Stolen Waters (Descendants Jay x OC)

Chapter 53

Turning back toward the wall where the portal had closed, Syl drew a complicated design in the air with her wand, then pushed it toward the stone. The magical green lines seemed to be absorbed within the stone. They faded slightly, then were tugged toward the center of a particular stone. They began to swirl, faster and faster until there was a swirling green hole in the middle of the wall.

Syl sighed and sent a pleading look at her friends. "Please stay safe," she said quietly. Then, before Mal could react, Syl plucked Hades' Ember out her hands, then jumped into the portal.

"Wait!" Mal shouted, lunging after her.

"Mal!"

"Syl!"

The portal shrunk to the size of a pin, then disappeared completely, leaving a group of confused adults looking at the place where the six friends had once stood.

Unconcerned, Morgan looked up. "Is there any chance you won't make me go back to the isle?" she asked the Fairy Godmother.

Sylphrenia stepped out into a vibrant forest. The trees were rustling in the warm breeze, their branches swaying back and forth. It would be a serene scene if it weren't for the sounds of yelling coming from Syl's right.

Sighing, Syl tucked Hades' Ember into her sleeve along with the spinning needle. Then, without turning back, she said, "If you're going to follow me, at least try to stay hidden."

"I don't think you get to tell us what to do," Ben said, his voice authoritative.

Syl turned to look at her friends with a blank look. They looked disoriented as they stared around at the forest in shock. "Stay hidden," she commanded.

Turning away, she headed toward the violent sounds, her shoes crunching in the leaves as she did so. The others followed her and Syl just hoped that they would have enough sense to stay away from what was about to happen.

She arrived in a clearing that was only a little ways away from where the portal had let her out. As she stepped out of the clump of trees that blocked the clearing from sight, she let out a laugh.

Hades was kneeling on the ground in front of a rough stone altar, his arms twisted behind his back. The woman that looked like Sylphrenia - who she now knew to be Salophena - was holding his wrists with one hand. Despite Hades's violent struggle and loud grunts, it was clear that he had no chance of wrestling out of Salophena's strong grip.

"At last," a silky voice purred. "The little princess has arrived."

"Hello Nimueh," Syl said boredly, her face blank as she turned toward the woman perched upon the altar. One leg was propped up on the other in a jaunty position as the woman lounged on the top of the stone surface.

The woman was beautiful in a disturbing way. Despite her skin being several shades darker than Syl's, she looked pale. Her eyes were slanted in an inhuman way like someone had taken her skin and pulled it tight against her skull. Her cheekbones protruded too far out of her face and her smile was wider than should be possible. The veins on her neck were enlarged and twisting almost like worms as they pushed against her skin. Her hair looked silky and smooth, but Syl knew if she looked closely she would be able to see different strands of animal fur that had been weaved together to create a wig of hair.

"You've got something on your face," Nimeuh said with a cackle. She waved her fingers over her own face but her catlike eyes were trained on Syl. The girl vaguely noticed that the woman was missing her fingernails.

"Sorry, I've been a little busy to notice," Syl said. She dug her fingers into her already-broken glamour and pulled it off her face. It came away almost like an eggshell, the broken pieces pulling up together in chunks. As Syl finished shedding the last of her glamour off of her body, she heard a tiny gasp behind her. Hoping Nimueh hadn't heard the noise, she looked up at the woman. Her eyes were vacant but there was a look of pleasure on her face.