The group at the bottom of the stairs awoke from their trance-like calmness at the sound of Ben coming down the stairs. He looked pretty gloomy and beaten, as if all of his emotional shareholders had just gone bankrupt.
Evie was the one to ask the obvious question after looking around. "Where's Mal?"
"She's not coming back," Ben informed the group.
That made Y/n spring to her feet. "What? You're saying we snuck out and all that stuff for nothing?"
Ben didn't answer, just walking down an alley.
"I'll talk to her," Evie promised, going to a pipe-like thing that flared at the end.
Y/n looked at Asher worriedly. If they didn't get Mal back... She didn't know what would happen. Would Ben have to choose a new queen-to-be? Would the rest stay on the Isle? Would Carlos stay on the Isle?
Asher placed a comforting hand on Y/n shoulder, nodding to Evie as a signal to listen and see.
"Mal, it's Evie," Evie pleaded. "Let me just talk to you for a second. Come on..."
"Go away!" sounded from the pipe.
Jay, who'd been keeping an eye on the alley Ben disappeared to, walked over to Evie. "Let's give her a couple of hours to cool off."
Carlos nodded in agreement, still standing and keeping watch. He was about to say something to Y/n (she knew because he was looking at her) when he strained his eyes down the alley. "Guys, where's Ben?"
Evie looked down the alley, Asher and Y/n walking over to join the group as well. "Ben?" the blue-haired girl asked before seeing a familiar slouched figure walk towards them. "Ben!"
The whole group sighed in relief. Evie scoffed. "Ben, don't scare us like that."
"Don't scare you?" a voice asked, dripping with accent. Y/n quickly took a step back and Asher's hand flew to the hilt of his sword. The guy didn't sound like good news. "But that's my speciality." Suddenly, his eyes stopped on Y/n and his crazy grin widened. "Ohh, look at that face! Bet they'd pay a lot for it up north..."
Asher smoothly drew his sword at the words, pointing it at Harry. "Take one step closer, you mumbling fool, and I'll cut you to pieces."
Harry raised his brows along with his hands. "No need to get riled up, ay, pretty boy?"
Asher adjusted his grip on the sword, keeping his eyes as sharp as the blade.
Jay sighed. "What did you do with Ben, Harry?"
"Ohh, uh, we nicked him," he pointed down the alley. "Mm-hmm. Yeah. And if you want to see him again, have Mal come to the Chip Shoppe tonight. Alone. Uma wants a little visit." His eyes inspected the group. "Aww, Jay, seems like you've lost your touch."
Jay wanted to charge at the boy but Evie held him back.
Harry only chuckled before turning to Carlos and letting out a mocking bark. Y/n looked at Carlos with raised brows. What was with this guy?
When the teen with the hook in his hand found himself looking at the princess of the North again, Asher cleared his throat, raising the sword he'd slightly lowered at some point. "Get going, madman, you've delivered your message."
Harry grinned, keeping eye contact with Y/n while backing up a few steps before turning around and disappearing into the fog.
Y/n shivered with disgust and Asher sheathed his sword. "Who was that guy?" Y/n asked.
Carlos was the one to answer. "Harry, son of Captain Hook. Part of Uma's gang along with Gil, the guy we met earlier."
"And who's Uma?" Asher butted in.
Evie sighed, going back to the pipe used for communication. "The daughter of Ursula. Usually bad news."
"Hey," Jay said, stopping her from speaking into the pipe again. "Let's use the other way up."