Dreams of Fire

Age 3

Mother stalked through the hallways of her castle, even her minions were in hiding behind closed doors. I peeked through a crack in mine as she got closer and closer.

She didn't know I was here.

She didn't know I was here.

I had to repeat the words over and over again, trying to convince myself they were true.

She didn't know I was here.

"Mal, come out, come out, wherever you are."

I could face her.

I should face her.

But I didn't.

Why didn't I?

The door flew open, sending me flying across the room.

"Hello, Mal."

Present

The screams woke me.

Evie's screams.

Fire.

My bed was on fire.

Blue flames licked the fabric. Consuming it.

I jumped out of bed, feeling the heat of the flames that refused to burn me, I threw open the window.

Grabbing Evie by the hand we escaped into the hall. I pulled her into a hug as the flames continued to consume the room. The blue flames slowly disappeared as new orange ones flared.

The other girls were in the hallway now, awaken by Evie's screams.

Still not letting go I whispered in Evie's ear. "Just go with me. I'll explain everything later."

She nodded into my shoulder and started to sob.

The screams had been real, the tears were far from it.

The flames were spreading, they were starting to flick out of the door.

Everyone ran. Some of them screamed.

They kept running until they were out of the castle, Evie and I trailing behind.

It didn't take long for Fairy Godmother to join us, then the boys.

"Everyone, please calm down." She tried to sooth the crowd of students. It was chilly outside and whether in shock or the cold a number of students were clinging to each other. "It is all being taken care of, you may return to your rooms momentarily."

"It was her!" I spun around to see Audrey pointing an accusing finger at me. "She started the fire."

I kept my cool, literally, and only just. "Why would I do that?" I gave her a crooked smile. "Maybe you set the fire."

"Yeah." Evie was going with it just like I asked. "You think Mal set the fire in your locker. Maybe this is your twisted revenge."

"Takes a villain to know revenge."

"You didn't say no." I was so close to snapping. I could feel heat rising.

"Neither did you."

"I. Did. Not. Start. The. Fire."

"Ladies," Fairy Godmother tried to defuse the situation. "A full investigation will be completed and we will find the truth." There was a hint of warning in her voice, to both of us; if we were guilty, we would be caught.

Unfortunately, I was guilty.

Jay and Carlos slipped up beside us as I started to ignore Audrey's glare.

Carlos was pale. "You two okay?"

"We're fine," Evie assured him. "Just a bit of a fright."

"You know?" Jay smiled wickedly. "Empty dorms mean free stuff."

"Not tonight." I was too tired. "All I want is to go back to bed."

"What bed?"

The one that burned.

Well, that was just great.

A bell sounded and Fairy Godmother smiled. "All clear, you may return to bed. With all this excitement I think it's best we have a sleep in. tomorrow's first period is cancelled." A small cheer escaped the crowed. "Mal, Evie, wait here please."

Students begun to shuffle back to bed. Jay and Carlos gave us worried looks, but I shooed them after the rest of the boys.

Once everyone was gone Fairy Godmother stood before us, she shuffled slightly. "Girls, I have to ask…?"

"We didn't start the fire." Evie was on the defensive before I could be.

Fairy Godmother looked us over before nodding. "There are a couple of spare beds in the teachers' wing. You may stay there tonight and we'll sort out some permeant accommodation tomorrow."

"What about our stuff? All my fabric was in there. My clothes."

Her mirror.

My ember.

Fairy Godmother spoke softly. "We'll see what we can salvage in the morning. Right now, I think we could all use some rest."

Rest. I wouldn't be getting anymore rest. Not tonight.

"Ruined, all ruined." Evie picked up swatches of fabric that all but disintegrated in her hand.

"I'm so sorry, girls." Fairy Godmother's eagle eye watched us sort through the ashes of our room. "We'll find some replacements for everything that burned."

I didn't want the poufy dresses the Auradon girls wore, I wanted my ripped pants and leather jacket.

All burned now.

More importantly the pages of my mother's spellbook that I had carefully copied were nothing but ash now.

I wouldn't be able to reverse the spell on Ben.

He would be forced to love me forever.

If I got Fairy Godmother's wand, I might be able to undo it. Unfortunately, that would be playing right into my mother's hands. I'd be caught with the wand, Ben would know as soon as I undid the spell. Then my choices were; get sent back to the Isle where mother would be waiting for me or help the villains escape and over run Auradon. Dad would be free then, he would protect me from any goody two shoes that came after me.

That was that, to free Ben, I had to free the villains.

A/N:

I know I've been MIA for months but I did promise I would update eventually. Not sure when the next update will be.

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