Ellie's Flames BOOK 2

14: Embers

"Jack? Why did you say Jack's darling girl?" I demand, trying in vain to stand up. Understanding seems to dawn on Sera's face, along with a good dose of fresh horror.

She turns slowly to look at Pitch. "Oh, my god, you think her dad is---"

"Pitch, why don't you help me?" Gothel suggests suddenly. Pitch nods, and the three villains huddle together to whisper. I glance at Sera, and she mouths DAD over and over.

Carlos also almost said something like that...

Oh, no. Nooo way.

Pitch thinks Jack Frost is my dad.

I feel a smile edging my mouth. That's too much. I suddenly feel like giggling, something I never thought I'd be able to do in the midst of three villains wanting to kill me. Again.

Sera, Pitch, Gothel and Cruella all turn towards me slowly.

"She's smiling. Why is she smiling?" Cruella asks, nervously squishing her stuffed puppy. It squeaks sadly.

"Icy, why're you smilin'?" Sera asks, sounding nervous. "If you just realized what I'd realized, ya shouldn't be smilin'."

A snort escapes my lips.

"Okay, she's a loon." Pitch says. "Gothel, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure what you're planning will work, since all she has is some ice here and there, and I've removed that."

My stomach crawls, and my laughter fades. The prospect of having to use my dad's powers to escape, without my mom's powers to back me up, makes nausea itch my skin. Not to mention I have no idea why Gothel's after me.

Gothel huffs through her nose. "Oh, please. I know what I'm doing. Now, Pitch, if you'll..." She pointedly glares at him, and he rolls his eyes. With a snap of his fingers, his grainy shadows engulf me, dissipating after a few seconds. When they're gone, I find I'm strapped onto a table, my arms and legs held down my huge strips of Pitch's powers.

I let my head drop. Of course. Why would they not have a freaky table in which to trap me on, including an extra freaky science lab around me, equipped with... science. Stuff.

Man, I can't believe I used to be a nerd.

I look around again, and can easily identify a scalpel, and a bunch of containers filled with weird goo and power, along with a handful of knives and needles. I also see a drill of some kind, and a miniature vacuum.

Yep, this is going to hurt.

I lift my head off the table, watching Gothel (who appears to be alone) as she crosses the room. She's still in her long red dress, but her poofy hair is gathered back in a tight bun, and she's wearing goggles and gloves.

Oh, great, I'm a lab rat now.

Gothel snaps one of her gloves on her wrist, moving towards me slowly. "I'm guessing you've already summed why you're here."

"Nope. Please, feel free to inform me."

Gothel rolls her eyes. "Teenagers. You never learn, do you?"

"Nah."

She repeats an epic eye-roll. But she doesn't answer, bustling over to a worktable and selecting a sharp tool. Taking her time, she dips it into a vial of blue goo.

"Please tell me that will relieve pain." I deadpan, knowing full well it won't.

"Of course not, you stupid girl." Gothel replies, sealing my suspicions. "This is a magic detector, so I can figure out where you father's powers lie."