Heart of the Dragon

Chapter 5

Heart of the Dragon

Chapter 5

"Dear Evie,

Congratulations! We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at the Auradon Institute of Art, Fashion, and Design."

Sometimes Evie would look over at the acceptance letter and read it over and over again, unable to believe it. A few years ago, the last thing she expected was a home in Auradon, let alone access to a college education. Full ride, given her smarts.

Wow. Pretty looks couldn't get you this, she realized.

"Reading that acceptance letter again?" Mal asked with a sigh, scrolling through something on her phone. Evie did a double take; were those horns still growing? No wonder her friend barely moved from her room these past few days—not even Ben had seen her since and started sending over every "get well" gift he could think of.

Kind of cute and pathetic at the same time, really. But who could blame him? Ben and Mal had been pretty much inseparable since his coronation, and neither of them had ever been apart for this long.

Evie could almost see it taking its toll on Mal. The restlessness, the snippiness... But Evie respected that Mal didn't want to see Ben in her current state, and it was then Evie realized just how lucky she was to only have college making her nervous, not some guy or a mother's curse.

Another week, and all anyone could do was wait. As requested, Evie contacted Fairy Godmother about what was happening to Mal, but she didn't know the answer. Fairy Godmother was going to have to outsource this one—to the Three Good Fairies.

Whether or not they took on Mal's case, that's what made everyone nervous.

Hence, the waiting.

"I hate this!" Mal lamented, flopping back on her bed with an exasperated sigh. "Why haven't those three idiots gotten back to me yet?"

Seeing Mal so moody didn't help the situation one bit. Evie just grabbed her latest creation, a simple violet silk scarf, and draped it over Mal's head.

"Maybe for now, we focus on getting you out of this room," she suggested, trying to be patient. "I'll do your hair and hide the horns even more under the scarf, okay?"

Mal rolled her eyes, but sat up. "Yeah, sure. Whatever makes me feel normal again."

"Ugh, and a new paint job." Evie picked up Mal's hand, wrinkling her pert nose. "Haven't you trimmed them lately?"

"Yes, but they keep growing back," Mal explained, shifting to sit on her hands. "Nothing's going to help."

"Oh, you don't know that." Evie waved a hand just as her phone rang. She scrambled across the room for it, heart pounding.

Sure enough, it was finally Fairy Godmother, with news of the Three Good Fairies. After some time to think about it (too long, in Evie's opinion), they finally decided to grant Mal an audience, once they figured she probably wouldn't burn them to a crisp for what they'd done to her mother.

Quickly Evie thanked Fairy Godmother and tied the scarf around Mal's head, hurrying her out the door.

"What's up?" Mal asked, protesting the sudden movement.

"We've gotta book it to the museum!" Evie explained, grabbing her purse before leaving. "The Three Good Fairies finally agreed to meet with you."

"I'm finally going to know what's really going on and how I can fix it?" Mal's voice was optimistic, incredibly hopeful.