Mal's eyes flashed green as she stalked toward me.
"What happened?" she growled.
"The Evil Queen, Cruella de Vil, and Jafar are running the show now with help from mine and Ace's parents. Uma and her crew still run the streets though. They're also exploring how to access our burns too. Make us hurt," as I said this I pulled off my wrist guard on my right hand. It exposed a v-shaped scar on my right palm, red and raised. Carlos whimpered slightly curling his body in on his own hand as he sunk down to sitting on the bed. Jay jumped over from the opposite side of the bed where he had been standing and pulled Carlos into his lap, whispering in his ear and rocking him gently. Mal rubbed her own palm and Evie winced at my words.
"We found spells that mask the scar but they really only work on Mal and me. You know since we only have the original burns," Evie said, whispering the last part.
I swallowed slightly, "They think they've found a way for the villains to cause actual physical pain through the burns. Especially those of us who have had it burned on multiple times. They actually rounded up all of us villain kids on the Isle and rebranded us." Ace shuddered at the words. They have physically rounded us up like cattle, locked us in cuffs, and rebranded us. Those of us who struggled, Ace and me, were branded when they first rounded us up and then again at the end.
Mal swallowed and said hoarsely, "We have to tell Ben and the Council about the brands… and the rest of the abuse."
She stalked out the room with Evie close on her heels. Carlos was whimpering quietly as Jay rocked him and Jay looked up at me and minutely jerked his head toward Ace. I looked at her concerned and realized she had silent tears running down her face. I pulled her towards me and she buried her head in my chest and I rubbed her back as I started to hear her sobs.
Mal and Evie creeped back in about an hour later.
"We meet with the council first thing in the morning. Jay take Carlos back to your guy's room and make sure he sleeps too. C'mon Hell and Ace, your room is just down the hall," Mal ordered.
Jay murmured something in Carlos's ear and picked the small boy up bridal style and carried him out the door. I slung mine and Ace's backpacks over my shoulders and grabbed both of our duffles with one hand while using the other one to guide her. We followed her down the hall and I didn't even care what the room looked like, all that mattered was getting Ace in bed. I silently stripped her down and put her in a pair of sweatpants and one of my sweatshirts. I gently tucked her into bed and after I had changed into my own sleep clothes, I slipped into bed behind her.