Letting Off Steam

Age 10

I slipped into the mine, as quietly as I could and keeping to the shadows. Just like dad had taught me.

All I had to do was make it to my room.

Closer. One step at a time.

"Mal, is that you?"

"Who else would it be?"

Stay in the den. Stay in the den. Please, just stay in the den.

"Where have you…what happened?"

He'd left the den. Standing under an arch in the cave he looked me over.

I must have looked like a mess. My hair was wild, my clothes torn. I was pretty sure I was sporting a black eye. I held my hand to my chest, trying to stop the pain emanating from my fingers.

He took a step forward. "What happened?"

I knew the rage in his eyes. He was already plotting something horrible for whoever had hurt me. I tried to smile. "If it helps, I won."

"The 'you should see the other guy' excuse won't fly here."

"Claire Clayton and I had a disagreement."

"Clayton? The poacher's daughter?"

I nodded.

Dad crossed his arms. "And what was your disagreement about?"

I cringed and muttered my response.

"So I can hear you, Mal."

"She started it."

"Mal," A final warning. Not Mali, not little dragon or little demon. Mal.

"She tried to break Carlos' arm because he was at the front of the line for lunch."

"Where were the teachers?"

"Egging us on. Mother Gothell and Judge Frollo were even making bets." A typical day at Dragon Hall. "They applauded her wickedness."

"And you?"

"They like the fighting but because I did it to protect someone and for revenge, they were somewhat split on whether or not to punish me."

"Did they?"

I shrugged. "They gave me detention but I didn't go."

A smile. "That's my girl."

The praise for skipping detention would more than make up for protecting someone. I'd be extra late tomorrow, just to be sure.

Dad sighed. "Come with me."

I obeyed.

"Sit."

I sat on his throne. The only person besides him who could.

"Hand." He inspected my fingers. "Three broken, next time hit with your thumb on the outside." He looked up at me. "And for what it's worth, I'm proud of you for standing up for your friend."

Present

Carlos was fighting a man on the tv when Evie and I arrived in the boy's room and Jay was sorting through a pile of ill-gotten gains on his bed.

"Jay, what are you doing?"

"It's called stealing."

"Really? I've never heard of such a thing."

Jay went with the joke. "Well, Mal. It's like buying whatever I want, except it's free."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Okay. So, you could do that, or you could leave all of this here and pick it up when we free everybody."

"Everybody?"

I nodded to Evie. "Everybody." If I had to free my mother to save my friends then dad would be getting out too.

"You sound like your mum."

I spun to face Carlos. Speaking through clenched teeth. "Never say that again."

The fire begun to build. I was not my mother.

"Whatever." He turned back to his game. "Die, suckers! Jay, come check this out. Man. It's awesome."

He dismissed me. How dare he dismiss me.

Mali.

Mali.

I hadn't brought the Ember with me but I could still hear it.

Mali.

He dismissed me.

He. Dismissed. Me.

The console exploded.

Carlos threw himself to the floor. "What the hell?!"

Evie ran over to him. "You okay?"

Carlos pushed himself to his feet. "Fine." He looked at the console. "Guess they cheaped out on the villain kids."

The fire settled. Boys and their toys.

"Guys! Do I have to remind you what we're all here for?" Evie tried to take charge.

That wasn't going to happen. "Fairy Godmother, blah, blah, blah. Magic wand, blah, blah, blah. You heard her; she doesn't use it anymore. It's probably somewhere really secure. So people, exactly like us, don't steal it."

Jay grinned. "I'm always up for a challenge." His grin reminded me of the time he threw himself out of Evie's window.

I wouldn't be egged on into following he this time.

I was in charge. They needed to be reminded of that.

"I say we wait." Mother said we had to get the wand, she never said when.

"But that means we have to go to school tomorrow," Jay wined.

"Know your enemy, right? They actually want to teach us. Imagine what we could learn." Another way to get dad off the Isle while still keeping my mother trapped inside.

Jay slid closer to me. "Brains and beauty."

"Shut up."

Evie grabbed me by the elbow. "I don't think waiting is a good idea."

"Good thing you're not in charge then."

She shrank back, I'd hurt her but she wouldn't question me, or my plan again.

Mali.

Mali.

The Ember continued to call to me as I tried to sleep on the cloud of a bed. It hadn't been this loud since I first held it as a child.

Mali.

Mali.

I pushed myself out of bed, pausing to check that Evie's soft snores remained the same.

She hadn't woken up.

Quietly I retrieved the Ember from its hiding place, between the wooden slats of the large bed and the mattress.

Good thing I wasn't a princess, the Ember was defiantly bigger than a pea.

It was warm in my hands; it had never been this hot before.

Checking Evie was still asleep, she was, I snuck out of the room.

Auradon Prep was creepy after dark.

I kinda liked it.

I moved in the shadows across the campus, through the hall and across the tourney field. There was a forest at its edge. No one would find me there.

The fire inside continued to build.

The Ember begged for release.

The forest probably wasn't the best place to play with fire but it was the only secluded place on campus. A forest fire could be caused by a number of things, me playing with fire couldn't.

I finally found a clearing in the forest's heart. It would do.

I took the Ember out. It was burning now. Anyone else would have blistered their hands but it didn't touch me.

Mali.

Mali.

For the first time I answered it.

Yes?

Burn.

I obeyed.

Instead of quashing the fire, I quashed the magic. Even without the sun the fire roared to life.

Burn.

It started in my gut and spread through my veins, reaching to my fingertips and spreading to my toes.

Burn.

The fire burst forth. I felt it in my head first, my hair bursting into flames as dad said his once did. It spread across my shoulders and down my arms. For the first time I could study it. Vivid blue, like the fire that constantly burned in the heart of the mine.

It was beautiful.

Burn.

The Ember wanted more.

For the first time I understood; I hadn't even tapped into its powers yet. The fire was all me.

I reached into the heart of the Ember, feeling its power follow the fire through my veins.

The air simmered with heat.

Burn.

"Hello?"

I pulled the fire back in. Quashing it just in time.

I could feel the Ember's rage. To get so close and still be denied.

Mali.

Its voice was angry. I pushed it back.

I am the daughter of Hades, your master; you will obey me and you will stay silent.

It didn't say another word.

"Hello?" The voice came again. This time it was followed by a girl stepping into the clearing. She stopped when she saw me. "Oh, hi."

"Hi," I crossed my arms. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

She crossed her arms too. "Shouldn't you?"

"Breaking rules is kinda our thing. What's your excuse?"

The girl gestured to a sword at her side. "Practice."

I was slightly intrigued. I raised an eyebrow. "For?"

"The fencing team is a boys' club. I need to show them from the beginning I'm better than any of them if I even have a chance of joining."

"Sword fighting?" I had some experience with it, mostly from taking on Uma's and Harriette Hook's crews. I could hold my own.

The girl offered me her hand. "I'm Lonnie." She spoke as if that meant something. "Mulan's daughter? No?" I shook my head and she shrugged. "Mum fought in the war; I want to prove myself just as good."

"Now, that I understand." For the first five years of my life all I wanted to do was prove myself to my mother. I'd never had to prove myself to dad, he loved me anyway. Although, from time to time I proved myself just because I could.

"You're one of the villain kids, right? Maleficent's daughter?"

"Mal," I spoke through gritted teeth.

Mali.

Shut up.

"So, Mal, what are you doing out here so late?"

"None of your business."

"Fine." She held her hands up in surrender. "Just don't let Fairy Godmother catch you. Not on your first night."

"Thanks for the advice."

"Anytime."

She smiled. "I'll leave you to…whatever it is you're doing. I'll see you in class." With a wave she was gone.

Did I just make a friend?