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“Now that Harry has graciously led us through the thorns, I think we can spread out,” said Uma.
“What do we do if we find anything?” asked Harry.
“Just yell,” said Uma, brazen as ever.
“But that might draw the attention of you-know-what.” He eyed the imposing fortress.
“Live a little,” said Uma. “And quit your worrying. “We’ve come this far, haven’t we?”
Gil humphed, and Harry rolled his eyes.
The crew dispersed, fanning out in all directions—eager to search for treasure, but always aware of the fortress, which seemed to watch over them, its tower looming in the distance.
Harry went toward what looked like a jungle. Desiree lingered at the thorny grove, while Uma and Gil headed toward the castle’s base, where smaller trees grew amidst tumbled stones.
Harry hacked his way into the jungle. They were looking for a trail. Most of those were on the ground, he thought, but the earth here was covered in a thick layer of underbrush, and the trees grew so closely together he had to press each branch aside with his shoulders while he hacked at the ferns with his cutlass, his hook gathering up what was shorn and tossing it aside. Each time he cleared a patch of ferns or some other jungle plant, there was nothing resting beneath it—nothing that looked like a path, at least.
He turned to see if Uma and Gil had made any progress, but they had disappeared into the rocks. He wiped the sweat from his brow and wondered if this was all just a waste of time. The jungle was too dense; they’d never find a trail here. Maybe they needed a new strategy. He turned, following the path that he had already cut through the forest, hoping to find Uma and the others.
On his way back, he hacked at a particularly old and tangled branch, one he had pushed aside when he’d first come through. The branch fell, leaving a slender stump dangling from the face of the tree. There was a cut below the stump, and at first Harry mistook it for the stroke of his own blade. But he had been making slender cuts that went from side to side. This was something altogether different. It was a carving. When the clouds cleared and a bit of light shone through the canopy, he noticed that it formed a distinct pattern.
“I’ve found something!” he called out, loudly but not too loudly, still concerned he might draw the goblins’ attention. A moment passed. He glanced up at Maleficent’s fortress, wondering if hundreds of the crafty little creatures were watching him.
Mal shifted her weight from foot to foot as the four of them stood on the rug in Fairy Godmother’s office, where just yesterday they had surrendered their evil talismans. They definitely weren’t those heroes anymore. She had a sinking feeling in her stomach. This was the exact opposite of what she had intended to happen when she’d taken on Arabella’s problem. She’d only meant to help a friend, but she’d gotten them all in trouble in the process.
“I’m sorry, guys,” Mal whispered.
Evie put an arm around Mal. “It’s okay.”
“We’re all in this together,” said Jay. “We go down as one.”
“I just hope we’re not really going down,” said Carlos.
Fairy Godmother finished locking the door and stood in front of the group. She stared at each of them in turn with a frosty glare. “What is the meaning of this? Outside of school property and past the security gate down at Belle’s Harbor! The rules are there to keep you kids safe, you know.”
Mal grimaced as Evie and Carlos looked chagrined, but Jay tried for a winning smile. “You see, Fairy G, we were—”
“Hush!” said Fairy Godmother, putting up her palm.
“We were just—” said Mal softly.
“Hush!” said Fairy Godmother again.
They all began to talk all at once. “We were night-swimming!” said Jay.
“We saw in the magic mirror that…” said Evie.
“Auradon is in danger,” said Carlos.
“Uma can’t win!” cried Mal.
“One at a time!” said Fairy Godmother.
Once again, they all started to speak at the same time.
“You go ahead,” said Mal to Evie.
“No, you go,” said Evie to Carlos.
