Return to the Isle of the Lost - Melissa de la Cruz Page 0,56
you can send one from the lizard in your library, then we could tell you for certain.”
“Thanks. I’ll have my men send over a sample as soon as I can. This has been really helpful.” He shook Faylinn’s tiny hand with his thumb and forefinger and waved to the rest of the fairies.
“Ben, about this shapeshifting dragon…even if it isn’t Maleficent, it’s still incredibly dangerous. And if it is able to shift in form and size, that means it is capable of incredibly powerful magic. You must be prepared to fight it with similar enchantment. I know the rules of Auradon, so I don’t give this advice lightly,” she said, buzzing worriedly.
“I won’t go alone, don’t worry. I’ll tell Merlin to meet me at Faraway Cove as soon as possible. And he can bring his wand this time.” Ben smiled. “I know he’s been itching to use it.”
Faylinn nodded. “I can imagine.” Seeing the somber look on his face, she buzzed comfortingly by his shoulder. “Remember, when in doubt, think of happy thoughts and you’ll find your way.”
He smiled at the tiny fairy. The happiest thought he could think of was Mal and her friends returning safe from the Isle of the Lost. He hoped it would come true.
“Ugh, the leather is going to shrink,” said Mal, wringing her jacket and trying to dry her hair. She had already vomited up a gallon of water, and was still shaking from the near drowning, not to mention the near-crocodile-dinner experience. But Mal being Mal, of course she didn’t want to show how shaken she was, so she focused on mourning her ruined jacket instead. “What a bunch of dock rats we are,” she said with a laugh. Carlos was similarly soaked to the bone, and Evie was shoeless, her jacket torn. Her bird’s-nest hair could rival any of Cruella’s fright wigs.
“Speak for yourselves,” said Jay, who was dry and without a scratch.
“Don’t worry about the jacket, I can make you another one,” said Evie, running a brush through her hair and trying to make herself look presentable.
“I shouldn’t have run off like that,” said Mal. “I’m sorry. I thought Maddy was my friend.”
Evie patted Mal on the shoulder; her hand made a wet, squelching sound and she withdrew it in alarm. “Oh, uh, it’s okay, we all make mistakes.”
“I didn’t think she would betray me like that,” said Mal. “I really thought she was part of the Anti-Heroes club.”
Carlos was sitting on the ground. He’d removed his shoes and socks in an effort to dry them. He pulled seaweed from his hair. “What do you think Maddy meant when she said, ‘All of Auradon will burn, just like Camelot’?”
Evie shrugged. “Isn’t that what villains do? Threaten?”
“It sounded a little more specific than that, don’t you think?” said Carlos. “How did she know about the fires in Camelot, then?”
“Hang on, she said something about Camelot?” asked Mal.
“Yeah, and didn’t you say that’s where that purple dragon is?” said Carlos.
Mal nodded. “Yeah.”
“Maybe Ben put it on the news,” said Evie.
“Maybe,” said Mal. She shook out her jacket. “Listen, I need to tell you guys something, but we should get cleaned up first, I can’t think with all this wet stuff on me.” She shook her hair and droplets rained all around. “The Junk Shop isn’t far from here, so Jay and Carlos can get cleaned up over there. Evie and I will go back to the Bargain Castle across the street. Meet us there after you get changed.”
The four of them walked back into town, Mal squelching with every footstep, Evie walking in stockings, Carlos simply barefoot and holding his wet sneakers, and Jay practically skipping. The boys crossed over to Pity Lane and headed for Jafar’s while Mal unlocked the door to the Bargain Castle.
Mal turned to Evie with a wan smile. “By the way, thanks for coming after me.”
“You’re welcome. It’s what friends do,” said Evie.
Mal nodded. “Then thanks for being my friend. My real friend.”
Later, when the boys arrived, Carlos was dressed in a purple-and-yellow sweater and shorts that were too big for him. Evie was wearing one of Mal’s old T-shirts, holey jeans, and a pair of Mal’s old boots. The four friends sprawled on the carpet and chairs in Mal’s room. Carlos was even able to get a fire going in the fireplace. They hadn’t slept all night and it was already close to sunrise.
“Mal, what did you want to tell us earlier?” said Carlos, poking the fire