CHAPTER NINE:
THE SECRETS OF MOUNT SESAME
The last time Marinette wandered the desert at night, she had almost been buried alive. So it was no secret that the sea of dunes and sharp rocks made her nervous as Alya's magic carpet carried her across the vast expanse.
On the bright side, there were clear skies and calm winds all around. No purple thunderclouds or evil sorceresses to worry about here.
But there were a series of cliffs and mountains in the distance. Marinette knew from a map she had studied that they bordered the Ancient Sea; the very edge of the kingdom.
Marinette prayed to Astruc that the Forty Thieves wouldn't have a ship waiting for them at the water; otherwise it would defeat the purpose of her sneaking into their lair.
The thieves' tracks had long vanished within the folds of sand. Luckily, Duusu's magic feather worked like a charm. It twirled in Marinette's outstretched hand and pointed with its soft tip in the direction the girl needed to go. All she had to do was follow it.
Meanwhile, Plagg burrowed himself in the safety of Marinette's poncho, mumbling to himself as usual and complaining about cheese.
It wasn't long before they came up to the edge of a high cliff.
Marinette stopped and stared at the scene before her: a straight, glistening field of deep blue that stretched all the way to the horizon. The moon and stars made the water look like another sky, parallel to the one above. Marinette could taste the salty air on her tongue, and the sigh of the lapping waves sent a smooth shudder down her back.
But there was another sound amongst the harmony of the sea; one that snapped the blunette back to reality: the whinnies of horses.
Marinette checked her feather. It pointed directly at the beach below.
"Hold on," Marinette said to Plagg as she urged the carpet onward.
They swooped over the cliff and glided all the way down until they were hovering a few feet above the sand. Now, Marinette could see hoof-prints... and lots of them.
Glancing up, she caught sight of a few figures on horseback turning the corner along the beach. Judging from their dark cloaks and the weapons they carried, they were undoubtedly the Forty Thieves.
Marinette grinned. "Gotcha."
And as the carpet flew after the group, Plagg whimpered, "Yeah, I really should have stayed with Tikki."
They rounded the corner.
Then, Marinette gasped and yanked back on the carpet's front. Plagg cried out.
They came to an abrupt stop right behind the horde of riders, who had gathered together at the water's edge. Thankfully, there was too much chatter for any of the thieves to hear Marinette and Plagg.
The blunette looked at the black-cat kwami and put a finger to her lips. Then, the carpet shimmied back nice and slow before ducking for cover behind a large, moss-covered rock.
Sighing with relief, Marinette slid off the carpet and poked her head around the rock.
Ahead was a massive bay surrounded by slippery, mountain slopes. On the far side was the tallest mountain of all, five-times bigger than the palace of Agreste. The peak stuck out towards the sky like a dagger, and its shadow fell over the narrow beach like a cloak.
Marinette couldn't help but smirk at the thieves' position. "They can't get over or around the bay," she whispered to Plagg. "We got them trapped."
The kwami's cat-like eyes glowed brightly in the dark, but they narrowed at Marinette all the same. "We?" Plagg repeated. "They are forty thieves. We are you, me, and a rug." He paused and frowned at their mode of transportation. "Actually, don't count the rug."
The carpet seemed to have heard that, because its front part flopped over as though it were sad.
At that moment, the entire beach went silent, safe for a few snorts from the horses.
Holding her breath, Marinette glanced over to where a blue-hooded figure was taking position on the edge of the bay: the Queen of Thieves.
The rest of her cutthroat troupe lingered behind her, wordlessly watching their leader with mixed expressions of patience and unease.
The sight made Marinette's forehead crease with concern. "That's weird. What are they waiting for?"
Plagg hopped onto her shoulder to get a better look. "I don't know, but something doesn't feel right," he noted. "There's earth magic here – I can smell it."
They both watched as the Queen of Thieves turned to face the great mountain in the distance.
Then, she reached out with one hand and let out a clear call, "Open Sesame!"
Her voice sent a massive ripple across the water, and it vanished into the darkness beyond.
Then, everything shook.
Marinette inhaled sharply as the ground beneath her feet started to vibrate.
The horses quivered and whinnied at the sudden tremor, but the Forty Thieves remained undeterred and kept their mounts in line.
Once Marinette regained her balance, she looked towards the bay again.
That's when she saw the great mountain crack open.
Like a bolt of yellow lightning, an enormous, jagged line appeared in the rock. It stretched down to the base of the mountain, where it sizzled against the water's edge.
WHOOSH!
A line of fire cut through the bay and shot towards the Queen of Thieves. It hit the beach and sent a splatter of fiery water into the air. The Queen stared at it without so much as twitching, even as droplets sprinkled over her like red diamonds.
The burning line sent a row of steam into the air, and the water started to pull apart on both sides, forming massive walls. The line grew bigger and went deeper, until it hit the solid rock. Within seconds, a narrow bridge of enchanted stone emerged from the watery folds, steaming like hot coals.
Marinette's jaw dropped.
"Jiminy Cheesebites!" Plagg rasped.
The bridge finally cooled down, leaving a straight shot for the open crevice in the mountain. The walls of water towered over the bridge, and behind the sheen surface, several fish appeared.
Marinette couldn't help but let out a tiny laugh. So that's why no one had ever found the Forty Thieves' hideout. Wait until I tell the others, the blunette thought.
The Queen of Thieves kicked her mare into gear with a proud, "Hyah!"
The horse reared and then took off at full speed down the bridge.
The other thirty-nine thieves followed suit, speeding after their queen as though their lives depended on it.
Marinette waited until the last of them disappeared through the mountain opening.
Unfortunately, that's when she felt the ground shaking again.
Marinette whistled for the magic carpet and hopped onboard as soon as it flew over. "Let's move!" she called.
They sped towards the bridge like an arrow. The sudden jerk caused Plagg to slip, and he grabbed onto the end of Marinette's poncho for dear life.
Just then, Marinette heard the sound of rushing water.
Snapping to look behind her, she gasped when she saw the walls of water break down at the end of the bridge. The waves swallowed the stone slab bit by bit, gaining speed as they grew. Marinette could already feel the water splattering her.
"Faster, carpet – faster!" she screamed over the roar of the sea.
Plagg was screaming too, his tiny form brushing along the edge of the raging wave.
The magic rug stretched itself as it zoomed further along the bridge, but it wasn't enough. Now there was water cascading onto the bridge up front. Not only that, but the crevice in the great mountain was closing annoyingly fast.
Marinette's blood went as cold as the water. We're not going to make it!
Just when the wave's shadow fell over her, a sudden burst of electric-green light soared over Marinette and hit the narrow crack in the mountain wall.
The blast caused the entrance to pause, leaving a narrow space to squeeze through.
Marinette gritted her teeth. It would have to do. She directed the carpet to the crack.
The water came down. Salt and foam blinded Marinette and filled her mouth and nose.
Then, they emerged into warm air and fiery light.
Behind her, she heard an earth-grinding SLAM... along with Plagg's startled cry of "AH!"
The carpet tore out from underneath Marinette, and she fell over.
She landed on hard ground, slapping against it like a wet rag before coming to a stop.
Marinette's head spun, making her temples throb. She hurt all over, but she couldn't feel any broken bones or stinging cuts. She waited until her vision stopped doing loop-de-loops before she lifted her head up.
What she saw next made her heart stop. Not with fear, but with awe.
There were buildings in this mountain – an entire city, in fact!
There were towers and pillars lining the rocky walls. The bigger structures sat like molded squares outlining a grand, cobblestone courtyard in the middle. The remains of fallen ruins littered the outer part of the city, sticking out along a small river. Holes in the ceiling allowed natural light in, but most of the light came from burning torches and braziers. A series of small tents were cloistered together in one corner, while a gleaming treasure horde sat in another.
And that was only this part of the mountain. From her spot, Marinette could see caves and tunnels leading to Astruc-knew-where.
Marinette's eyes widened. She had been inside an underground temple before, but she had never seen anything like this!
"Um, Marinette?" came a raspy voice.
"I know, Plagg," the girl breathed as she stood up, her eyes glancing all over the magnificent city. "This place is amazing!"
"Marinette!"
The urgency of the kwami's tone made Marinette stop her ogling, and she finally turned towards the sealed entrance.
She winced with a tiny, "Ooh..."
Plagg had his paws covering his eyes. "How bad is it?" he whimpered fearfully.
Marinette stepped over to where her little kwami friend was stuck in the rock.
Only Plagg's head and his forepaws had emerged unscathed while the rest of his body had been squished inside the seal.
"It's too late for me, isn't it?" Plagg moaned. "Go on without me, Mari. Save yourself."
Marinette folded her arms with a smirk. "Plagg..."
"Tell Tikki I'm sorry for calling her "Sugarcube"."
"Pla-agg?"
"And if you see Adrien, tell him that I –"
"Plagg!"
The kwami finally opened his eyes. "What?!" he snapped irritably. "I'm trying say a few touching last words here!"
Marinette rolled her eyes. "You do know you can faze through the rock, right?" she asked.
Plagg blinked, his whiskers drooping. "Oh, yeah... hehe," he chuckled weakly. "I knew that."
With a sheepish frown, he slipped out of the rock as though it were made of oil. He sighed as he took in his bottom half and his tail.
Marinette shook her head with a grin. She almost wanted to say another dry remark, but then she remembered the blast of chaotic magic Plagg had sent to keep the entrance open for them. If it hadn't been for the little guy, they would have been crushed by the mountain for sure.
Plagg returned to his spot on Marinette's shoulder, glancing at his surroundings fretfully. "All right, we've made in it," he said. "Now let's grab your sister, get out, and go home."
Marinette nodded and started walking. The magic carpet hovered obediently at her side, thanks to Alya's enchantment.
Marinette didn't get very far before she came to the river of ruins. There was a small bridge that led across, over which stood a large archway that held the face of an angry minotaur with threatening horns.
Plagg gulped. "On second thought," he squeaked, "I wouldn't mind skipping right to the "go home" part."
Sharp voices from far away made Marinette stiffen. "Shh – listen," she whispered.
The girl and the kwami held their breaths as several shouts and calls sounded from somewhere inside the city. They sounded... angry.
Marinette decided to get a better look.
Unlatching her yo-yo, the girl spun it around and threw it to the top of the archway. The magical string carried her up easily.
Marinette made her way nimbly along the ruined pillars, being careful to tread lightly so as to not cause anything to fall or break off. All the while, she listened in on the fumigated conversation, which she could now detangle and understand.
"We could've had all the loot back there!" snapped a man's voice.
"But we had to follow the Queen's plan." said a woman.
Grumbles of approval followed.
They're talking about the wedding, Marinette thought as she crept along another archway.
It wasn't long before the courtyard came into view. The Forty Thieves were gathered together in a broad circle around a large, wooden table. Standing beside it stood a daunting man in a silver mask. A long sword gleamed in his hand.
Movement outside the circle made Marinette's head turn.
The Queen of Thieves stood outside the circle, her back facing her cohorts. She seemed to be more interested in the wall of fire before her, fueled by the narrow moat of pitch. The curtain of flames framed her entire body from hood to toe.
Marinette's eyes narrowed at the woman who had tried to steal Queen Emilie's peacock brooch.
The silver-faced man willed the others to silence with his booming, ominous tone. "This," he gestured to the table, "is what we have to show for our trouble in Agreste. Nothing!"
With gritted teeth, the man brought his sword down on the table in a heavy swipe.
The table broke cleanly in two and toppled to the ground.
Marinette swallowed hard, remembering another sword that had almost done the same thing to her not too long ago.
Most of the thieves shouted in agreement, but a handful of them stood out with folded arms and defiant gazes.
The masked man waded through the crowd until he emerged right behind the Queen, who still remained unbothered by the commotion.
"Uh-oh," Plagg sang with a fanged grin. "I sense a mutiny coming."
Even Marinette had to smile.
The masked man pointed an accusatory finger that the Queen. "This is the last time I shall tolerate any more of your obsessed fantasies," he growled menacingly. The firelight from the wall of flames glistened off his silver face. "Your time draws to a close... Bridgette."
Marinette gasped. What?
Plagg cocked his head sideways, his oblong pupils thinning.
The Queen's hooded head turned at the mention of that name, and her hands clenched at her sides.
Then, she reached up and lifted her hood from her head. Twin ribbons of midnight-blue hair cascaded down to her waist.
Marinette's blood froze, and the dagger on her belt suddenly felt heavy. It can't be...
The Queen turned around just as she lowered her face cover, revealing a thin mouth that hardened into a frown. Her blue eyes locked on the silver-masked man with a look that could boil water. There could be no doubt she was the same woman Duusu had shown in the vision.
Marinette's head swam with shock and confusion.
Her older sister was the Queen of Thieves.
Bridgette had always known this day would come. And it was about time too.
She knew Hawkmoth would eventually challenge her rule, considering all the times he had disapproved of her plans and methods. Bridgette had just been waiting for him to make the first move.
The Queen of Thieves stepped up to Hawkmoth with a confidant sneer. "You don't have the power to overthrow me, Hawkmoth," she stated, "unless you're willing to challenge me for the throne."
A lot of ecstatic shouts of "Yes!" and "The Challenge! Do the Challenge!" rang out across the courtyard.
As Bridgette expected, Hawkmoth snorted with amusement. "You think you would stand a chance against me, my dear?" He stepped closer, his sword still in hand. "You forget – I taught you everything I know."
Bridgette's eyes hardened. "I did not forget," she said coldly, "but it seems you have forgotten how stubborn I can be."
Her seven friends – Alix, Kim, Ivan, Mylene, Max, Rose, and Juleka – sniggered and looked at Hawkmoth with cocky grins.
Now the swordsman was frowning bitterly. "Stubborn... soft-hearted... squeamish... sensitive." Hawkmoth lifted his blade so that the end was barely scrapping against Bridgette's cheek. "I can add many more descriptions to that list."
The Queen gazed down at the gleaming sword, but she didn't flinch.
"You disappoint me, Bridgette," Hawkmoth growled. "I chose you to be my successor; my equal... and this is how you repay me? By wasting everything we have built on your worthless treasure hunts and petty morals?"
The older thieves chuckled cruelly.
Alix took a protective step forward.
Bridgette held up a hand. This was her fight; one she had waited seventeen years for.
"If you think you can spill my blood, Hawkmoth," the Queen of Thieves said with a smirk, "well... I just don't see that happening."
Hawkmoth's hand squeezed his sword tighter, and those icy pools of blue became sharp. "Then allow me to open your eyes!" he stated loudly as he drew his blade back.
Bridgette reached for her own sword.
Suddenly, a tiny figure collided with Hawkmoth's middle and flattened him onto the stones.
Bridgette reeled. "What...?"
All eyes turned aghast to the small form – a young girl, by the look of her – struggling to pin Hawkmoth down by his arms. Her mahogany hood covered her face, even as she glanced back at the Queen of Thieves and yelled, "I've got him! Run!"
Bridgette merely blinked, her eyebrow lifting up with confusion.
That voice... It sounded awfully familiar.
Offside, she heard Max whisper, "Who's that?"
"One of our own?" Kim asked.
"I've never met her," Juleka insisted.
"An intruder?" Mylene quivered.
More rambling could be heard as Bridgette peered down at the girl on top of Hawkmoth.
But of course, no mere girl could easily outmatch the former King of Thieves.
Hawkmoth knocked the attacker aside with his elbow before rolling over and sending her onto the floor.
That's when the girl's hood came off, and several gasps sounded.
"Hey – I know her!" Ivan called out, pointing. "That's the bride from the wedding!"
Rose covered her cheeks with wide eyes. "That's Ladybug!" she breathed.
Realization struck Bridgette. Now she remembered where she had heard the girl's voice before. Until now, the Queen had never actually seen Ladybug's true face.
But the moment she saw that sapphire hair, those bluebell eyes, the snowy skin...
Bridgette staggered back. It was like she was looking into a mirror.
Ladybug quickly rose up on her knees and stared at the Queen with pleading eyes. "Bridgette..." She spoke the name as though she had been searching for it her whole life.
More concern flowed through the group, and swords were being drawn.
"She knows the Queen's name?" Max asked suspiciously.
Bridgette couldn't bring herself to speak.
Ladybug pulled something out from her belt. It looked like a dagger with a scabbard. The girl seemed surprisingly calm despite the fact that forty thieves had their eyes – and weapons – set on her.
"I'm Marinette!" Ladybug stated. "I'm your sister!"
Bridgette gasped, glancing between the blue-haired girl who looked so much like her, and the dagger that looked so much like... like...
Could it be true? Is it really her?
Apparently, everyone else was too stunned by Ladybug's declaration to make a move... except for one.
Hawkmoth wrenched the girl off the ground by her wrist, causing her to drop the dagger.
It clattered along the stones before stopping at Bridgette's feet. Absent-mindedly, the Queen picked it up. The gold cross-guard and blue-jewelled pommel shimmered in the light of the fire curtain. And the medallion in the middle – a golden hand facing outward – struck a chord in Bridgette's memory.
Take good care of this, Bridgette. You are its rightful owner now.
Don't worry, Papa – I will!
Surprise and clarity made Bridgette look back up at the squirming girl in Hawkmoth's grasp.
He had his arm around Ladybug's middle now, and he was pressing the flat end of his blade against her neck. "I don't know about your sister, little girl," Hawkmoth said with a sadistic grin, "but I'll send you to meet your other ancestors!"
"NO!"
All was quiet again, and all eyes snapped to the Queen of Thieves.
Hawkmoth shot Bridgette a bewildered expression, and Ladybug relaxed a little.
Bridgette stepped forward with the dagger in hand, proud and tall like the queen she was. "Let her go," she stated. "The girl is my sister."
Ladybug – no, Marinette – smiled.
Hawkmoth bore his teeth in defiance, but he nevertheless did as he was bid and released Marinette.
This time, no one was being silent. Whispers of surprise and confusion mingled with gasps of delight and cries of outrage.
Alix was staring at Marinette with wide, blue eyes. "No way..."
Bridgette grinned and held the dagger out for all to see. "My father gave me this dagger years ago," she explained. "It's an heirloom of my family, passed down each line for generations. After I left home, I returned the dagger in the hope it would be given to my little sister..." The Queen looked over at the girl before her. "... Marinette."
The other thieves murmured amongst themselves.
Hawkmoth looked torn between mortified and intrigued.
Marinette didn't speak another word, but there was something gleaming in her eyes that Bridgette hadn't seen in a long time. It looked like... happiness?
"I don't believe it..." Mylene said to Ivan.
"Wait... It's actually true?" Rose squealed.
"For reals?" Kim asked.
Alix nodded with half-a-smile. "Ladybug, the Hero of Agreste, is the sister of the Queen of Thieves," she said. "What are the odds?"
Max adjusted his glasses as he replied, "One-thousand-seven-hundred-eighty-five to one."
Bridgette smiled proudly even as Marinette's own smile faltered.
"So... you really are the Queen of Thieves?" Marinette asked reluctantly.
"Like it or not, girl, we are blood," Bridgette stated as she walked over to her sister. Nostalgia crept through her as she reached over and touched Marinette's face. "Look at you... all grown up now, and so much like our mother. Has it been so long?"
Marinette blinked when she said that. "You remember me?" she asked, her voice carrying a trace of hurt.
Bridgette huffed a laugh. "Of course I do. Only... I thought I'd never see you again." She paused and looked her sister up and down, trying to assure herself that this was no trick of the eye.
Her sister really was here, in the flesh. That giggling, little baby from the bakery – the one Bridgette used to sing to and play peek-a-boo with – stood before her now, dressed like a true thief ready for combat.
Seventeen years... Yes, it has been so long.
But Bridgette smiled at Marinette like they had been best friends for all those years.
"Blood or mud," Hawkmoth's cold voice cut through the air, "the girl is an intruder." Shadows fell across his face as he glared at Marinette. "And we have rules about intruders."
A mixture of frozen fear and burning rage swirled in Bridgette's veins as she glared at Hawkmoth. She knew what he was thinking, as did the rest of the Forty Thieves.
The silver-masked man addressed his fellow men and women. "The girl has found our secret lair!" he declared, pointing at Marinette. "She knows the magic words to enter. She has seen too much."
Murmurs of agreement sounded, except from Queen Bridgette and her loyal Seven.
Marinette glanced around nervously, sizing up everyone in the courtyard while shooting her sister a worried look.
Hawkmoth noticed it, and he bore a wicked sneer. "The Code of the Forty Thieves clearly states that only forty members are permitted to set foot in Mount Sesame," he stated. "All others must be..." He looked at Bridgette. "Well, punished."
As the Queen redirected her attention to Marinette, she swore she saw something black and miniature pop out of her sister's cloak with a cat-like hiss. But Marinette quickly stuffed him back in her pocket, shaking her head at the creature.
But Bridgette had seen it, even if it was only a glimpse: a black cat, but not really a cat. It had a bulbous head and a tiny body. A kwami.
Bridgette finally decided she had been gone for way too long.
Thankfully, Hawkmoth had been so caught up in his glorified description of the Code, he failed to notice the kwami. Now, he was sneering at the Queen like a child about to break something expensive and get away with it.
"You know what must be done, Your Majesty," Hawkmoth said. "Ladybug must die."
Bridgette clenched her fingers into fists.
Marinette's eyes widened. When she tried to step back, two other thieves came up behind her and grabbed her by the arms. There was no way for her to escape now.
Most of the group chanted in support of Hawkmoth's words. Only the Queen's Seven showed a hint of concern.
But Alix, as usual, was the only one brave enough to speak up against Hawkmoth.
"Bridgette," the pink-haired speedster said firmly, "she's your sister. Don't let this creep get to you. There's no harm in casting a vote for mercy."
Juleka, Mylene, and Rose nodded. Kim, Ivan, and Max bore heated glares at Hawkmoth.
"Yes, Bridgette," Hawkmoth purred, his threatening grin still plastered to his silver skull. "Mercy would be so like you: soft... and weak."
It became too hot in here all of a sudden, and sweat beaded down Bridgette's neck. But she forced her face to remain expressionless. Don't give him the satisfaction, she told herself. It's what he wants – to make me appear dishonourable; a Code-breaker... a weakling.
Bridgette glanced to her left. Then her right. All around her, the thirty-two most cunning and ruthless men and women in the seven deserts, Hawkmoth included, stared their queen down with anticipation. There was no denying the hunger in their eyes. They wanted fresh blood.
Even if Bridgette refused and decided to fight Hawkmoth for Marinette's sake, these people would never follow her again. They would realize that she had never truly been one of them. They would learn that the Queen of Thieves – who was supposed to be the most feared and respected of them all – was no killer.
Even if Alix and her other six friends supported her, Bridgette's life would automatically be forfeit, and she would be executed alongside her younger sister.
But she couldn't watch Marinette suffer. Whether they had been separated for seventeen years or a million, Bridgette's words held true: she and Marinette were blood. They were family. Not too long ago, Bridgette had made the ultimate sacrifice for her family.
Sacrifice...
Bridgette's eyes lit up, and a sneer of her own curled her mouth. That's it!
Everyone paused as they waited for the Queen's answer.
Then, to their great amazement, Bridgette casually shrugged and said, "Kill her."
Marinette gasped.
Hawkmoth seemed surprised, but the look was immediately replaced with triumph.
Alix's jaw dropped with dismay. Rose and Mylene covered their mouths. Ivan held onto Mylene. Juleka winced. Max and Kim both looked like they just swallowed a wasp.
The rest of the Forty Thieves cheered and pounded their fists into the air.
Hawkmoth strode up to Marinette with a dark chuckle, his sword poised to strike.
"OR!" Bridgette announced, lifting a finger.
The cheering stopped, and Hawkmoth lowered his blade with a look of confusion and frustration.
Marinette peered over at her older sister incredulously, though not without a twinge of relief.
Bridgette pretended to think, one hand on her chin and the other on her hip. "The girl could... Yes!" She appeared excited. "I think the girl could..." She stopped, frowned, and shook her head. "Nah. Forget it."
But of course, curiosity killed the cat. Or, in this case, thirty-nine cats.
Several of the thieves let out eager calls of "What?" and "What is it?" and "What were you going to say?"
Above them, Ivan spoke out, "The girl could what?"
Bridgette folded her arms and feigned a sigh. "Nothing. Probably a bad idea."
"Let's hear it!" Kim, Juleka, and Max urged.
"C'mon, you're killing me here," Alix added with a grin that said, I know what you're thinking.
The Queen rubbed the back of her neck. That's it, Bridge – get them excited. "Well," she said hesitantly, "it seems to me that Ladybug could..." She groaned. "Oh, never mind."
"What?!" Hawkmoth bellowed, clearly annoyed by the wait. "She could WHAT?!"
Marinette glimpsed everyone with a nervous expression, no doubt wondering what they were getting so riled up about.
Bridgette finally turned to face her sister, fully aware that everyone was holding their breath for the answer.
So the Queen of Thieves gave it to them with a smug smile. "The girl could face... the Challenge."
Unified murmurs of "Ooooohhh..." reverberated off the stone floor like a tiger's growl.
Bridgette opened her arms out and gazed upon her fellow thieves. "What say all of you?" she asked in a royal manner. "Aye, or nay?"
Chanting erupted across the courtyard: "Aye! Aye! Aye! Aye!"
Alix beckoned Kim and the others to join in, winking at them with assurance. They all voiced their votes in a chorus.
To Bridgette's delight, Hawkmoth looked like he was going to have a hernia. Didn't see that coming, did you? the Queen of Thieves thought as she smirked at her old master.
She walked over to Marinette and placed a firm hand on her shoulder.
"What are you doing?" the young blunette snapped at the Queen. "What challenge?"
Bridgette eyed her wearily and hissed between her teeth, "Play along. I'll tell you later."
Then, the Queen raised her hands to silence the rapturous crowd. "That settles it!" she declared. "My sister shall face the Challenge!"
The Forty Thieves burst into applause.
Only Hawkmoth didn't join in the celebration. Instead, he gave Bridgette a dirty look that said, I know what you're doing... and I'm going to make you regret it.
As if looks weren't convincing, Hawkmoth raised his sword to the mountain ceiling. "A Challenge it is, then," he stated, "and I shall be the one to test the girl."
Bridgette's eyes narrowed at her long-time nemesis. "So be it," she said boldly.
Beside her, Marinette fidgeted apprehensively. Bridgette took her hand, which was as cold as ice, and gave it a soft squeeze. Trust me.
She knew this was a bad idea, but it was the only option she had; the only way she could give Marinette a fighting chance at survival. There was no turning back now.
The Forty Thieves wanted blood. The Queen of Thieves would give them blood.