Ellie's Flames BOOK 2

22: Right the Wrongs

My jaw falls. "What the heck. What. The. Freaking. Heck." I look up at their faces again, grinning. "That's awesome! When did this happen?"

"Well, around the time your... ah... problems started, Hade realized he'd never gotten the chance to get married to me. We got married, sure, but it was just signing a piece of paper and then hiding in my ice castle, because we didn't want to risk anyone finding out about us." Mom explains. "So a few days before your episodes started happening, Hade surprised me with this." 

She holds her hand out again, displaying the shimmering silvery-white ring on her finger with the single crystalline gem in the center. 

"Turns out, she had had the same idea as me, and a few minutes after she got over laughing her head off, she went to her room and got me this." Dad shows me his ring, which is much simpler, just a band of silver with flame designs etched in. 

"So, wait. You guys are getting married? For real?" I ask, unable to keep my smile away. 

"ABOUT TIME!" Someone hollers, and Brit and Sera appear on the Beast statue's shoulders, shimmering into existence with Brit holding a cloak of some kind. Sera beams at us. "Whoooo-hooooo!!!! THEY GETTIN' HITCHED, Y'ALL!"

Mom turns bright red, and Hades glares at Sera. 

Something pops, and Endora appears underneath Sera and Brit. "What---who---Carlie?"

I think my flush rivals my mom's.

"Don't be ridiculous, Eddie." Dad says. "It's Elsa and I, not That Boy and my daughter, who is still a minor and wouldn't dare." He glares pointedly at me. 

"She's eighteen now, Hade." Mom says gently, putting a hand on his shoulder. 

Dad harrumphs. "Fine. But yes, Sera, we're getting married. Is that so wrong?"

Sera grabs Brit and hops off the statue, landing hard and cracking the concrete. "Nope! It's awesome! I've been waitin' for either of you two to realize ya ain't been actually married. Since, you guys did get signed-married-whatever on the Isle, and the official guy there creates phony marriage documents all the time."

"So ours is fake?" mom asks, looking confused.

"No, there's a chance it is. I dunno if it actually is or not." Sera trots over to us, smushing her way between my parents and putting an arm around either of their shoulders. "But either way, even a Snow Queen deserves a wedding where she actually feels like a Queen."

"Awwwww, Sera actually said something sentimental!" Dori coos. 

"Aw, shut your pie hole." Sera groans, releasing my parents. 

The rest of the girl's half of the group joins us. "So, we heard Sera's yell of triumph." Mal says, sounding amused. "Congratulations."

Maira perks up suddenly and lunges for Sera, whacking her on the shoulder. "Ha! Brit's the last one standing now! She's it first next!"

Sera moans. "That's no fair! I was distracted!"

"Speaking of---how'd you do that?" Evie asks, gesturing to the statue. "And what is Brit holding?"

Brit smiles nervously, holding the shabby rainbow-colored cloak in the air. "Invisibility cloak. Speciality of Esmeralda's. Quentin gave it to me for my last birthday."

Sera cackles, crossing to Brit and throwing an arm over her shoulder. "It's why ya two can never find us until you call the game entirely off!"

"But I thought you said you could sense magic!" Maira snaps angrily, whirling on Endora, who in turn looks offended. 

"That's gypsy tricks---not real magic." Endora sniffs. "And it's magic that's already been worked, not in progress of being used."

Maira rolls her eyes and turns back to my family. "Sounds like an excuse for poor bloodhound reputation." She mutters under her breath. 

"Hahahahaaaa, she got you good!" Sera crows. "POW! WHACK! BAM!"

"What?" Mom asks, sounding sincerely confused now. 

"Bam!" Sera repeats. 

"What?" Dad says this time. 

"Why does this sound so familiar?" Mal murmurs to Evie. 

"Guys! Can we just stop to appreciate the fact that someone---" Brit angles her neck towards my parents a few times. "---is having a very happy moment? Also, Mrs. Whatever-Ellie's-Last-Name-Is, congratulations!" Brit gushes. 

Mom smiles at Brit. "I knew I liked you."

Brit flushes pink and beams. 

"Hey, you found Sera and Brit!" Ben and the rest of the boys join us, jogging across the lawn. "Who's been tagged?"

"Sera. Brit's it next." Dizzy explains. "they've been using an Invisibility Cloak!"

Arson's grin spreads. "Dumbledore?"

"No, a gypsy." Sera explains gently, linking her arm through Arson's. "But Brit won! So next time you'll play with me, Ar."

"PLAY WITH YOU?" Arson exclaims joyfully. 

"Yup, you can hide with Icy and I!" Sera tells him. "Right after you guys learn the big news---Ellie's parents are gettin' hitched!"

"Wait---what?" Gil looks instantly down at my parent's hands, then whoops loud. "Awesome! Nobody ever got married on the Isle!"

"Probably because it's been a little over twenty years, and that's all." Ben says. 

Arson, however, reacts in a way I'd totally expect from him. He takes one look at my mom's ring before screeching like a monkey and scooping my parents up in a rib-crushing hug. Everyone in our group breaks out laughing, even Mom and Dad. 

___________________________________________

The next chapter will be the last chapter of "Ellie's Flame" before I move on to D3 here. 

So, I'm going ahead and giving it away. The titles of all the chapters I've posted in this book, not including very first one but YES including the "NOT a chapter mini-story" one, have something hidden in them. 

Good luck!

(But, please, I have to say---I'm really happy for my characters Hades and Elsa. Thanks to my sister for helping the idea!)