside. A waiter lazily takes our order and brings me my chocolate sundae with a brownie and hot fudge, then my dad his monster-sized explosion of mint and hot fudge. 

My dad gets back in the car and sets his ice cream down. Snapping his fingers, we POOF just outside my mom's ice castle, where she's waiting with a worried expression on her face. 

"Ellie!" She cries, sprinting toward me and wrapping me in a bear hug the second I'm out of the car. "Oh, I'm so glad you're all right!"

"Mom!" I squeak. "Need to breathe!"

"Right, right, sorry!" She lets go and backs away, brushing my hair away from my face. "I'm just so happy you're home. I wish it was under better circumstances."

"So do I." I sigh. "Can we go inside, please?"

"Yes, yes!" Mom says, rushing both of us inside and seating us in the living room. Now I know for sure she's worried, because she normally never allows us to eat in her living room. 

For a few minutes, the only sound is Dad and I slurping at our melting custard. 

Then Dad sighs and sets his treat down. "Liss... We need to talk."

I set mine down as well. "I know. I'm sorry. I really am."

Dad shakes his head. "I know. We do need to talk about what happened, though. Why'd you set Auradon Prep on fire?"

"It was just one room!" I protest. 

"I know."

I sigh loud and long, flopping back on my chair. "Fine. I had a... nightmare."