Hellfire | Isle of the Lost

TWENTY-NINE: Rotten to the Core

When Mal returned to the Bargain Castle, she fully expected her mother to scream invectives at her for failing in her quest. She opened the door slowly and stepped inside, as quietly as she could, keeping her eyes on the ground.

It was no use. Maleficent was on her throne. "So, the prodigal daughter returns," she said. Her voice sounded different.

"Mother, I have something to..." Mal stopped, looking up.

And stared. And then stared some more, in about ten different varieties of shock. Because she found herself staring at the long black staff with the green globe at its top that her mother was holding. The Dragon's Eye.

"Is that—" She couldn't speak.

Maleficent nodded. "Yes, it is the Dragon's Eye. And yes, you did fail me. But thankfully, not all my servants are as useless as you."

Mal ignored the word servant. "But how?"

Maleficent laughed. "Silly child, what do you know about quests?"

"But we found it in the Forbidden Fortress! I touched it!" said Mal. "It was in your own throne room. Suspended on the wall. Where you could see it, from where your throne used to sit."

Her mother eyed her. Mal couldn't be certain, but it was possible, for the briefest of all split-seconds, that her mother was the slightest bit impressed.

"I touched it, and that thing knocked me unconscious."

"You touched it? You don't say," said Maleficent. "Well, good job, you. You really are as soft as your father."

Mal bristled. "I don't understand."

"You touched the Dragon's Eye? Instead of tricking one of the others into doing it? Such weakness. I didn't want to believe the news when I heard it." Maleficent banged her staff upon the floor next to her feet. "How many times, Mal? How much more will you shame me?"

She rolled her eyes. "I sent Diablo out after you to retrieve the Eye for me. He must have taken it from you while you were sleeping off the curse." She shook her head. "I knew you wouldn't have it in you to do what needed to be done, and I knew I couldn't take any chances. It appears I was right. Again."

Diablo cawed proudly.

So she'd been right about feeling as if they were being followed. Of course. That was Diablo. Mal felt like giving up. It never mattered, how hard she tried, or what she did, she would never impress her mother. Even now, her mother had eyes only for the Dragon's Eye. It was then that she started thinking about Hades' words. Maybe he had a point. 

"The only thing is, it's broken," said Maleficent with a frown. "Look at the eye, it's dead." For a moment, she sounded like the same angry little girl who had cursed a baby over a party invitation. Mal remembered all too well, and she looked at her mother through new eyes.

"Well, the dome is still up," said Mal, remembering what Helena said to her earlier. "It keeps the magic out." It was down for a brief moment, but there would be no magic on the island anytime soon.

"Maybe. Or maybe you broke the eye when you touched it," Maleficent accused. "You are such a disappointment."

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Meanwhile, at Jafar's Junk Shop, an angry Jafar was berating Jay, who had returned home empty-handed. "So you're saying you did find the Dragon's Eye, did you? So where is it, then?"

"It disappeared!" Jay protested. "One minute we had it, and then we lost it."

"Right. And this had nothing to do with a certain noble deed performed by a certain daughter of evil for a certain other daughter of evil?"