Suddenly, a red velvet curtain flapped open across the room. A green-tinged light cascaded in from a hidden chamber behind it. Audrey, mesmerized by the sinister light, clutched the prized crown in her manicured hand. She glided down the steps and followed the mysterious beacon. In all her years of school field trips and family outings to the museum, Audrey had never set foot in the Room of the Dark Arts. And now it beckoned her. The hypnotic glow emanated from Maleficent’s scepter. Audrey floated to the forbidden object, drawn to its promise of unlimited power and sweet revenge. In the presence of the scepter, Audrey changed her mind. The night was no longer about the mere theft of the bejeweled crown. The scepter had opened Audrey’s eyes to the possibility of much more than that. “I want what I deserve. I want to rule the world,” Audrey said aloud.
An excellent student, Audrey knew the museum housed only one object powerful enough to assist in that goal, and that artifact had once belonged to Mal’s mom. Now it would belong to her. How fitting.
Her gaze darted about the Room of the Dark Arts and stopped on a straw basket lined with a red-and-white gingham napkin and filled with a dozen of Evil Queen’s poisoned apples. With a quick sweep of her arm, Audrey cleared the basket from its pedestal and set down the bejeweled crown in its place. She’d take the scepter instead. She strode toward Maleficent’s staff, her gait powered by awe and hunger, but then she paused, turned around, and returned to retrieve the crown. She didn’t have to choose between the queen’s crown and the deadly scepter. Ben wanted a true villain? Well, a true villain would steal both. So she did. Audrey placed the queen’s crown regally on her own head. “I am the queen and my reign will be endless.”
With her self-coronation complete, Queen Audrey yanked the pulsing scepter off its stand. The orb changed at her touch, instantly turning a more menacing shade of green. Audrey’s eyes widened as the potent evil force swept through her body, transforming the prissy pink princess into a dark, dangerous sorceress.
Audrey’s evil new look was heart-stopping. Her pale, anemic hair had turned a rich magenta ombré, flowing from deep rose at the roots to midnight blue at the tips. Her demure pastel pink outfit was no more. In its place, she wore a wicked getup of black-and-blush fitted leather pants and a tea-length duster with alarming black feather accents. Her necklace now featured two charms, a bright bluebird and a dark black raven. Audrey looked like a warrior enchantress—gorgeous and menacing and scary.
A maniacal look washed over Audrey’s pretty face as she decided to take Maleficent’s scepter for a test run. She raised the staff aloft and unleashed its power on the crystal chandelier above. The fixture shattered in a menacing cascade of glass and light. Audrey’s nefarious laugh echoed throughout the museum. Being an evil queen was going to be fun.
Life was so much simpler on the Isle, when my only tough decision was what to steal for breakfast.
Ben’s picturesque palace was built from gleaming white masonry and sat perched on a noble hilltop overlooking the rocky bay. It featured round turrets, tall regal spires, and a wide rampart that encircled the entire property. The countless palace wings included an armory, a stable, a formal conference room, a ballroom, a carriage house, and, because he was such a thoughtful son, suites for both of his parents.
Belle’s parlor was painted a sunny buttercup yellow with white trim. The cheery room was filled with cushy floral couches, fresh flower arrangements, and a baby grand piano. King Ben and Mal stood in the parlor and huddled urgently with Belle, Beast, and Fairy Godmother. The tension in the air was thick.
“I think we all know why we’re here,” said Beast, his bushy brows furrowed behind his black-framed glasses. “The people are in a panic about Hades. He almost got out.”
Fairy Godmother spoke up with concern. “Who knows what he would have done if he escaped?” She tsked, imagining the horrid repercussions.
Beast, once the king himself, narrowed his eyes and stated his true feelings with authority. “We can’t risk having another villain escape.”
Everyone agreed, but no one had a solution.
Mal pursed her lips. “I really feel like it’s my fault. I’m supposed to protect Auradon,” she said. She crossed her arms against her violet wrap dress and looked down at the floor.
“You did—you do—protect Auradon,” Ben said, giving Mal his full support. Mal was not to blame.
Beast shook his head, taking any thought of responsibility off Mal and placing it firmly on the impenetrable barrier—or rather on its numerous recent openings. “Every time we open the barrier, we’re exposed to danger.” He shuddered at the sentiment and listed the vicious villains who’d cleverly escaped the Isle. “Maleficent. Uma. Hades.” This was why he’d created the Isle and its barrier in the first place: to keep their enemies out.
Beeeeeep! Ben’s cell phone sounded its high-pitched alert. Ben took his phone from his blue suit pocket, checked his message, and stepped back in shock. His eyes narrowed as he reread the text. As if the day could get any worse…
“Maleficent’s scepter and the queen’s crown have been stolen,” he said with dread.
Everyone else in the room gasped in unison.
“Uma,” roared Beast, shaking his sizable fist in the air.
The group exchanged fearful glances at the fateful thought.
Stressed, Ben ran his hands through his sandy-brown hair. “We don’t know that, Dad.” But even he wasn’t convinced as he said it.
Belle crossed to Beast and grabbed his arm. “When people hear this, they’ll never come out of their houses!” she exclaimed, and looked out at the kingdom through the large bay window. “What do we tell them?”
The sun shone through the gauzy curtain, but the mood inside the room was dark and somber. These were troubling times. The room fell silent, and Auradon’s leaders contemplated all the horrific events of the past twenty-four hours.
Belle, Beast, and Fairy Godmother looked to Mal for guidance. With utmost respect and reverence, Belle asked, “Mal, what do we do? How do we keep evil out of Auradon?” Her dread was palpable.
Mal felt the weight of everyone’s eyes on her. The words she had to say were troublesome. She struggled to get them out, knowing they would change the course of Auradon forever. “I think that there’s only one way to guarantee their safety. And I think that there can’t be any more in and out.” She hesitated, then uttered the words she never thought she’d hear herself say. “I think that we have to close the barrier forever.”
Silence filled the room. But slowly, Beast, Belle, and Fairy Godmother nodded in agreement.
“No,” howled Ben, refusing to accept the drastic measure.
“Son,” said Beast empathetically.
“No,” repeated Ben. Disheartened and discouraged, he walked to the other side of the room. His soul felt crushed. There had to be another way.
“Ben,” Mal called after him.
“No, no, no, no, no,” said the king. He refused to give up on the kids of the Isle.
Mal ran after Ben. “I do not want to take away your dream,” she said painfully. After all, it had been her dream, too, to bring all the inculpable Isle kids to Auradon and give them a fresh start. But at what cost? “Because it was so beautiful. And it’s why I fell in love with you.” She looked Ben in the eye, took both of his hands in hers, and grappled with what to do. She was new to this governing thing and found it terribly difficult to work out. “But as king and queen, what’s our duty?” Mal asked, already knowing the answer.
Ben’s voice caught in his throat. “To protect Auradon.” He shook his head with uncertainty and took Mal’s hand gently in his own. This went beyond anything he’d ever expected to ask of Mal. “Do you know what this would mean? All those kids. Are you prepared for it?”
Mal’s green eyes filled with tears. “I know what it means,” she said, looking at Ben in defeat. How had everything gone so wrong so quickly? Hadn’t it been just the day before when they were welcoming the second wave of Isle transfer stu
dents? “And no, I’m not prepared for it. I just think that we have no other choice.” There was no way to open the barrier and bring Isle kids over without risking a villain breakout. So from that point forward, children of the Isle would stay condemned to the Isle. The thought brought a lump to her throat.
Beast, Belle, and Fairy Godmother listened and somberly considered the grim solution. Beast turned toward Ben. “Son, Mal’s right,” he said.
“I just don’t think that we’d forgive ourselves if something happened,” said Mal. She walked back toward the others and tugged at the dragon-and-heart pendant around her neck. She knew the true evil nature of many of the Isle’s villains and imagined the worst. This was the only way she could completely protect Auradon and its people from harm.
Ben stared out the window solemnly, shook his head grimly, and with deep heartbreak let his dream of a united Auradon and Isle die.
I know I’m supposed to be good and all, but one harmless little lie can’t be that bad, right?
Evie’s starter castle sat on the edge of the green forest near the outskirts of town. To no one’s surprise, it was design perfection. The trendsetting decor and Isle chic vibe had already been featured in Castle Home and Garden. Evie’s gray stone house had a terra-cotta-colored shingle roof, white stonework archways, blue-lattice diamond-paned windows, and a large patio lined with fruit trees where her friends loved to gather.
Evie and Mal talked in hushed tones in Evie’s dreamy workroom, a breathtaking all-glass chamber with floor-to-ceiling windows and a glass roof that allowed natural light to stream in from every angle. The office had everything Evie needed to run her successful fashion design company. She stored bolts of colored fabric in a round brass caddy and kept countless spools of thread on a red wrought iron bookshelf with hand-forged scrolling. Completed tops, skirts, and frocks, waiting to be tried on, hung on a rolling rack. A framed copy of her Evie’s 4 Hearts logo hung on the wall.
Evie listened with alarm as Mal confided in her, detailing all she knew about the museum break-in. Looking ever the professional in an asymmetrical polka-dot top and cropped wide-leg trousers, Evie found the news startling. “Who else knows about the scepter and the crown?” she asked.
“No one,” Mal replied. “I mean, think about it. People are scared enough as it is. We have to employ these entirely new safety measures.”
The news vexed Evie. She put her head in her hand. Her next question had been eating away at her since Mal had begun to tell the story. “Will this delay our bringing over more VKs?” A cloud of apprehension and concern fell over her face.
Mal avoided making eye contact. “We’re talking about closing the barrier for good,” she said with difficulty. She felt horrible about the words as soon as she said them. She knew Evie would be crushed.
Mal was right. Evie was appalled at the very suggestion. “But you said no.” She glanced at Mal expectantly.
Mal hesitated. She’d watched Evie spend months working tirelessly on the VK Day project. Transferring kids from the Isle to Auradon meant everything to her bestie. She couldn’t bear to break Evie’s heart with the complicated truth. Instead, she stayed silent and lied by omission.
“I mean, the four of us are living the dream here and finally get to share it. What could be more important than that?” asked Evie.
“Yeah, I know,” Mal said, raising her voice and doing her best to match Evie’s outraged tone. She didn’t want to appear culpable for the decision. “I mean, maybe security? Or maybe peace of mind for everyone in Auradon?” she offered tentatively. Mal hoped Evie might see things from the other perspective. But all she saw in Evie’s eyes was frustration and hurt.
“Is that what they’re thinking? M, are they seriously thinking that no one will ever go in or out of the Isle ever again? I mean, what, we never get to go back and see our parents?” Evie wasn’t running home for mother-daughter makeovers with Evil Queen anytime soon, but she liked knowing she had the option. The idea of never was just so…well, final. “And what about these kids? We promised them they could go back and visit whenever they wanted.”
“Yeah, I know,” said Mal. She looked into Evie’s concerned eyes and nearly crumbled under the guilt.
Evie stood up and closed the distance between them. She put her arm around Mal and searched for the positive: an Isle-born villain kid would soon sit on the throne. VKs would have a champion on the inside. Decisions about the Isle would be made by someone who’d lived on the Isle, who understood its complexities and empathized with its residents. This was a good thing—a very good thing. “M, I am so glad that you’re going to be queen. You will be part of these conversations. You will stand up for the VKs. Thank you for telling me.”
Evie hugged Mal, and her embrace was full of gratitude and love. “You’ll be a great queen,” said Evie.
Mal nodded miserably and couldn’t bear to look Evie in the eye.
Okay, I feel absolutely horrible about lying to Evie. I’ve never not told her the truth. At least today will be better, with Jane’s party to enjoy. It’ll be nice just to relax and celebrate her. I am so ready for no drama.
The next morning, as the warm summer sun rose over Evie’s house, Evie and Jay stood in her light-strewed kitchen and packed up three straw picnic baskets for Jane’s birthday party.
“Sandwich,” said Evie, tossing one to Jay. He caught it one-handed, like the skilled athlete he was. His short-sleeved maroon hoodie showed off his biceps in action.
Evie, who’d chosen to wear a sporty shorts romper to the summer soiree, laughed, then started to playfully pluck apples from the fruit basket and toss them to Jay with perfect precision. He looked up as Carlos, all smiles and cheerfulness, walked into the kitchen.
“Good morning,” Carlos said with a spring in his step. Wearing a black-and-white diagonally striped shirt and white jeans, Carlos had clearly put effort into looking extra handsome for the party. Carlos wanted Jane’s day to be as wonderful as she was. Jane was always doing thoughtful things to make everyone else feel special, and that day he planned to do the same for her. He’d picked a bouquet of wild bluebells that matched the color of her eyes, bought several giant birthday balloons as cheery as her smile, and ordered a yellow layer cake with vanilla buttercream, light blue frosting, and pink fondant bows—her favorite.
“I really think she’s gonna like the cake, you guys,” said Carlos, who’d had Happy Bibbidi-Bobbidi Birthday, Jane! scrolled in icing along the top.
“Oh, yeah?” asked Evie.
Carlos had a huge grin on his face as he walked to the pink bakery box, but suddenly, he frowned with surprise. A giant slice of the cake was missing. “Oh, no! Who got into Jane’s cake?” he asked, exasperated. What kind of evil person would eat someone else’s birthday cake?
Celia and Dizzy sat beneath the lilac vines on Evie’s back patio and laughed with delight. Their hands and faces were covered in telltale icing, and cake crumbs cascaded down their bright party dresses. “Dee-licious,” Dizzy said, giggling.
“I especially liked the lack of dirt,” chirped Celia, who had once received an actual mud pie on her birthday.
“And the lack of flies,” Dizzy agreed, licking her fingers. Sprinkles tasted way better than bugs.
Celia took another huge bite and nodded in agreement. “Want some?” She offered her plate to Dizzy, who had already finished every last crumb of cake on her own plate.
“Thank you,” Dizzy said, and happily gobbled up more. The two daughters of villains agreed: cake was definitely the best thing about life in Auradon so far.
Mouthwatering birthday cake was no longer a novelty for Mal, but she was looking forward to Jane’s party for other reasons. The past couple of days had been über-intense, and she gladly welcomed a few hours with her friends at the Enchanted Lake. She’d wrapped Jane’s present in a big purple gift bag and was wearing new purple denim skorts for the special occasion. But no sooner had Mal exited the glass French doors to Evie’s place than she was gree
ted by a mysterious explosion of billowing pink smoke.
“I was hoping you were home.” Mal heard the familiar voice of Sleeping Beauty’s daughter, whipped her head around, and stared at Audrey incredulously. Audrey looked utterly villainous. She cradled Maleficent’s scepter in her right hand and, with an air of entitlement, wore the queen’s majestic sapphire crown on top of her magenta ombre hair.
“Huh? Is this a joke?” asked Mal, sincerely wondering if the precious princess was off to another one of her lame costume balls. “What are you doing with the crown and the scepter?”
Audrey glared at Mal, spite radiating from her eyes, and extinguished any ideas of humor. “Well, I wanted them, so I took them. You of all people should understand that, Mal,” she hissed, taking a thinly veiled jab at Mal for stealing Ben from her.
Mal looked Audrey up and down suspiciously. The orb of Maleficent’s scepter glowed venomously, and Audrey seemed to be drinking in its power. Mal tried not to freak out, but this was bad—really, really bad. Mal was all too familiar with the destructive powers of her mother’s loathsome staff.
Audrey glared at her nemesis. Then she crouched down, cradling the scepter, as if to cast a spell.
“Wait. Audrey, stop. Don’t use that!” Mal begged, desperately trying to think of a way to disarm her.
“I thought you liked spells,” purred Audrey, relishing her upper hand.
Mal’s alarm heightened. She had to convince Audrey to relinquish the scepter before the vengeful princess did something she’d regret. Perhaps she should appeal to her as a friend. Mal tried to employ her sweetest-sounding voice. “Okay, Audrey—”
Audrey interrupted Mal right there. She wasn’t buying Mal’s chummy act, not for a minute. “Quiet,” she ordered. With a savage blow, she struck the glowing scepter on the ground and released a worrying shower of bright sparks.
Mal genuinely quivered. “That’s not a toy!” she exclaimed. “It’s dangerous.”
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