Bridging the Gap

Chapter 7

"Name it."

"Get Hadie out of here," Mal said and to Macaria's credit, her cousin didn't react. Mal had to admit, it was weird referring to the other girl by the familial title, even if it was just in her head. The only family Mal had really ever known was Hadie and Evie. "My mother has gone on rants as to what she would like to do to him and I don't want him to get hurt."

"I'll get him out," Macaria nodded, the look on her face indicating that she had no need for an explanation. "Hyllus will be able to help too—he's up on the balcony, last time I saw him. I think dad told mom and Herkie to get out but knowing mom, she didn't listen."

"Text him," Mal said, ducking behind the frozen bodies of Audrey and Aurora to avoid detection as opposed to crouching out in the open as they had been previously. "Ask him if Evie, Jay and Carlos are frozen."

Macaria nodded and began frantically typing on her cell phone as she moved behind the frozen body of another royal. Mal held her breath as she waited for a response, looking over her shoulder to see what all was going on.

There were plants that seemed to be creeping along the floor, as if targeting Maleficent's feet. Mal was confused at first until she remembered who Persephone was, what her title was. The Goddess of Vegetation would have a lot more ammo than she would if she was on the Isle.

However, one blast from the scepter was all Maleficent needed to stop the attack in its tracks.

"Okay," Macaria said, closing her phone and bringing Mal back to the task at hand. "He's in and your friends are unfrozen. They're making their way down now. I have many questions but I know that they'll have to wait. What's your plan?"

Mal stared at Macaria as if she was from another planet. "For your brother to grab mine when he enters the room and then run like hell."

"Good plan. Simple."

"Well, we are going up against my mother!" Mal hissed, looking back over her shoulder. She couldn't help but wonder who would draw first blood. It was then that she realized something—Persephone had Hadie behind her. If Persephone made too big of a move, it could open Hadie up for her mother to enact part of her revenge.

"Tell your brother to move," Mal told Macaria, who nodded and sent a brief text. It was then that Mal was aware of a shadow looming over them.

"Am I boring you girls?" Maleficent asked, grabbing Macaria by the throat and lifting her up. Mal jumped to her feet as the older girl was thrown into the air, nearly hitting Persephone and crashing into the wall behind them.

"I see you've made some friends Mal," Maleficent said, walking toward Ben and his family. "Some more important than others. I must confess I found myself disappointed that my own daughter didn't feel it important enough to tell me that she would be accompanying the prince to his own coronation."

"How could I get the word to you, mother?" Mal asked, thinking on her feet. "All of our correspondence is watched, and the people of Auradon aren't as stupid as they look. They could have broken my code."

"Bah! I know Anastasia gets letters out to her insipid husband. If someone as dimwitted as her can do it and not get caught, you could have gotten word to me," Maleficent said, whirling around, standing where Mal had been standing previously; dangerously close to Ben. "Unless you were protecting someone?"

"Who would I be protecting mother?" Mal asked, standing as straight as she could as she faced her mother. "You are the only one I have allegiance to."

Maleficent looked at her daughter and slowly shook her head. "You want to believe it but you don't. Your loyalty belongs to someone else. Is it the Prince? Do I need to remind you that love is weakness?"