Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"It worked!" Red yelled excitedly.
"What worked?" Cleo asked, glancing around in confusion. "And where the hell are we?"
"Not where, when," Red corrected, her eyes scanning the surroundings. It was Auradons courtyard so it was familiar but —its stones more weathered, vines creeping up the walls, and ancient banners hanging limply in the still air. "It's the same courtyard, but it looks older."
"We're at Merlin's Academy," Damien said, drawing their attention.
"How do you know?" Cleo questioned.
Damien pointed to a tattered flag swaying gently in the breeze. "See? Merlin's Academy."
Cleo's eyes widened with realization. "We have to leave! I need to save my mom."
"No, this is exactly where I need to be. We can't go back now," Red insisted, determination etched on her face.
Cleo shook her head vehemently, her voice rising in panic. "No, my mom is going to die if I don't save her."
"I can't send you back alone. We all have to leave together," Red said, holding up the pocket watch as evidence.
"You're kidding," Cleo said, throwing her hands up in exasperation.
"Does it look like I'm kidding?" Red responded, her tone steady and serious.
"Why would you take us back in time?" Cleo asked upset.
"I didn't take you," Red said factually. "You just grabby-grabbed your way in. This is not what I had in mind. I just wanted to stop my mom."
"What about my mom? You sentenced her to death!" Cleo said, her voice trembling with anger.
"Maybe not my finest moment, but I'm gonna fix it," Red said, her expression serious.
"How?" Cleo asked, her frustration evident.
"I thought the watch would take me back a couple of minutes so that I could steal my mom's deck of cards. Not a couple of decades," Red explained.
"Well, we need to go back and save my mom," Cleo insisted.
"No, the watch sent us to this time for a reason," Red said firmly.
Cleo tried to grab the pocket watch from her but was blocked by Red's hand. "What are you doing?" Red questioned, keeping the watch out of Cleo's reach.
"I'm not staying here with you. I want to save my mom," Cleo said, still trying to get the watch.
"We will, after I change my mom," Red said.
Cleo pushed her, taking the pocket watch from Red. But Red retaliated, grabbing Cleo's arm and pulling her back. They struggled, each determined to get their way, until Damien stepped between them, separating the two girls.
