Into the Depths

Chapter 17

"Don't. No titles, especially on the Isle," Mal stated. "No one on the Isle knows Hades is my father, except for Hadie and Steph obviously. With my performance at your coronation, connecting me to Hades would be asking to put a giant target on Hadie especially since he now only has to be on the Isle six months of the year."

Ben nodded, understanding where Mal was coming from. "Okay Mal. No titles."

"Good," Mal nodded as she grabbed her jacket. The other VKs had already changed so that they were in their Isle garb—Ben's inspection was the only thing holding them up. "We should go. Akiho and Emir know where we're going."

"Doug does as well," Evie stated. "We have a movie night after this and I'd rather not miss it."

"I told Jane," Carlos said. "She's watching Dude since I think a talking dog might get some attention on the Isle."

"And I told Lonnie," Jay said.

Mal snorted in amusement. "Why am I not surprised? Let me guess, she's coming with?"

"She wanted to but she realized that her gym stuff would just be a giant red flag that she was from Auradon. Depending on how today goes, though, she wants to commission some Isle garb from Evie and come with us next time."

"I should start offering that," Evie said with a grin.

"E, how many people are actually going to commission Isle garb?" Mal asked.

"It doesn't cost me anything to actually offer it M," Evie chuckled. "Besides I talked to that shop you told me about, the one you found when you were on vacation with Ben? They want to partner with me, or at least the shop in Auradon does. If more people were wearing at least Isle-esque clothing, it might make it better for other VKs who come over."

Mal nodded as she understood where Evie was coming from. While Ava and Anthony had an easier time being welcomed than the Core Four had, the Tremaine siblings still felt a bit uncomfortable in their leather outfits.

Well Ava had. Anthony strutted around Auradon Prep like he owned it, especially now that he was an official Lord. Let's just say Mal had dusted off her smoke bomb skills a couple of times to bring the younger boy's inflated ego down to earth.

It'd actually been Chad of all people who had asked her, much to her surprise.

"Mal, do you have a second?" Chad asked as he walked up to her in the hall.

"Coincidently Charming, I do in fact have one second. What do you want?" Mal asked, crossing her arms over her chest. While Chad had gotten a little more tolerable since the viewings, Mal wasn't going to just forgive him for stringing along Evie like he had. Especially since he had never apologized to her.

Maybe I'm being a bit harsh, Mal thought. After all, Chad did seem a bit stunned when Audrey dragged him into the stands at the Tourney game. Almost like he hadn't expected it. But still, he could have at least apologized to Evie.

"My cousin, Anthony," Chad said, pulling Mal out of her thoughts. "He's driving Kitty, Lucy and Alex mad with his constant...well his ego. They've compared him to me on steroids."

"They're not too far off though you've gotten better Charming," Mal sighed. "I have to admit, you have gotten better."

"Thanks. I think. Anyway, the girls adore Ava and I know Ava loves her brother otherwise Kitty or Lucy would have gone after Anthony ages ago. I remember from the last viewing you were pretty good at smoke bombs. Could you maybe just hit Anthony with one or two so his ego diminishes?"