Once Upon a Time: Ever After High (Book 8)

Ch.12 Forced Darkness

Mira couldn't believe what she just did as she watched as Edmond with the sword still through his chest collapsed to the ground dead. She quickly ran over to the body full of shock as Brooke went up to her.

"Mira" she said as she put her hand on her shoulder.

"I can't believe I just did that" Mira gasped.

Just then Olivia and Terrence began to regain consciousness as they turned and were surprised to see Mira over the Edmond's body.

"I didn't have a choice" she said guilt.

"No" everyone turned to see Mira's evil self "That's not true."

Everyone was full of shock as they stood up.

"She is back" Olivia said surprised.

"I couldn't just let the Count kill my friends" Mira said with frustration as her eyes started to water.

"But I thought the heroes always find another way?" her evil self smirked "But unless of course this means... you're not a hero."

At that point Mira gave a yell of anger as she ran to her evil self and gripped her by her collar.

"I will rip your heart out!" she yelled.

"Yes" the Queen smirked "There's the Mira I remember, we do like it rough don't we?"

Realizing what she meant, Mira gave a growl as she let go of her evil self.

"You didn't want the Count to kill Olivia" she said with tears stains down her cheek "You wanted me to kill him."

"Well it was the only way to show you, that no matter what you do, the Darkness will always be inside. And that tiny bit of Darkness I awakened today, is only going to grow."

"Don't listen to her Mira" Olivia ordered.

"Apple White" the Queen growled.

"I'm not afraid of you" Olivia declared "We've defeated you before we can do it again."

"Oh I'm the one who's going to destroy your happy endings" the Queen said as she gave a sneaky smile "Not this time."

"Then who is?" Mira demanded.

"You are, you're going to destroy everyone's happy endings."

"You wont divide this family" Olivia declared with a frown.

"Oh I wont have to, the people from the Land of Untold Stories aren't the only ones with stories they don't want told. And when your stories finally play out-".

At that point the Queen gave an evil laugh.

"I'll just sit back and watch you all tear yourselves apart."

Everyone stood there with shock as the Queen used her powers to disappear, leaving them wondering what she meant about their stories.

So later that night at the 'Wonder diner', Mira sat at a table with a sad look on her face with Olivia and Elena in front of her.

"Mira it's not your fault" Olivia said.

"Right" Mira said with doubt.

"She trapped you you didn't have a choice" Elena put in.

"Of course I had a choice, I could of kept the Evil Queen inside where she was my problem-".

"No" Elena cut in "This is exactly what she wants, she wants you to doubt yourself."

"Well she's doing a hell of a job."

"Look" Olivia said "Mira this may be new for you, but we've faced the Evil Queen before, and we never once did by running away. We have to face her head on, get ahead of her plan."

"And how exactly do we do that?"

"I don't know, but this is the one time we're going to ask you to think like the Evil Queen, what did she mean when she said we all have stories that don't want to be told?"

At that point Elena felt her hand start to shake as she suddenly got her vision of her her getting stabbed. When the vision went away, she quickly grabbed onto her hand forcing it to stop.

"Elena" Mira said "You okay?"

"Yeah I'm fine" Elena lied as she took a sip of her drink.

But by the looks of her, Mira and Olivia could tell that something was up. But right after the diner, Elena made her way back to Lakeside Mansion where she went inside and saw Danny in the lounge looking through some books.

"Danny" she called as he turned around.

"Hey Elena" he said "What brings you here?"

"I think you're right-" she confessed "I think I should tell my friends about the vision and what's going on."

"Well I'm glad to hear that."

"Except I can't, at least, not now."

"Does this have something to do with your rivalry with the Evil Queen?"

"How did you know about that?"

"Brooke called and told me everything."

"The Queen said she was gonna tear us all apart" Elena said with a worried look "She already tried to black Mira's heart."

"Are you worried that she's gonna succeed?"

"I'm- worried about, who might be in the hood, and who might kill me."

"Who Elena? Who's gonna kill you?"

She hesitated as she bit her lip nervously.

"The one person who wasn't with my friends in the vision-" she replied "Mira."

At that point Danny stood there surprised.

"Are you worried about Mira?" he asked "Or the Evil Queen?"

"... I don't know."

"Do you really think that? I mean, Mira's still your mother, and I can't see her killing her own daughter."

"I know that, but the Evil Queen might. She knew that I never wanted to follow in her footsteps, and she went overboard by forcing me to do so, even if it means putting my friends in danger."

Danny gave a small sigh.

"You really think Mira's the one in the hood?" he asked.

"I don't know" she shrugged "It's just a thought.

"Well, I'm glad you told me. And when are you gonna tell your friends?"

"I need to find the right moment, but now I'm kinda scared to confess because I lied to them."

"That doesn't matter, when you're ready tell them and explain everything, they'll understand."

"I hope" Elena sighed as she took off, wondering if Mira really was the person in the hood who was going to kill her, or someone else.