Wicked Dawn | 'Till The Night Falls Book 1 (Disney Descendants)

Chapter 26: A 'Mine'r Conundrum

"Evie, be careful," Mal hissed. "Remember what happened before? She killed you and tried to do the same to Doug! I don't think we can trust her."

Evie hesitated. Her eyes flashed with pure confusion. And then, leaning forward, she took the Dragon Ring from Queenie and studied it. Nothing was said for a moment.

Mal frowned. "Earth to Evie."

She snapped out of her trance-like state. "Huh? What? Oh...seems all right to me." She handed it off to Doug who took it hesitantly. "So, what is it? And if it belonged to Doug's mother, how do you have it?"

"I did a bit of research," Queenie answered, waving off Evie's accusing tone. "Turns out his mother is this super-powerful sorceress from the Isle. The ring? She gave it to me. It's a lot like Merlin's. But not exactly the same."

"What are you saying?" Doug questioned, speaking up for the first time. "Are....you saying...my mother's alive?"

"Alive and kicking," Queenie replied with a tight smirk.

All color drained from the dwarf's face. Evie noticed this and moved to catch him in case he suddenly fainted. "What are you talking about?" the bluenette demanded angrily, trying to coax Doug into a seat before he fell over.

Queenie shrugged. "I mean, it's not like it's a big secret. Everyone on the Isle knows she had a hero's kid."

"I didn't know that." Evie pointed at herself. "How? As far as I knew, no villains on the Isle...other than my mother...had any kids with any heroes."

"Well, then, how is he here?" Queenie gestured toward Doug with an eye roll. "Seriously, think about it! He's the NeoMerlin! His coming was foretold hundreds of years ago. And that ring just furthers the proof. Now, is that enough to show you I come in peace?"

"Not quite," Mal snapped. "Tell us who his mother is."

Now Queenie looked truly shocked. "You mean you don't know? How? I mean, it's so obvious!" She looked Doug up and down, scowling at his favorite lime green shirt and white everything else. He no longer looked like a villain and it was as clear as day.

"Not really," Jay pointed out.

"So spill," Carlos added.

"Please," Evie finished, clinging desperately to Doug's arm.

Queenie hesitated.

"You want us to trust you?" Mal snapped at the redhead. "Well, this is the way."

Queenie scowled at her. "Fine," she growled through gritted teeth. "If that's how you want to play this, so be it. His mother is--"

She was interrupted by a scream from Ben as he sprinted down the hall and broke through the door. "MORGANA!" he bellowed, ushering the kids in and shoving them underneath a table for protection. "EVERYBODY GET DOWN!"

All around her, Mal felt the others obey. Thinking on instinct, she seized Queenie by the shirt collar and threw her to the floor before diving down next to her. She didn't know what was happening, but she had heard the sorceress's name, meaning that whatever was about to follow would most likely be loud, dramatic, and painful.

She was right.

One minute, everything was quiet. The next, there was a hiss like a dragon about to take a breath...and the entire room went up in flames. Mal felt the heat of the explosion and covered her head with her arms and squeezed her eyes shut. Even through her eyelids, she saw the flash of white and the screams as everything erupted into chaos. The force of the impact sent her flying across the room where she smashed into a wall and fell painfully to the ground.