Ellie's Flames BOOK 2

5: Mal's Gotta Do What Mal's Gotta Do

"We need to get that ember and get back to Auradon." Mal says as we move quickly back towards the arcade's entrance. "If we get it and break my spell, maybe it could break Audrey's as well."

"Am I the only one who thinks this is a little bit ironic?" I say. "Sleeping Beauty's daughter is suddenly evil, she puts everyone to sleep, and it's up to Maleficent's daughter and her friends to stop her?"

Nobody answers.

"Okay, just me then." I grumble.

"Icy, I love ya for jokin', but this is serious." Sera sounds tense. "If the sleeping spell is spreading over all Auradon, then I need to make sure Arson is okay. An' Hector an' Brit."

Guilt crawls up my throat. I hadn't even considered that.

We come out of the door where Celia did her knocking routine, and Carlos throws his hands up in annoyance. "Wow. Rookie mistake." He groans, gesturing. In front of us, Harry Hook and Uma are riding Jay and Mal's bikes, while other pirate goons have occupied the others.

"Long time, nae see!" Harry crows, starting the bike. Uma laughs as she takes off, and we all sprint forward to try and catch them.

"Get off my bike, Hook!" Jay snarls, but Harry just laughs.

"Catch me if ya can, Jay!" he zips off, leaving us behind.

Jay hits Carlos. "Over the roofs!"

"Cut 'em off." Carlos agrees. We all start to sprint forward, but Mal catches my wrist and Celia's.

"Not you two." Mal says. "They got this. You guys have to help me find the ember."

"Right." I shove every other thought away. I need to know the truth about my father.

"Good timing." Celia says. "It's right about his nap time." She walks off, leaving Mal and I to follow her.

"You up for this?" Mal asks.

"Like I have a choice." We both start after Celia. It takes a while, and a dizzying amount of turns, but she leads us to an iron gate with a skull on the front that is yelling "GET LOST!"

Celia inserts her key and turns it.

"Hey." Mal says suddenly, and Celia looks up. "How big is that dog?"

Celia and I both look over at the smaller sign that says "Beware of dog" and depicts a dog with three heads.

Celia turns back, totally poker-faced. "You'll see." She and Mal both reach for the gate, pulling it open. Mal and Celia don't seem to notice it, but the second it's open it's like a wave of fear has washed over me. Something in my gut screams that this is wrong. That I need to run.

But Celia and Mal are already heading inside. So I swallow my emotions and follow them.

Once we're inside, Celia turns to us. "Okay, stay quiet." She whispers. "It echoes like crazy in here."

Mal and I both nod silently, and then we continue. We walk for a while, the corridor growing darker until it's lit by only a few lanterns here and there. Finally we see an arch leading into a cavern, and Celia beckons us forward again. As we near it, a loud dog's bark breaks the silence.

Mal and I both flinch, but Celia doesn't. She just waves us forward. "Come. Come."

Mal looks shaken, but she locks eyes with me and seems to regain some of her steel. We move forward, where Celia is already seating herself on a two-person bike.

"One of you can walk." She whispers, putting on a lantern hat.

Mal looks at me, but I shake my head. "I'll walk. I have less clunky boots, anyway."