Chapter 1
Ellie Queen was the twin sister of Evie Queen…
Everyone could see the relation; they were both peppy, they had the same warm brown eyes, they both had high cheekbones, they both were known for being beautiful. Yet there were many differences between the two.
Evie was the Queen of Fashion.
Ellie was the Queen of Mechanics.
But Ellie didn't consider herself that… a queen…
And while Ellie's twin sister worked on building her already booming dress business, Ellie herself was waist deep inside an oven. She pulled her head out, red leather work gloves covering her hands and long sleeves on her arms. Ellie glanced behind her at Fairy Godmother, grinning, "Just a loose circuit. It'll be quick and easy."
Fairy Godmother breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness. Replacing appliances is always such a hassle." Ellie drew an alchemy circle on her notepad, using another sheet to transform it into the needed fixture. The headmaster of Auradon Prep smiled at her as she worked, "Say, Ellie, would you be willing to do a complete check of the school over the summer? Make sure everything's working? Perhaps then we won't have things fail on us midyear."
"Sure thing."
Ben and Mal, along with the rest of the royal family, were working on bringing over more VK's. In a matter of days, the original five would be returning to pick the next batch… Everything was going according to plan…
Until Ellie began coughing…
Evie immediately began to worry, placing a hand to her sister's forehead. Her eyes widened… She was already running a fever… "Ellie, you need to lay down. You're running a fever."
According to the doctors, there was no physical reason for Ellie to become as sick as she did… There was no medical reason for Ellie to become sick… Some of the ruder doctors said it was all mental. Jay punched him for that.
It wasn't mental…
Mental illness didn't cause this…
But ever since Ellie's first episode after cotillion… they had been coming back…
And they were getting worse…
Carlos sat at the top of Ellie's bed, his back against her headboard. Her head was in his lap, and he ran his hands through her hair, gently untangling the knots he came across… "How're you feeling, El?"
She sighed, "Hot and sweaty and achy…"
"At least there's no new symptoms." Evie said as she sat a glass of water on her twin's bedside table… She looked worriedly at her twin, before sighing and crouching by her, "Are you sure you're going to be okay while we go to the Isle?"
Ellie shifted slightly, getting comfortable, then smiled reassuringly at her, "I will… I'll be fine. It'll pass. And Doug's somewhere around here and Carlos was just texting Jane, so I'll have plenty of company."
The white-haired boy blinked, "How'd you know-" Wait… Ellie grinned slyly up at him and Carlos snorted. "Nosey."
The door to Ellie's room opened, and Mal and Jay entered, frowns on their faces… The son of Jafar gestured behind him, "Limos here. We all ready?"
"Yeah, just about," Evie replied as Mal went over, helping move Ellie off Carlos' lap. The pink-ish red-haired girl flopped down onto her pillow mound, reaching out to cuddle with one.
Mal chuckled, "Only you, Ellie, can make being sick look good." Ellie didn't retaliate, making her raise an eyebrow. Mal nudged Ellie softly, only to hear her soft breathing and sighed, "And she's asleep… Come on, guys, let's go. Maybe we'll get back before she wakes up."
Ellie had gotten used to her episodes…
It sounded terrible, but it was true. She was miserable for those days, and she hated making her family worry… But Ellie had learned to simply live with them… they were a part of her, just like her magic was…
They all said her episodes were why she was so impulsive…
And Ellie knew it was true.
It was her fatal flaw.
And it made Evie worry constantly. "You're going to give me gray hairs," Evie told her jokingly as they stood in the courtyard of Auradon Prep. She wrapped an arm around her twin's shoulders as Ellie snorted. "No, really, you are… Between your episodes and your ability to have zero hesitation, you will. I'm sure."
Ellie laughed, "I will not." She grinned at her twin, "And besides, you could rock gray."
"I know, right?" Evie flipped her hair over her shoulder. They locked eyes, before they both broke down into laughter. It was always a relief for everyone when Ellie felt like herself, when she was herself… Ellie preferred it that way… being herself…
Motion drew Evie's attention away and she beamed, "Ooh! Here they come!" Mal and Ben came onto the small stage in the courtyard laying in front of them, the purple-haired girl making to leave, only for the Fairy Godmother to push her back on…
The Headmistress of the school was handed a golden microphone, which she quickly tested, then handed over to Ben. The King of Auradon smiled, "What's up Auradon?!" the crowd cheered, clapping. Ben turns to Mal then, smiling… His eyes shone with so much love it was impossible to mis… "Mal, it was at this very spot we met not that long ago. I feel like I've known you my whole life.
"But did I mention, I'm in love with you?"
Doug pulled out his guitar and began to strum the melody to a soft version of that song Ben sang to Mal on the Tounrey field, when he proclaimed his love to her.
"I met this girl who rocked my world,
"Like it's never been rocked.
"And now I'm livin' just for her and I won't ever stop.
"I never thought it could happen to a guy like me,
"But look at what you've done, you've got me
"Down on my knee."
Mal gasped as Ben fell to one knee, pulling a velvet ring box out of his pocket. "Mal, will you marry me?
"Will you be my queen?"
"NO!" Audery's horrified gasp echoed throughout the courtyard, but Mal and Ben didn't even hear her… they were in their own little world…
Mal's smile grew, stretching from ear to ear as tears welled in her eyes, "Yes! Yes, of course!"
Ben smiled widely and slid the ring on her finger. Mal kissed him and he held her tightly, unwilling to let her go… He was never willing to let her go… The crowd erupted into cheers, Carlos chest-bumping former King Beast (immediately looking remorseful afterwards), causing Ellie to laugh…
Doug chuckled, glancing at Evie, "Makes our movie nights seem a little tame."
"I love-" Evie turned to him, but cut herself off, causing Ellie's nose to scrunch up. "Movies. Our movie nights." Doug smiled at her. Evie turned away from him awkwardly, catching her twin's expression… She frowned, "It just wasn't the right time, okay?"
Mal hurries off the stage, just as Ben gets bombarded with hugs from the guys. She hugs Evie first, then Ellie. "Oh my god! Did you two know?!"
"Yeah, we had to keep it a secret for weeks. Ben even forced me to help him design the perfect ring." Ellie giggled, "Okay, maybe not forced. I was more than willing to help."
Mal laughed, "Well, you two did a great job."
"Okay, so~" Evie grasped her hands tightly in her own. "I've only done about a thousand sketches of your wedding dress, and Belle's already planned an engagement party next week~"
"Oh my god! It's a really good thing I said yes!" Mal hugs Beast first, then Belle- and Ellie could tell from the looks on Ben's parents' faces that they were ecstatic.
Mal went to hug Fairy Godmother and Ben nudged Ellie, "I think she liked it."
"You think?" Ellie laughed, then gave him a shove, pushing him back over towards Mal.
"All hail her majesty!" Jay mockingly bowed, Evie, Carlos, and Ellie joining in.
Carlos bowed once more, "Yes! All hail her royal purpleness!"
Mal held up a hand, "Silence! You annoying peasants!"
Jay bowed once more, "As you wish, my liege."
"Your crankiness," Carlos added, laughing.
Ellie laughed at them, her pink-ish red hair flying around her face…
Mal was engaged… She could hardly believe it…
Ellie sat in the crowded back of the purple limo- another of Ben's gifts to Mal which she helped make. Dizzy was between her and Evie, and the daughter of Drizella was practically buzzing with excitement. Ellie was turned around in her seat, looking out the back window of the limo, watching as they left the Isle…
She remembered the day they came over in that black limo… it felt like such a long time ago…
And it was, in a way. But the Isle was still their home. It was the place they were from. Their roots. Nothing would change that… And now, they are bringing over a new batch of kids, giving them a second chance… Four new VK's…
They passed through the barrier, the golden shimmery magic hole slowly closing behind them…
It was then that Ellie felt it…
The mark on the soft inside of her wrist began to burn… It felt like someone was holding a lighter to it, causing her to wince… Ellie clutched her wrist in her hand as the area began to pound…
Evie's eyes flickered over to her twin, frowning in concern, "Ellie?"
"I-I'm okay…" Her eyes fell to the barrier… Brown eyes grew wide…
Evie followed her sister's gaze, her heart stopping in her chest…
A man had shoved his hand in the barrier right before it closed…
And they both knew who it was…
Hades.
"It's Hades! Stop the car!" Evie shouted. "He's trying to escape!" The others whipped around to look out the back of the limo, their eyes widening as horror pulled at their beings… The car screeched to a stop, Jay whipping out of the driver's seat, followed quickly by the others, leaving the kids in the car…
Ellie gripped the side of the limo as the burning spread up her arm… It felt like every inch of her was on fire… But it didn't hurt… In fact, it was a comforting warmth… like she had never known warmth before… Her mark then began to itch wildly, the heat growing before it finally settled around her heart…
And Hades' eyes met hers.
He spotted her instantly…
Ellie Queen.
Daughter of the Evil Queen…
And one of Mal's closest friends.
Hades could barely keep his gaze off her… Off that long, pink-ish red hair that fell in soft curls down to her hips. Her figure was clad in a tight red leather dress, black and blue jacket with golden accents across it, thigh-high navy blue socks, and tall, platform bright red ankle boots…
Her big brown eyes were wide with shock…
She knew…
Warmth flooded through Hades' stomach, spilling upwards and over his entire form… Pieces clicked into place… and all of a sudden, everything felt right with the world… It felt just like Hera said it would…
After all these years…
He had finally found her…
But he couldn't get to her.
Hades snarled, forcing his head through the barrier, "I am A GOD! I don't belong here!"
Ellie's breath caught as Jay, Carlos, and Ben fell to the ground in pain after being shot with Hades' ember. Mal had transformed into a dragon and was trying to fight him off, yet Hades was zapping her strength…
Ellie's mind was gone… It wasn't working…
Her body felt weak as she watched the scene… She watched as Hades hesitated and Mal used that moment to send a current of air towards the god, sending him tumbling back inside the barrier. Ellie felt her body finally give out as the barrier snapped shut, and Mal returned to her human form in a cloud of purple smoke.
Ben was by her side in an instant… Mal was stumbling, her breathing heavy, and she held her chest in pain. "Are you okay?"
"No. H-he was draining my magic; I could feel my strength slipping away."
"You're safe," Evie reassured Mal, before her gaze fell to the other side of the barrier. "He's back where he belongs…"
Jay and Carlos went over to help Ellie. The son of Curella took his best friend by the hands, helping her into a standing position. Jay placed his hand on Ellie's shoulder, looking at her worriedly, "You okay?"
"Yeah…" Ellie nodded… she wasn't… Because she could still feel his eyes on her…
She refused to look at the barrier, at the Isle, causing Carlos to frown… He turned his gaze back towards the Isle, where he watched Hades get to his feet… His eyes scanned them all, glowering at them, before he turned on his heel, stalking away. People hurried to get out of his path, terrified of him beyond belief…
Carlos could hardly blame them…
After all, death was something they all feared…
And Hades was the incarnate of death.
Carlos stopped Ellie outside Evie's castle, looking down at her in concern, "What happened back there, Ellie? When Hades tried to break out…"
Her eyes widened, before she sighed, holding her arms, "I-I don't know… that's the problem…"
No… she did know, didn't she? Her mother always said she'd know when it had happened…
Ellie just didn't want to admit it…