Heart of the Dragon

Chapter 3

Heart of the Dragon

Chapter 3

Maleficent Bertha Junior. That's what it said on her diploma. That's the terrible name her mother had bestowed on her at birth. And that was why the only people who knew her full name were herself and Maleficent. And Fairy Godmother, apparently.

Mal rolled the diploma back up as she made her way back to her dorm room, taking a moment to relish graduation before she and the rest of her crew hit the town to celebrate. Fairy Godmother let the kids keep their rooms for the past year and for this summer, since here in Auradon they would always be safe.

Besides, a few more villains' kids had started attending Auradon Prep since Ben had let Mal, Evie, Jay, and Carlos move in. Mal waved to Anastasia Tremaine's son and hugged Madame Medusa's daughter, happy for a bit of devious company during her last summer at Auradon Prep. Seemed like a lot of the Isle kids really wanted redemption, or freedom—Mal suspected a bit of both.

Much as Mal would have loved a graduation meal with Ben, she respected his parents' decision to just have a family dinner. Besides, they'd been closer than ever for the past year, with Ben showing Mal his favorite movies (his all time favorite being the one with the panda that knew martial arts), his favorite places in Auradon (including a theme park with impersonators of the princesses and villains and a replica of Sleeping Beauty's castle), his favorite foods (chocolate!).

And of course, Mal showed Ben a few spells (her favorite being the night she accidentally made the rug in her room fly them all over town), and she realized—she had a penchant for baking! And loved it. Mostly because sweets didn't exist on the Isle—at least, not particularly edible ones. Whenever she had a new recipe up her sleeve, Ben was always the first to test it out, usually with positive feedback.

She loved the slight lisp when Ben pronounced a few words, and she loved when he touched her with a kindness and gentleness she'd never known. Mal couldn't believe that, over a year later, he still made her heart beat faster when he stopped by her room to pick her up for dates or walk her to class.

Mal sent Ben a text telling him to enjoy dinner, and she opened the door to hers and Evie's room, her roommate still not back to change yet (probably out flirting with Doug, Mal reasoned).

Mal unrolled the diploma, still unable to believe it. Not only did she graduate high school, she'd graduated from Auradon Prep with Honors. Who cared if her diploma blared her full name? She had the robe, the cap, and the pictures to prove it, too.

This time, she believed it enough not to pinch herself.

But, as Mal shed her robe and hung it up, her heart stopped a moment as the scurrying back lizard was no longer in her glass habitat.

No. She'd sealed the lid tight, made sure her mother couldn't escape, tried her hardest to put a barrier spell on it...

Who? Or what?

Maleficent could have been gone anytime between when Mal and Evie left for the graduation ceremony until now. Three hours on the run, burrowed anywhere.

Mal had to hope for the best, and tore through the pink room, graduation robe, cap, and diploma forgotten. True, it wasn't like Maleficent could do much in her current form, but Mal could almost feel her mother's tainted spirit—tasted of rotting eggs, bad breath, and black fire. Dormant for now. Subdued, quietly lingering at the back of Mal's throat.

It meant something terrible was on the horizon.

It was the same sensation she'd gotten her first night at Auradon, when that wax figure of Maleficent seemed to speak to her. It was the same feeling she'd gotten at Ben's coronation, when Jane had seized her mother's wand and Mal took it seconds afterward.