As I came to my senses, an unfamiliar stench of rotting fish and dampness filled my nostrils.

Ugh, I thought to myself sleepily, Chef Louis must have dumped the rubbish under my open window again.

I shifted, feeling a cool draft blow over me, and reached for my blankets. Instead, my hands grasped thin air.

My eyes shot open.

I could suddenly feel the rock hard ground that my shoulder blades were digging into, and the fact that my backside was so cold that it had turned numb.

I sat up slowly, my blood turning cold as I took in my surroundings. I was sheltering in a small doorway down a dark alley, clearly the back of some kind of restaurant judging by the smell coming from the bin next to me. It was lit only by a single filthy lamp that kept flickering as though it were about to go out.

Across the alley, I could just about make out the multi-coloured graffiti on the crumbling walls. Phrases like 'Down with Auradon' and 'Long Live Maleficent' were spray painted crudely onto the peeling mortar, whilst posters of King Beast and Belle had been scrawled over, marking them with devil horns and fangs.

CRASH.

I had to cover my mouth with my hand to stop the scream as the sound of clattering trashcans broke the silence. A cat streaked past me, heading to the entrance of the alley. I watched him go, and then immediately shrank back as I realised what had startled him.

My heart beating wildly, I could do nothing but stare as large shadows danced around the opening of the alley. A sliver of light appeared, illuminating the main street, and shouts of laughter filled the lane. However, this was not the peals of delight that were often heard in Auradon, no, these were mean screeches, cruel cackles and evil shrieks.

I could only pray they wouldn't look down the alley and see me, for I was hardly hidden sitting directly under a light.

However, a few seconds later and the creak of a heavy door left me alone in the dark silence once more.

As I forced my breathing to slow, I knew that one thing was abundantly clear.

This was not Auradon.

This was the Isle of the Lost.

And at that point, the memories came flooding back.

"She did it!" Audrey cried, pointing her finger at me and pouting. "She was the one who stole it, I saw it in her locker!"

I rolled my eyes as Fairy Godmother turned on me with a disapproving look. Audrey was always one for theatrics around the adults and it annoyed me to no end.

Turning to my locker, I punched in the code, wondering what had been put in there this time. Perhaps it was Jane's favourite necklace, or maybe Ally's homework?

However, as the door swung open, the glint of silver stopped me in my tracks. I turned to stare at Audrey. She wouldn't have, surely?

The girl smirked at me.

She had.

I swung back to see the statue of the school mascot – a silver dove, with its wings outstretched and an olive branch balanced in its beak – perched on top of my schoolbooks.

Now I was in trouble.

Big trouble.

No one had permission to remove the school mascot from its pride place in Fairy Godmother's office, and it was considered a serious offence to even touch it.

In fact, it was rumoured to hold the power of the school and many of Auradon's residents even considered it to be the reason they had been able to defeat the villains in the first place. To remove it from its safe place was considered to be as villainous as the acts of the villains themselves.

"Fairy Godmother, I – " I started, but I was too late.

"You have gone too far this time, Crimson," the headmistress said quietly. "I need you to come with me."

She reached forward, retrieved the dove out of my locker and started down the corridor, her little heels clicking on the perfect marble floor.

Reluctantly I followed, keeping my head up and ignoring all the looks and quiet whispers from my fellow classmates.

Upon reaching her office, Fairy Godmother invited me to sit in the worn leather armchair in front of her desk whilst she paced back and forth, muttering under her breath. I toyed with the idea of protesting my innocence, but it had never worked before, and I didn't believe it would now.

I dared a glance up and immediately caught the eye of the headmistress. Her grey eyes were stony, but she said nothing. Most saw her as a sweet, gentle woman, but she could be stern when she wanted to be and at this moment I didn't know what was worse – the silence or a scolding.

Eventually, she left the room, telling me to stay put and wait.

It must have been nearly an hour before she returned, by which time I had read every single poster and notice in the room twice over and was sitting gnawing on my lip as I stared out the window and into the courtyard directly below.

She sat down opposite me and took a deep breath. I forced my eyes away from the window and folded my hands in my lap as I waited for her to speak.

"Crimson, you're aware that you were permitted to attend Auradon Prep purely on a probationary basis?"

"Yes, I'm aware," I confirmed cautiously as my heart dropped. This was not good. Normally I didn't care what punishment I was given; detention didn't bother me, and neither did writing lines. However, this time I couldn't help but think that things were not going to be okay.

"Stealing goes directly against our code of morals at this school. You've had ten incidents logged in the last month alone."

"Yes I know this, that's why I don't do it! I promise you I did not take the mascot, I wouldn't dare!"

Fairy Godmother's eyes turned steely. "Lying is not a good quality to have, Crimson. You are the only one here with a villain for a mother."

I flinched at that. My mother was not something that was mentioned, not by my father and certainly not by me. I was the result of a one night stand, a single night when my father had ventured onto the Isle of the Lost in a fit of rage. He was lucky that they'd allowed him back, and I was lucky my father had wanted me when my mother did not.

"I'm afraid this is out of my hands," Fairy Godmother continued. "I've tried my best, but stealing the mascot… just what were you hoping to achieve?"

I said nothing, knowing that she was never going to believe me. I could feel the anger building inside me, and fought to control it, focusing on my breathing as my father had taught me. Subconsciously, I took a lock of my dark hair and twisted it round and round my finger.

"You know that want you have done is considered a crime within Auradon. This mascot represents everything that we are… and everything that we are not. It represents peace and goodness and holds power within that even I do not understand. It is far more powerful than my wand."

Fairy Godmother was stalling, I could tell. Her eyes kept flickering to the doorway behind me as though she were waiting for someone to appear.

However, she continued to lecture me for a few minutes further and it was only when she realised I was no longer responding that we fell into an uneasy silence.

As Fairy Godmother turned to tap away on her computer, my gaze returned to the cuckoo clock on the wall above her and I watched as the minutes ticked by, slowly turning into hours.

It was nearly the end of the day before I noticed a shift in Fairy Godmother's expression, a temporary glimmer of relief.

I turned round, half expecting my father, but what I saw made my stomach lurch.

It was not my father. Instead, the towering figure of King Beast stood in the doorway with Queen Belle at his side, their expressions grave. Prince Ben, their son, was also there, standing a little way behind them and clearly uncomfortable as he shifted from foot to foot.

I swallowed nervously. If it had been my father then there would have been some hope that this would have been resolved. To have the rulers of the kingdom before me meant that that little bit of hope had fizzled up and died.

I watched King Beast as he entered the room, greeting Fairy Godmother and settling himself near the fireplace. Belle and Ben followed him, Belle sharing a worried look with the King before he turned to me.

For a moment I didn't know whether to stand, bow or stay sitting as those crisp blue eyes bored into me. Whilst I knew his son, I had never met the King before.

However, before I could do anything, he spoke.

"Miss Jefferson," he addressed me. "I don't believe we've met before, and I'm sorry that we are meeting in these circumstances.

'As you're aware, we have tried our best to accommodate you here in Auradon and you have been closely monitored because of… well your rather unusual background. However, it has come to my attention that you have been involved in multiple incidents in the past few months. Pranks are one thing, but lying, vandalism and stealing, these are acts that cannot be overlooked.

'I'm sure you can understand that, as leader of this kingdom, I have to put the safety of my people first. There have been several complaints from concerned parents that someone of your lineage has been allowed so much freedom in Auradon, and since these incidents Fairy Godmother has been under orders to inform us of any serious breaches of our rules. Therefore, when she contacted us earlier today, you can understand that we have to take serious action. To steal the mascot, something so important to the people of Auradon, is unforgiveable." He paused, sharing a glance with his wife. "I am sorry Miss Jefferson, and it is with regret that I have to inform you that you are to be formally excluded from Auradon Prep… and banished to the Isle of the Lost."

My mouth fell open.

"I truly hoped that we could make this work," Beast continued. "You are, after all, an unusual case. However, there is clearly still some evil intent that runs through your veins that we cannot allow here in Auradon. What you were intending to do with the mascot's powers is barely worth fathoming. We created the Isle as a way to stop these acts from occurring and to keep our people safe. I'm afraid that after today, having you here defeats the object of that. I will not have my people living in fear once again."

I continued to stare at him, his words barely registering in my mind.

"Please know dear, the decision has not been taken lightly," the Queen interjected quickly, clearly hoping to appease me as she placed her hands on her husband's arm.

I had no response. Instead, my gaze strayed to Ben, who was now completely avoiding my gaze. He wasn't even going to defend me.

Tears stung my eyes as I realised the hopelessness of the situation I was in and I turned away, fists clenched. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Beast angle himself between Belle and me, as if he was afraid of what I might do. My emotions were already raw and so the anger rose within me lightning hot.

"I am not my mother," I told him, my eyes flashing.

The room was still for a moment; the air thick with tension, until Fairy Godmother placed a hand on my shoulder gently, a warning as well as a means to ground me. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, before turning back to the royals with one more plea.

"Your majesty, please rethink this. I didn't do it. I didn't take the mascot; you have to believe me." I looked to Ben desperately. "Ben, please! You've known me my whole life, I wouldn't do this."

Ben finally met my gaze. "Dad," he said shakily. "Is there really nothing-?"

The King cut him off. "People such as her are dangerous. You weren't around when the villains were loose. It is better this way, trust me."

Ben looked back down again.

I knew at that point there was no hope at all.

I shivered, remembering the short time they had given me to say goodbye to my father. Thankfully, it was one of his more lucid days, and he'd hugged me close and pleaded with King Beast on my behalf. Unfortunately, to no avail.

They had only let me grab those items that meant the most to me before Fairy Godmother gave one swish of her wand and I found myself up here.

Here, where I knew nobody.

Here, a place full of real villains.

Here, where my mother lived.

Tears trekked down my cheeks as I hugged my knees close to my chest. I was likely never going to see my father again. No more weekend sessions discovering new tea flavours together. No more of that goofy grin. No more of the only person who believed in me.

They had ripped everything from me, and left me with nothing. All on the word of the daughter of Sleeping Beauty, the girl who'd had it in for me since we were ten and King Ben had kissed me. Apparently, I'd stolen her boyfriend and so that made me a target.

Anger threatening to take over, I wiped my eyes furiously and glanced around me. There had to be a way to get back, to explain myself.

It was at that moment, out of the corner of my eye, something moved across the floor in the dim light.

I froze, anger forgotten. There was one thing in this world I was deadly afraid of. And that one thing was scuttling towards me on eight legs.

I couldn't move fast enough. My mind fogged by fear, I scrambled up, knocking over the trashcan as I did so. I barely even noticed, my eyes fixed solely on the black dot, now paused where I had been sitting. Not wanting it to move again, I slowly crept backwards, and then, when I was far enough away, I turned to run.

However, instead of running out of the alley, I ran straight into something firm and hard as marble.

I stepped back, rubbing my forehead which was smarting from whatever I had hit.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" an amused voice asked.