Ellie's Flames BOOK 2

7: Super Helpful, Crab. I Still Have NO FREAKING IDEA WHO IS AFTER ME.

"What do you mean, you're friends with my dad?" I ask, swimming closer. 

He gives me a side-eye. "Ohhh, now the girl is interested. Yes, I'm friends with your father. Why, has he never told you about me?"

"Well, considering she's only known he existed fer 'bout a year an' a half now, I'd say no." Sera says, swimming up beside me. 

The octopus huffs out a swarm of bubbles. "Your father's brother was my ruler for a while. I used to be the General for the Undersea Army. When I decided I'd had enough war, I retired to this cave. But Hades came down here about, ohhh... eighteen, nineteen years go? When he'd been chased away from the surface world. We talked for a while, and we've been friends ever since."

"Nice story." Sera sighs. "Can we go back now? I'm bored."

"Sera, shush!" I command. I swim closer to the bottom of the cave floor. "Would you happen to know why my powers keep...um..."

"Exploding. Throwing tantrums. Being difficult." Sera suggests.

"I was going to say going out of control." I mutter. "But thanks."

"Anytime, Icy."

"Well, when do they...ah... throw tantrums?" Crabby asks.

"Whenever I go to sleep." I say.

"FALSE!" Sera shouts. "She has 'em when she has uber-bad nightmares."

The octopus raises his eyebrow. (Do octopi have eyebrows?) "Bad nightmares, you say? And... has there been a factor that has been the same in all of them?"

"Well, yeah. All of them include me losing control, and hurting someone."

"No, I mean a physical factor. Like... ah, something dark, grainy? Yellow-eyed?"

I stop, my mouth closing suspiciously. I don't remember telling anyone about the horse.

"No..." I say slowly. "My parents both had really dark eyes, like..."

"Like night itself had sunk into them?" Crabby presses.

"Well... yeah, I guess."

He heaves a sigh. "And has your father told you who is behind all this?"

"Um, no. He said he knew who it was, but he wouldn't tell me."

He grumbles. "Parents. Protecting their children... humph. Although, with him I can say this was smart... He must've know about the curse..."

"I take it ya do know who it is, then, eh Crabby?" Sera prods. 

"As a matter of fact, I do. But I'll not tell you."

"Awwwwww!" Sera complains. "Told ya this cave'd be boring, Icy. Let's leave!"

"Hold up." I swim closer. "Why not?"

"Because, telling you would alert you to who he is, and that would alert him to your location. he figured out how to curse human's thoughts years ago so that if they even thought his name, he'd be there."

"So... he just goes POOF?" Sera waves her hands around. 

"Of course not!" Crabby glares at her, waving his tentacle angrily. "His bare essence comes. And if he decides he likes this prey, then he goes poof."

"So... aren't you thinking his name right now?" I ask reasonably.

"I said HUMANS think his name and it calls him. I'm fine, and so is your father. As long as he doesn't tell you or your mother, you should be all right." He settles on the ocean floor again, comfortably arranging his tentacles. "Now, could you both leave, please? I've got enough on my plate without two annoying teenage girls."

Sera and I exchange a glance. "Right... so we's just gonna leave ya to your sulkin', nappin', and grumpin'."

Then she swims out. 

His mouth gapes open. "MY WHAT? COME BACK HERE!"

"I'm out!" I swim after her, listening to Crabby's attempts to heave himself after us. "COME BACK HERE! I MUST EXACT REVENGE! COME BAAAACK!"

Sera cackles. "That was awesome!"

"I think it was a little mean." I say, smiling slightly.

"Ahh, who cares? He's a plump lil' fat Octopus thing. He'll get back to his nap quick and soon." She continues swimming back for Atlantica, while I mull over the conversation.

What villain could possibly be after me? One that invades dreams... can curse his own name... and is annoyingly set on me, a random kid of the Snow Queen and the god of Death.

Yeah, that narrows it to about half the villain population. 

Ares? No, I've thought his name multiple times. It pops in every time Sera makes fun of her dad, which happens daily. 

Could it be Uma? No, Crabby said it was male.

Maybe it is Uma, though, working through someone else. I honestly have no idea, and that's what's driving me most insane.

I notice movement out of the corner of my eye, and turn just in time to see the black-sand-yellow-eyed horse charging me. 

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So, I know it's a bit short, but after working on it, I just couldn't lengthen it any longer without it feeling forced. The rest of the chapter, I'm really happy with. Hopefully, the next chapter won't have as long of a break between it...

Sorry.

Anyways, hope you guys enjoyed. HANG IN SUSPENSE!! WAHAHA.

HA.

Ha.

ha?