Return to the Isle of the Lost - Melissa de la Cruz Page 0,70
father, too popular.”
Evie had to giggle at that.
Ben explained how the Neverland fairies had helped them track purple dragon scales to this deserted diamond mine. Mal’s group told them about their journey to recover the talismans.
“So Yen Sid was right, the Catacombs go all the way to Auradon,” said Carlos.
“We were just at Maleficent Mountain,” said Mal. “There was a dragon’s nest on the top of Doom Crag, but we didn’t see a dragon back there.”
“We’re closer than we’ve ever been, then,” said Ben. “The creature must live here, and it’s been getting to Auradon through this tunnel.”
Just as he spoke, a fine purple mist covered the cavern, and everyone froze.
“It’s here,” said Merlin. “The creature is here. Show yourself!” The wizard held his wand high.
“Come out, come out, wherever you are!” said Mal.
“I am King Ben of Auradon and I command you to reveal yourself to us!” said Ben.
The purple mist began to take shape…but instead of a fire-breathing dragon or a giant snake, there was only an old witch with purple hair standing in front of them when the mist cleared.
“Madam Mim!” exclaimed Mal, completely shocked to see Mad Maddy’s grandmother, and yet something else about her was oddly familiar.
“Hello, dearie!” said Madam Mim with a cheerful wave.
“You know her?” asked Ben.
“From the Isle of the Lost,” said Mal.
“Well, I certainly know her. Hello, old friend,” said Merlin grimly. “I thought I might see you here, Mim. Up to your old tricks, are you? I’m sorry to say that your mischief ends now.”
Madam Mim only laughed, and her cackle echoed throughout the dark cavern. “Oh, I don’t think so, you geezer, I’m having way too much fun!”
As she laughed, Madam Mim turned into a large purple dragon. But unlike Maleficent’s fierce dragon form, Madam Mim’s looked almost comical. Her messy purple hair was still perched on top of her head, and her wings looked the size of a bird’s. How on earth did Ben ever mistake this dragon for Maleficent?
“You thought this was my mother?” Mal asked him, rolling her eyes.
Ben laughed nervously. “She was up in the sky, it was hard to see. I don’t know, blame magic?”
Still, the group scrambled away as Merlin rolled up his blue wizard sleeves. He zapped his wand at her, launching sparks, but Mim was too fast. She turned into a fox and scuttled into the darkness. Merlin sent another spell from his wand, but he was too late. Mim turned once more, this time into a raging rhinoceros.
“The boulders!” said Mal, pointing to the giant stones at the top of the mine shaft.
Jay and Carlos ran in front of the animal, pushing the rocks right into the rampaging rhino’s path. But just as she was about to be crushed, Mim turned into a crafty hen and flew out of the way.
“Where’d she go?” asked Ben.
“Don’t know,” panted Mal. “But at least now we know that Camelot’s dragon wasn’t my mom.”
“For sure,” said Ben.
Mim must have discovered the entrance to the Catacombs, thought Mal, and she was using it to get her revenge on Merlin, who had bested her during their last battle by giving her the pox. The loony old witch was having fun wreaking havoc in Camelot and stealing food from Auradon. She must have told her granddaughter what she was doing. It’s a wonder Maddy hadn’t tried to escape to Auradon herself. Maybe she’d been too scared about getting lost down there; she knew the dangers from being in the Anti-Heroes club.
“Mmm, you look tasty!” Mim cackled as she turned into a crocodile and opened her jaws wide.
“GAH!” said Carlos as they ran away from her snapping teeth. Mim reared on her hind legs, her purple hair falling into her face.
“It was you!” cried Mal. “That pink-and-purple thing we saw in the tunnels earlier!”
“Cotton-candy tiger?” said Jay. “I take it back, she’s definitely scary!”
They barely got away from her, but Merlin soon came to their rescue. “You’re surrounded, Mim!” said Merlin, waving his wand. “The only way out of this tunnel is through me. Your place is on the Isle of the Lost! Surrender!”
“Never!” Mim shrieked, turning back into the fat purple dragon, fire spewing from her mouth. “I’ll never go back there! You can’t make me!” She shot a fireball at him, but Merlin transformed into a blue sparrow and flew away from her. But Mim deftly conjured a cage, trapping him.
“Some powerful wizard!” scoffed Mal. “Can’t he turn into something…I don’t know…scarier?”