Echoes of Wonderland

The owl's eye

Chloe's POV

The initial shock started to give way to a fierce resolve. Red's urgency and the gravity of the situation grounded me. I couldn't afford to wallow in personal hurt when Bridget's safety was on the line. The determination in Red's eyes reflected my own rising sense of purpose.

Red and I began working together, the tension between us shifting from personal conflict to a shared determination. As we prepared to confront Uliana and save Bridget, our focus narrowed to the immediate crisis. The personal revelations would have to wait until we had dealt with the greater threat facing Auradon.

The chalkboard is back in the picture as we start figuring out what to do.

- We'll find the book, we'll stop Uliana, - I state firmly. - And I'll deal with my mom later. Right now, we need to act quickly. We can't let this get any worse.

Saying it out loud seemed to solidify my resolve. Despite the hurt and betrayal I felt, I knew what needed to be done. Bridget's safety and stopping Uliana's plan were our priorities. Everything else would have to wait.

- We need to get the book tonight. - I say taking a deep breath. - We need to figure out how to get into Merlin's office without getting caught.

- I agree. - Red replies, nodding, her eyes sharp with determination. - But how will we get into the office without alerting the owls guards? We need to be extra catious... Or extra prepared.

- We'll need a distraction to draw the owls away. - I propose the idea, although it may not be viable. - Maybe we can use a light spell to distract them. If we create a bright flash outside the window, the owls might leave their post to investigate.

- That could work. I can handle the light spell using my mom's magic cards. - Says Red, smirking slightly, a glint of mischief in her eyes. - You get into Merlin's office and grab the book. Once you have it, meet me back at the dorm. If something goes wrong, we'll regroup here and come up with a new plan.

Red nodded, her confidence giving me a sense of reassurance. We were in this together, and we had to trust each other completely.

- Got it. - I nod back, feeling a surge of determination. - We can do this. We just need to stay focused and not get caught. Our future depends on it.

Red and I sat down, the urgency of the situation pushing our personal issues aside. We had a job to do, and we needed to be smart about it.

We spent the next hour going over the details, making sure we were both clear on what needed to be done. The stakes were high, but we couldn't afford to fail. As the sun began to set, we prepared ourselves for the night ahead, our minds set on one goal: stopping Uliana and saving Bridget

As we prepared to confront the danger ahead, the room seemed to buzz with the urgency of our mission. The shock and personal pain were still there, but they were overshadowed by the immediate need to act. Red and I were in this together, and that gave me the strength I needed to face whatever came next.

The room was quiet as we gathered our things, the weight of our mission heavy in the air. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, but I pushed the fear aside. We had a plan, and we were going to see it through.

- Ready? - I ask looking at Red, a determined smile on my face.

- Ready as I'll ever be. - Says Red grinning back, her confidence infectious.

With a final nod, we slipped out of the dorm room, our footsteps silent as we made our way through the darkened halls. The night was just beginning, and we had a mission to accomplish.

---

Red and I crept up to the door of Merlin's office. The magical stone owls perched inside, their eyes glowing faintly in the darkness. I felt a shiver run down my spine, but I steeled myself. We had to do this.

- Alright, I'm going to cast the light spell with my mom's magic cards. - She whispers. - Be ready to move as soon as the owls are distracted. And Chlo, stay close to me. I won't let anything happen to you.

I nodded, my heart racing. Red took out a deck of cards and began to shuffle them with a practiced ease.

- Just be careful, Red. I need you safe too. - I whisper back.

Red grabs my hand, pulling me close as we moved swiftly towards the book. The warmth of her hand in mine was a steady reminder of her earlier words, and I felt a surge of determination to protect her at all costs.

She then drops my hand and kept on shuffling and whispered an incantation, and the cards started to glow with a soft, golden light. With a flick of her wrist, she sent a bright flash of light outside the window, and the owls immediately turned their heads towards the source of the light, their eyes narrowing.

- Go, now! - Says Red urgently.

I slipped inside the office, moving quickly and quietly. The room was filled with ancient artifacts and stacks of books. I spotted the Sorcerer's Book way up on the shelf. As I approached it, I felt the tingling sensation in the air once again, just as last time.

I reached out and carefully lifted the book, trying not to trigger any spells. Suddenly, the book glowed brightly, and the stone owls snapped their heads towards me, their eyes blazing.

- Red, the owls are on to me! - I plead, panicking.

The enchantment triggered  and turned to me almost instantly. Swords materialized, swirling around us in a deadly dance. Red gets into the room and positions herself in front of me, deflecting the swords with her magic while I fight them with my sword. The enchanted owls hooted angrily, and one of them began to fly off with the book.

- Not today! - Red growls determined.

With a quick flick of her wrist, she sends a burst of magic towards the owl, causing it to drop the book. I lunged forward, catching it just in time. But the mechanical owl was already on its way to summon Merlin.

- We need to get out of here, now! - Red says firmly, rushing into the room

As we turned to leave, one of the owls swooped down, trying to snatch the book from my hands. I dodged, but the owl screeched and summoned a swarm of enchanted knight from the table.

I was more determined than ever to protect her, to keep her safe from the dangers we were facing.

- Stay close, Chlo. - Red states desperately but sweetly. - We're getting out of here together.

- Together. - I nod

- Run! - She says grabbing my arm.

We dashed towards the door, the knight clanging its sword behind us. Just as we reached the hallway, another owl flew towards us, aiming for the book. I threw one of my slippers at it, hitting it squarely and knocking it off course.

- We need to hide the book, somewhere safe! - I speak up, breathlessly.

- Follow me! - agrees Red nodding, her eyes wide with adrenaline

We ran through the halls, the sound of the enchanted swords and the screeching owls fading behind us. We burst into an old, unused classroom and quickly barricaded the door.

- That was too close. - I gasp for breath.

- But we did it. - Red celebrates, grinning despite the danger. - We have the book.

I held up the Sorcerer's Book, feeling a mix of relief and fear. We had managed to get it, but now we had to figure out what to do next. The stakes were higher than ever, and we couldn't afford to make any mistakes.

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We're back on track!