Wicked Ones ♛ MAL [✓]

➣ twenty-four.

024. | AUDREY'S REVENGE

I paced back and forth in front of the doors nervously, anxious for the meeting between Fairy Godmother, Mal, Ben, and his parents to be over. I hated that I didn't know what was going on, but Mal had been appointed as Ben's advisor, not me. So all I could do was wait.

After the fiasco with Hades, the people of Auradon were in a panic. They were afraid that something like that would happen again, and I knew that to most people, closing the barrier permanently would seem like the best solution. But we had made a promise to all the VKs that we wouldn't do that. And I knew Mal well enough to know that she wouldn't let it happen.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Mal and Ben came out the room. Ben looked crestfallen, and Mal looked heartbroken, and I knew by their faces that whatever they had spoken about hadn't been good.

I stepped up to Mal as Ben walked away. But I hadn't even opened my mouth to speak before she embraced me in a tight hug, nearly knocking me over in the process. I was momentarily stunned at first, but quickly hugged her back, resting my chin on her shoulder and letting out a deep sigh.

"You okay?" I asked softly.

Mal nodded, leaning back to look at me. "Yeah, I'm better now. You?"

I shook my head when I realized she thought I was referring to the confrontation with Hades. "That's not what I meant. I meant, is everything okay? How'd it go?"

Mal sighed. Looking down at the floor, she took my hands and shook her head. "Ben and I... we decided to install all these new security measures... for everyone's safety. You know, just... just in case this happens again."

She was refusing to look at me, and I knew by her face that there was something else she wasn't telling me. Putting my hand on her cheek, I said in a soft voice, "You know you can tell me anything... Right?"

Mal nodded, taking my hand and removing it from her face. "I know. It's just... Now is not the right time."

I couldn't hide my surprise. She'd never said that to me before; usually she would say, "I'll tell you later" or "Don't worry, I can handle it". But she had never told me that it wasn't the right time.

Still, I pressed her to tell me more. "I know there's something else. So what is it?"

Mal exhaled softly. "My mom's scepter and the Queen's crown were stolen last night."

I blinked in shock. "What? By who?"

"We don't know," Mal said. "But Beast thinks it was Uma."

"I don't believe that," I said, shaking my head.

Mal sighed. "Neither do I. But she's the only suspect we have so far."

I looked down, going over her words in my head. Then, I looked up at her and said, "We need to tell Evie."

Mal nodded. "We can do that tomorrow." When I started to protest, she held up a hand to stop me. "We've had a really long day, and I think we could both use a good night's sleep."

"Okay." I nodded. "But we're telling her first thing tomorrow morning."

Mal dipped her head in a nod. "First thing, I promise."