Sebastian burst through the doors, holding the limp Alex in his arms. "Help!"
Darcy, still focused on the diamond, turned and gasped. "What happened, Sebastian?!"
"Alex used magic against some attackers," Sebastian explained, closing the door behind him. Alex whimpered in Sebastian's arms, but was otherwise unconscious.
"Sebastian…" the woman in the bed mumbled. The attention turned to her.
"You're awake…" Darcy breathed.
"My baby…" the woman sat up in bed, holding out her arms. "Bring my precious baby to me."
Sebastian looked down at the boy in his arms. Then, he walked over, setting Alex down on the bed. The woman wrapped her arms around Alex's torso, kissing the top of his head.
"My poor child," she whispered weakly. "Why would you do this to yourself?" Alex relaxed into his mother's arms, his face pale and slack, his body trembling. His hair stuck to his forehead in a cold sweat.
"Alex?" Jiminy wandered over to the edge of the bed, putting his hand over the hand of the older boy. Alex coughed, and blood spattered from his throat. Sebastian took out a handkerchief and patted at his chin.
"I have to help," Darcy said, prepared to remove her hands from the Diamond. Alex's eyes shot open.
"No…" he hissed, his voice hoarse and weak.
"You're awake!" his mother clung to her son.
"You have to stay with the Diamond," Alex started to sit up, glaring at Darcy. "Don't you dare leave that Diamond."
"B-But, Alex-!" Darcy tried to object.
"I'm fine," Alex coughed, grabbing the handkerchief from Sebastian to cover his mouth. "I'm feeling better already."
"Pri-" Sebastian started.
"Shut up!" Alex snapped, his voice getting caught in his throat. "You don't know who could be listening. Those darn fairies could have already gotten past Icy and Stormy."
"That's not possible," Darcy shook her head.
"It's possible if they brought Faragonda with them," Alex snarled. "Which they probably did." He turned his attention to his mother. "Lay back down, momma, you need to rest."
"Look at you, you're as pale as a ghost," his mother put her hand on his cheek.
"I'll be okay," Alex started to stand, but lost his balance and toppled over. Sebastian caught his arm, holding him up. Alex opened his mouth, about to dish out an order for Sebastian when the door slammed back open, and Icy and Stormy strode in.
Bloom, Layla, Techna, and Faragonda followed them. The room tensed.
"Just hear us out," Icy said calmly.
"Why did you bring them in here-?" Alex doubled over, coughing. Sebastian grabbed Alex's other arm and brought him over to a chair.
"Alex...?" Bloom breathed, in awe of the horrible condition the boy was in. His sickly pale face glistened with sweat, and he gasped for breath.
"Faragonda knows how to access the Diamond's power," Icy explained, motioning to the woman casually. "And she's agreed to help us."
"Yeah, right," Alex scoffed, wiping his chin with his sleeve and glaring up at the Winx. "Why would you agree to that?"
Stormy was about to explain when she was interrupted by a voice even weaker and quieter than Alex's. "This woman will use the Diamond?"
The attention turned back to Alex's mother, who was slowly sitting up in bed. Sebastian rushed over to her to help her sit up.
"You should be resting-!" he objected, but she waved him off.
"You can help us?" she asked quietly, looking up at Faragonda with sad, tired brown eyes. Faragonda sighed and approached the bed.
"I'm sorry to see you like this..."
"Get away from her!" Alex snapped, standing from the chair. Sebastian moved to help Alex stand, but he swatted his hand away, pushing past him and storming towards Faragonda. "Don't waltz in here like you'd be sympathetic towards any Dévildanian! You're the reason she's like this in the first place!"
"Alex, child, I really want to believe you are a good person," Faragonda said, reaching out for Alex. Alex swatted her hand away.
"You're...Faragonda?" the woman from the bed asked.
"It's nice to see you again, Alexandra," Faragonda smiled down at Alex's mother.
"Okay!" Bloom exclaimed, catching everyone's attention. "There's obviously something I'm missing here! What's going on?"
Techna had already pulled out her mobile device, and pulled up the hologram image of Princess Alexandra of Dévildania. "We were looking at this earlier," Techna said, making the hologram spin so they could see the image from every angle.
The woman, Alexandra, laughed from her bed. "That's quite an old picture of me. The good old days."
"That's you?!" Layla exclaimed.
Bloom yelped as a little boy ran up to her and the Winx to look at the old picture. "Is that you, mommy?" he asked.
"Yes, Jiminy," she replied. Bloom knelt down to look at the boy in the eyes.
"You're a cutie, aren't you?" Jiminy studied her intensely.
"You're the one that the Icy, Darcy, and Stormy don't like," he pointed at her, and Bloom winced. Layla chuckled, earning an elbow in the side from Techna.
"You're the Queen of Dévildania?" Techna asked. The woman nodded. Techna looked down at Jiminy. "And that makes you the prince?"
Alex approached Techna slowly, a serious look crossing his eyes. "And...Alex..." Techna trailed off as Alex slowly took the device from her hands and switched it off.
"I want them out," he whispered, his voice low and menacing.
"Alex, if you just hear us out, we made a deal-!" Icy started.
"I'll hear what you have to say later!" Alex snapped. "Faragonda can stay with Darcy! When the Diamond is fully functional, that's when I'll release these three."
Sebastian snapped, and guards rushed in, grabbing the Winx by the arms.
"Take them to the dungeon."
Musa, Stella, and Flora attacked the shield around them will all their might. It wavered, but hadn't shattered yet.
"Another attack, and we'll be free!" Stella exclaimed. Flora stared at the ground.
"I can't believe he had magic..."
Stella swallowed meekly. "Uh...he said that he wanted to wake up his magic...with the Diamond of Jjuvios."
"We can't let that happen! Ready, girls?!" Musa yelled.
With one last attack, the red shield shattered around them. The three Winx flew out over the tree tops just in time to see flying bikes headed towards them.
"Girls!" Sky at the front waved, accompanied by the Specialists and the Headmaster.
"Sky!" Stella breathed with relief as the bikes surrounded them. "Alex got away," she started explaining quickly. "He's got the Diamond of Jjuvios, and we think he's taking it to Dévildania!"
"He's working with Icy, Darcy, and Stormy," Musa added. "We need to get there as fast as possible!"
"We were just headed there!" Brandon said.
"Let's go!" Sky urged.
"That didn't work out at all how Icy said it would," Bloom sighed from her spot on the ground. Magic-sealing handcuffs attached to chains held them against a cold stone wall.
"I'm kinda glad..." Layla sighed. When the two girls gave her a weird look, she explained. "Remember what Icy said?"
"That if Faragonda helped with the Diamond, then they would return Alex to us," Techna recited. "And that we could dish out any punishment we deem worthy."
"I don't exactly know if I want to do that," Layla shrugged.
"He's on the witches' side, Layla," Bloom said. "He's evil."
"He's a prince," Techna breathed. The Winx fell silent.
"Incorrect."
They all jumped at the new voice. Someone walked into the lantern's light. A guard held them by their arm, helping them limp into the room. They wore a long, plain red dress, and a golden crown perched on their pixie cut brown hair. Two brown, emotionless eyes stared down at the Winx on the ground.
"Princess," Alex corrected. "Princess Alexandra II. And I'm not evil."