Ellie's Flames BOOK 2

20: From Isle to Auradon

"Hey Icy." Sera greets, waltzing inside Brit and mine's room like she owns the place. Neither of us acknowledge her, continuing with our examination of Evie's newest dress design she'd dropped off earlier. It's one of her original designs for my Cotillion dress that she modified to match my dad's side of my heritage. 

"What, ya'll just gonna ignore me?" Sera whines, dropping onto my bed with a loud sigh. "Then I won't share my amazin' news with ya, Icy."

"If you're talking about Ben's newest proclamation that he's only told the VK's, you can't." Brit says, looking up at Sera. "He told me too, remember? And he also said to keep it a secret until we can ensure it's actually going to happen."

Sera rolls her eyes. "Yeah... but tellin' people is way more fun than keepin' it under."

"Sera..." Brit warns. "Ben said if you spilled, you won't be able to participate."

Sera's nose scrunches up. "But... but..."

"Sera." Brit's tone turns hard. "This is a huge opportunity, and we can't risk losing anyone involved."

"Siiiiigh." Sera groans, flopping back on my bed and sliding off onto the ground like a slug. "Fine. But when we're allowed to tattle, I'ma be the first one to tell Icy, got it?"

"Deal." Brit looks back at the sketch. "I hope she makes this dress sometime. It's so pretty."

"Are we just going to pretend that conversation didn't happen?" I ask curiously, setting the sketchbook by what was salvaged from my birthday presents. Only Sera's diary journal thing, Maira's snow globe, of course my invitation to the fencing team, and one of the gloves from Jay. Last I heard from Brit, Mal was trying to re-do the painting of Carlos and I. 

Sera glances up at me from the ground. "Considering y'all're upside-down right now, I'd rather focus on that."

I roll my eyes and drop to the floor with her, sitting with my legs crossed. Sera sits up, leaning against the bed. 

"I know you guys can't tell me what it is, but can you at least tell me if it's related to anyone in my family?"

Brit and Sera exchange a glance, silently debating what will give something away and what won't. 

"Um... it concerns... a lot of people..." Brit says hesitantly, winding her hair around one finger nervously. "On... um... Auradon..."

"And the Isle." Sera adds. "And that's all we's sayin', so shut up, Icy."

I raise my hands in surrender. "Fine, fine! I won't pry. If it's this huge, anyway, I'll find out soon enough."

Sera locks eyes with Brit again. "Yeah... like, in the next couple days, sooooooon..."

"Sera!" Brit hisses, swatting her knee. Sera laughs and scrambles up, sprinting from my room. Brit blows hair out of her face, glancing at me. 

"Stay. No questions. Don't talk to any VK's!" Brit orders, then she races after Sera. "GET BACK HERE! BEN TRUSTS US, SERA!!"

I snort, shaking my head as I climb back on my bed and reaching to my journal. Since Sera gave it to me, I've had quotes from all sorts of movies. Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Princess Bride, along with the Princess Diaries (no idea how Sera knew about this one) and some quotes from the Keeper of the Lost Cities series. There's also been a couple songs, like Sabrina Carpenter's "Smoke and Fire". One of my personal favorites. 

I open it up to today, having to pass a bunch of pages I've filled with my flowing handwriting and sketches I've done the past few weeks while at my mom's castle, and in Atlantica. Today's quote shimmers in the corner, appearing as "You hit the Lord of the Titans in the eye with a blue plastic hairbrush."