Cleo De Nile and the Creeperific Mummy Makeover Read online

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  I miss my mom.

  It’s hard for me to say that out loud. When you are a member of a very important royal family like I am, it is necessary to not show your vulnerable side. After all, the people only want a royal family that is poised and perfect. That is what Father always says. A princess should never reveal weakness—it makes you an easy target.

  But since this written record is private (and no one would dare disobey my orders to MIND THEIR OWN BUSINESS!), I feel comfortable expressing myself. Even though Mother has been missing for such a long time, she is not forgotten. There is a lot I remember about her, so she is always with me in memory.

  Years ago, when we were still living in ancient Egypt, Mother and I used to love curling up together on a chaise longue to watch boo-vies while Father and Nefera would play games. Mother and I were big fans of romantic comedies. Today that is still my favorite kind of boo-vie!

  My love of fashion also comes from Mother. When she would get ready for a night out, Mother would always allow me to try on her gowns. There was one gown that was so beautiful, I can still picture it. It was made of the finest 24-karat gold threads. My mom looked totally creeperific in it. She promised that when I was grown enough to fit into it, I could have it if I still wanted it. Of course, I’ve owned hundreds of gorgeous gowns since then, but I never forgot that one, or how amazing my mom looked wearing it. The gown was carefully packed away and preserved, and we still have it. Like me, it’s waiting for her to come home.

  But one of my most cherished memories of my mother is from a time when I was a very small girl. My parents had been invited to a gold-and-white ball, and I was upset that I wasn’t allowed to come along. Even though she had much to do to get ready, Mother pulled me into her closet, dressed me in her most glamorous gold wrappings, and danced around her closet with me. Then, just for fun, she taught me how to put on makeup—Mother could do a smoky-eye look better than anyone—and gave me a special pot of my very own lip stain to keep. She told me it was “my color.” All these years later, that is still my favorite shade in my whole lipstick collection. Mother always knew best.

  I often wonder where my mom has been all these years. Though I would never admit it aloud, it is sometimes hard to go through life not knowing where your mom is or how things might be different if she were around.

  So many things have changed since I last spoke with her. I go to Monster High and am the captain of the fearleading squad. My ghoulfriends are very different now from who they were in Egypt. I’m sure she would be shocked to hear I fang out with vampires and werewolves! And then there’s Deuce.… Would Mother approve of my having a nonroyal boyfriend? Father certainly doesn’t approve of him, but I like to think that my mom would. The only thing that hasn’t changed during our years apart is my lipstick color—wearing the special shade she selected for me makes me feel as if my mom is still looking out for me from afar.

  Even though life is a whole lot different, and I have grown up a lot in the years since we all lived together in Egypt, I’m sure if we were to see each other again now, Mother and I would still be very much alike. Some things never change, right? But sometimes I worry I will never know.… Because after all these years of my mother’s being gone, I’m beginning to give up hope she will ever return.

  Cleo

  Please pass the grapes,” Cleo de Nile said. She arched an eyebrow and glanced across the enormous marble dinner table at her older sister, Nefera. Cleo cleared her throat to get her sister’s attention. When Nefera didn’t look up from her own meal, Cleo cleared her throat again. “Ahem. The grapes?”

  Nefera finally peered out from under her long, dark eyelashes and gave her sister a withering look. “Do you need some water, Cleo?” she asked in a faux-sweet voice. Nothing about Nefera was ever actually sweet. “Your throat sounds parched. Are your wrappings too tight?”

  “My throat is fine,” replied Cleo. “And my wrappings are perfect.” Cleo, the daughter of a mummy and heir to a five-thousand-year-old Egyptian dynasty, prided herself on her ability to remain graceful under pressure, but her sister really got under her bandages sometimes. She could be such a pain! Nefera had been home on a school holiday for a few weeks, and Cleo was counting the days until she would leave again. Their home was always so much more peaceful when her sister was gone. It was also strangely quiet and often sort of lonely, but peaceful nonetheless. “But I am still waiting for the grapes.”

  Nefera delicately waved her hand in the direction of a bowl of plump green grapes. It was sitting right beside her plate at the table, but rather than passing the bowl herself, she clapped once to summon one of the family’s servants. She ordered, “Seti, would you bring Cleo the grapes?”

  The servant hustled forward and whisked the bowl of grapes off the table. He carried it around the enormous stone table and set it down in front of Cleo’s place setting. “Thank you, Seti,” said Cleo, smiling. “That will be all.”

  The servant bowed low, then backed away from her chair.

  “How was your day, my daughters?” Ramses de Nile asked in a formal voice as he dabbed at the corners of his mouth with a napkin. The moment Cleo’s father placed his napkin on the table, a servant rushed forward and folded it into an elaborate pyramid. Such were the perks of living the life of Egyptian royalty. No need to lift a finger or use a crumpled cloth napkin—there was always someone nearby to make sure the de Nile family led a very luxurious life.

  “My day was golden,” Cleo said. “We had a monstrously good fearleading squad practice after school. We’ve been working on this new dance, and most of the other ghouls on the squad seem to be figuring out the routine pretty quickly.”

  “I seriously doubt that,” Nefera said, rolling her eyes.

  “Excuse me?” Cleo snapped, her blue eyes flashing. She flicked her long, straight black-and-golden hair over her shoulder and glared at her sister.

  “Girls,” their father cautioned.

  “I said, ‘I seriously doubt that.’” Nefera smiled, ignoring their father’s warning. “The Monster High fearleading squad totally came unwrapped after I left. Your ghoulfriend Frankie Stein is always falling apart under pressure, and Draculaura seems so distracted by Clawd Wolf that she never gets any of her steps right.”

  Cleo narrowed her eyes. Nefera had been the captain of the fearleading squad before Cleo took over, and the debate over who made a better team leader was a source of constant competition between the two girls. Nefera believed Cleo could never live up to her legacy. But Cleo knew the squad was better than ever with her as captain—in part because the current squad was made up almost entirely of ghouls who supported one another no matter what. Cleo would fight to the death to defend her ghoulfriends, and she knew the same could be said of the other ghouls on the squad. “How dare you say that about my ghoulfriends?!”

  Nefera shrugged. “It’s the truth.”

  “Girls—” Ramses de Nile warned. The girls’ father ruled over the household with an iron fist. He ran his life and family much as he had ruled his dynasty—his way or no way at all. And
much of the time, it seemed to Cleo, he took Nefera’s side. When they were young girls, Nefera had always been much more like their father, while Cleo had always been closer to their mother. When the girls’ mother disappeared during the de Niles’ escape from Egypt, things shifted a bit to make the family unit work without her. But still, Cleo always felt a little like the odd mummy out.

  “What you just said is not the truth,” Cleo said calmly but firmly. She didn’t like to raise her voice to get her point across—a royal should never have to raise her voice to be heard. In a level, don’t-mess-with-me tone, she added, “Frankie and Draculaura are both fangtastic dancers. They work very hard. And Clawd and Draculaura make an adorable couple. You shouldn’t judge people, Nefera. And you definitely shouldn’t say mean things about my friends. I won’t stand for it.”

  “That is enough!” The ghouls’ father slammed his fist on the table, making all the gold-encrusted platters and antique bowls rattle. Nefera and Cleo glared at each other across the table. Their argument was finally cut short when the door to the family’s formal dining room flew open and the butler entered the room.

  “Pardon the interruption,” their butler said, bowing stiffly.

  “What is it?” Ramses de Nile barked. He waved his hand, and a trio of servants rushed forward to clear the family’s dirty dinner plates. As soon as the empty plates were gone, dessert dishes magically appeared before the three de Niles.

  “A letter has arrived for you, sir,” explained the butler. He held out a platter, on top of which sat an old-fashioned-looking letter. The paper was yellowed and dirty, and there was a wax stamp holding the parchment closed.

  Ramses de Nile took the piece of mail off the plate gingerly. The letter looked fragile, as though it might crumble at the slightest touch.

  Cleo took a small bite of her dessert while her father read through the letter. She watched his face go from confusion to concern to shock. “What is it?” she asked, putting down her spoon. A servant rushed forward to clear away the dirty spoon and replace it with a clean one for her next bite.

  Her father took a deep breath. He looked up, gazing at each of his daughters with a vacant expression. “Father?” Cleo said quietly. “Are you okay?” Her father, who was usually very composed, looked as if he was coming unwrapped. It was very unlike him to show his emotions in such an obvious way.

  Ramses de Nile took another deep breath before speaking. “I have something very important to share with you,” he said finally, his voice cracking.

  Cleo and Nefera, who had been bickering only moments before, now shared a concerned look. What’s going on? Nefera mouthed. Cleo shrugged back.

  Finally, their father stood up. He crossed his arms and announced, “Girls, this letter is from your mother. She is coming home to us.”

  For many years, I have wondered what happened to my mother when we were forced to flee our home after it was attacked. On that awful day, there was a great deal of confusion as we left our family home and dynasty. Father, Nefera, and I were hurried away from our palace to safety—while Mother, who had been in another wing of our home, was presumably led elsewhere.

  In the months after our escape, I waited patiently for news about what had happened to my mom. We knew there was a good chance she’d been taken into hiding, just as the three of us had been. I had hoped she would rejoin us for the journey to the Boo World, but even after we arrived here, there continued to be no word. As more and more time passed, I began to really worry.

  I don’t know how to explain it, but I have always known deep down that my mom was okay. I’ve missed her terribly, and it worried me to not know what became of her, but I’d always felt in my heart that she was okay. So I’d held out hope for all these years that she would return to us in time. And that time has finally come! Oh. My. Ra!

  After a lot of begging from Nefera and me, Father finally shared the details of her letter. There’s still much we don’t know, but here’s what we did find out: When Father, Nefera, and I escaped, Mother was led to safety and instructed to hide out until the danger passed. She was promised that she would be reunited with all of us in just a short while. But a short while turned into a very long while, though we still don’t know what prevented her from returning to us sooner. But I will find out soon enough!

  I can’t wait to see my glamorous, elegant mother again. I just know she’s going to be exactly as I remember her. Finally, our family will be complete again!

  Cleo

  Ghouls, I have big news,” Cleo announced regally when she arrived in the Monster High Creepateria for lunch the next day. She waited until all her ghoulfriends’ eyes were on her. Then she declared, “We have received a letter from my mother. She is returning home to us!”

  “Are you totes serious?” Draculaura squealed happily, her eyes huge. The tiny vampire flashed her small fangs as she smiled, then she jumped up and squeezed Cleo into a friendly hug.

  Cleo’s smile widened. “Very serious,” she said, taking her usual seat at the head of the lunch table. “She will be home soon”

  Frankie Stein clapped and said, “Oh, Cleo, this is voltageous news! I can’t wait to meet her.” Suddenly, Frankie’s hand popped off her arm. It scuttled across the lunch table and grabbed for one of Draculaura’s french fries. Frankie—who had been built of spare parts in her father’s lab—blushed a deeper green. She grabbed her hand and reattached it, then popped the fry into her mouth. “Whoopsie! Thanks for the fry, Draculaura.”

  “Don’t mention it,” Draculaura replied with a grin.

  Cleo sighed contentedly as she looked at her ghoulfriends. Sharing her creeperific news with them made it feel even more special. But then she realized a couple of her closest ghoulfriends weren’t there.

  “Where are the other ghouls? I know they’ll want to hear my big news right away.”

  “Lagoona has a swim-team meeting during lunch,” Draculaura explained.

  “And Clawdeen had to make up a test she missed last week because her morning track practice ran long,” added Frankie.

  Cleo was disappointed that all her best ghoulfriends weren’t there for her big announcement. She sighed and said, “Oh well, I will tell them later, and I just know they will be so thrilled! Ghouls, you have no idea how glamorous my mom is. Her fashion sense is to die for, her hair is absolute perfection, and the parties she throws are talked about for centuries.” She sighed dreamily, then paused dramatically before saying, “In fact, my father, sister, and I are planning a huge surprise party to welcome her home. We are going to throw a monstrously huge, fangulous ball! I’m sure Mother has gotten even more clawesome over the years—I certainly have, and I just know it runs in the family—so I bet her expectations for her welcome will be very high. I hope she will be pleased.”

  “Will we be invited to the ball too?” Draculaura asked, clearly excited about the chance to get dressed up.

  “Will I?” asked Deuce Gorgon, sidling up behind Cleo. Deuce and Cleo were the golden couple of Monster High. They made a really cute pair, even though Deuce was totally low-key and relaxed, and Cleo was, well… not. He and Cleo balanced each other out. And together, they ruled the halls of Monster High.

  Cleo grinned at Deuce. “Of course—you’ll all be invited. My mother will want to be introduced to all my friends, and I’m sure you’re all just dying to meet her. Of course, you all know de Nile parties are absolutely legendary, so you won’t want to miss it. I’m sure now that my mother has returned, parties at our palace will be even more incredible. She has the golden touch that will take everything to the next level.”

  “Sounds like this isn’t gonna be my kind of party,” Deuce mumbled. “Can I wear shorts?”

  Cleo rolled her eyes. “Only the finest for my mom, Deuce. We’ll get you a new suit. Obviously.”

  “So that’s a no to shorts?” Deuce grumbled.

  Cleo ignored him. “In fact, you’ll all need new gowns.” She turned her attention back to her ghoulfriends. “This is an occ
asion that will require the finest fabrics, the most fangtastic designs, extraordinary food.…” Plans for her mother’s welcome-home ball swirled around in Cleo’s head. Thinking aloud, she whispered, “Ooh, maybe Clawdeen will help me design something one-of-a-kind to wear. I want to make sure my mother is impressed!”

  “What if your mom has changed?” Draculaura asked suddenly. “I mean, what if she’s lost her fashion sense or something?”

  “How could something like that possibly happen?” Cleo asked loudly, her voice rising several octaves. She paused and cleared her throat. When she spoke again, her voice was soft and modulated again. “I’m sorry, Draculaura. I didn’t mean to snap at you. It’s just… absurd to think of my mother losing her fashion sense.”

  “Sorry, Cleo. You’re right,” Draculaura said. She and Frankie exchanged a worried look. Both ghouls hoped that Cleo’s mom would be everything she remembered. But what if she wasn’t?

  Cleo and her friends spent the rest of lunch discussing outfits they could wear to the surprise party of the century. Then they talked about the food Cleo would have catered in and the decorations that would best welcome her mother to the Boo World. Deuce kept chiming in with party ideas of his own, and Cleo kept shooting them down because they weren’t elegant enough. “Maybe you won’t be invited after all,” she said, after Deuce suggested changing the elegant Egyptian ball into a pool party, complete with waterslides and a lazy river. “This is a very serious event, Deuce.”

  Deuce chuckled. “Do you really think your mom’s going to care what kind of party you have for this thing? Don’t you think she’s most interested in just seeing you and your fam again? Chillin’, gettin’ caught up, hangin’ out… you know.”

  “This thing?” Cleo huffed, entirely missing the point of his question. “It’s a ball, not a thing. And chillin’, Deuce?! You know my family doesn’t chill. Ugh. This lunch is over.” She stood up and spun around, preparing to storm out of the Creepateria—and away from Deuce—to make a point. But before she could get even halfway across the room, she heard Frankie shriek.