Ellie's Flames BOOK 2

5: Under the Sea

(NOT the mini-story. I repeat, NOT Under The Sea in which "Stronger" is sung. MY OWN REASONS FOR THIS TITLE!)

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"Atlantica?" I repeat, staring in disbelief at the wide blue sea from the cliff my dad and I are standing on. Waves roar beneath us, drowning out my voice until it's just a tiny sound lost on the ocean. 

Dad gives a lopsided grin. "Your powers are fire-y, yes? Done the right way, with the vast amount of water elemental magic down there surrounding Atlantica, your powers should be dampened. Of course, since it's a god's power, there's a chance it won't work and you'll just blow everything to----well, my home---but like I said, the amount of water magic down there is amazing. You should be safe."

"Should." I repeat, watching wave after wave crash into the rocks dotting the cliffs. 

"Should." Dad agrees.

"So... what exactly are we waiting for?" I ask, backing away from the edge of the cliff and blowing the hair that has fallen out of my ponytail away from my eyes. 

"Our tourguide, of sorts." Dad answers, watching the water.

"And that means...?"

"Someone to supply us with the proper spells and permission to enter the underwater kingdom."

"So... a mermaid?"

"Probably. Or a merman."

"Same thing."

"Mermaid is female." Dad points out, not taking his eyes off the water. 

"Okay, so whatever. They're both half-fish."

"Half-sea creature." Someone says behind me. "Not all of our fins are fish-like. I know some very nice half-octopi merfolk."

We both turn, and sitting behind us on a rock (with notably normal human legs) is a smiling girl with black hair so dark it's almost blue, sparkling  sea-blue eyes, and a crown made of some kind of gold coral and wrapped with damp green seaweed. She looks normal enough, tanned skin and lots of freckles, wearing a white crop-top T-shirt and pants of what oddly looks like scales. She looks barely twelve or thirteen.

She stands and brushes off her legs, swinging her wet hair behind her. "Hi. Princess Cerulea, at your service."

I tilt my head to the right. "Cerulean, you mean?"

She rolls her eyes. "You'd think so, wouldn't you? But no. It's just Cerulea. No 'n'. I realize it's weird, so everyone just calls me Ceru. Even strangers-that-I-have-just-met. kay?"

Dad smiles. "Hi, Ceru."

"Oh! Hi, Had!" she says happily, getting up off her rock to go and hug him. "Ohhh, then you must be---" she turns to me.

I stick my hand out. "I'm Ellie."

"Nice to meet you, Ellie." She says, shaking my hand. 

"How exactly does everyone know my dad but me?" I ask, turning between the two of them. "Because from what I remember, dad said everyone was all hate-hate on him."

"Well, I meant on land." Dad said. "The mer-folk were always friendly."

"Probably because we know Poseidon." Ceru points out. "And he ordered us to be nice."

"Not that you needed it." Dad said. 

"Right." Ceru agrees. "Humans are idiots, with the exception of my dad."

Dad's face lights up. "That's right! Eric and Ariel are still down there, don't they?"

"Yeah, after my big sister Melody---even though she's still in school---got the throne, Mom and Dad went underwater for a while. They're scheduled to go back in a few more weeks."