When we were turned back to life, we all headed for the school. Mal had broken Audrey's spell, but Audrey was knocked unconscious due to the power of the ember. We brought her to her dorm and surrounded her bed, trying to decide what to do.
"She's slipping away," Evie says worriedly.
Mal drops her head then looks up, "There's only one person in the world who might be able to do something about this, and that's Hades." Ben looks up, "Hades? He wouldn't do it. I wouldn't risk it." Mal replies, "Actually, he might do it for me. He's my father." Everyone looks shocked except me. "I guessed he was. Remember when Mom and Dad would tell us stories about the villains on the Isle, Ben? The ember only worked for Hades. So I figured if Mal could use it then she had to be half Hades. But I didn't say anything in case I was wrong."
Ben folds his arms and exhales, "Okay. Well, I'll have to send guards to get him." Uma speaks up, "Maybe I can hitch a ride. The Isle is my home. Someone needs to be there to protect it."
Harry puts his hands on her shoulders, "Well, then, you will need your first mate." Uma grins and Mal assures them, "The Isle will be in very good hands." Celia speaks up, "Can I go, too?" We all look at her and she says, "I wish I could be in both places." Mal addresses Uma, "I really think that Evie was right. And... I do think that we could've been friends." She turns to all of us, "And I'm really sorry that I lied to all of you guys. You deserved so much better than that."
Jay assures her, "You were just trying to do the right thing." She turns to ma and I nod, "Yeah." Evie smiles at her, "I get it."
Next morning
Ben, Mal, Mom, Dad, and I surround Audrey's bed. Queen Leah sits by her side. I stare at the embellishments on my dress when a knock at the door makes my head jerk up.
Dad opened the door and stepped aside as several guards and a heavily shackled Hades enter the room. Mal stands in front of him and says softly, "Thank you for coming."
"Didn't have much choice," Hades says, looking from side to side at the guards,
"Can you wake her?" Ben asks. Hades asks, "Since when do heroes care about villains?" Ben tries to explain, "She's-" Hades finishes, "One of your own." He shakes his head, chuckling, "Right. When you guys try to destroy the world... it's an error in judgment. But when it's one of us... lock them up and throw away the key. Right, Beast?" Dad looks away and I step towards Hades, hands behind my back.
"Maybe you're right. Maybe we are a little backwards like that. But we're trying to right our wrongs, starting with Audrey. And deep down- even if not for our sake- you want to help...for Mal's." He stares at me and then says, "Gotta say...quite the truthful speech."
He holds out his hands and everyone but me flinches. "Yeah. I'm gonna need to use my hands," Hades reminds us. I hold out my hand to a guard and he goes to give me the key. "Brielle," Dad says and the guard stops, his hand hovering over mine and clasping the key. I huff and turn to look at my Dad, "Yeah?" He knows I'm still annoyed that I have no say in the program shutting down, so he just sighs and nods.
The guard gives me the key and I unlock the handcuffs. I step back as Hades rubs his wrists and beckons for Mal to give him the ember. She hands it over and he squeezes it, his hair igniting into blue flames.
"Haven't lost my touch," Hades grins. He turns to Dad and growls. Dad growls back and Mal and I say exasperatedly, "Dad!" Hades shrugs and approaches Audrey. He circles the ember and the room turns blue. After a few seconds, Audrey wakes up and sits up.
"Audrey. You're okay," Queen Leah exclaims. Audrey faces me, Ben, and Mal, "Tell me it was all a bad dream." Ben kind of scoffs, "I wish I could. But, it's over now." Audrey's eyes water and her voice shakes, "I'm sorry. I wanted to hurt you both. I wanted to hurt all of you."
Mal says, "I have owed you an apology for... a very long time now." Ben adds, "And so have I." "And so have I," I confess. "I wasn't exactly the nicest person to you."
Queen Leah speaks up, "And perhaps, I have owed you one, too."
Dad motions for the guards to take Hades away. "Oh, yeah," he smirks as he's escorted out. I turn to Audrey and smile at her, "I hope we can become friends now." She smiles and nods, "Me too." I stand up, "Excuse me." I go outside her dorm and see Hades and Mal in the hall.
I walk towards them and smile, "Thank you." He smirks and nods as the guards turn him around and continue walking. He hands Mal the ember from behind his back and we watch them leave, Mal tightly clasping the ember.