XF → Harry Hook [2]✔

Spy

Audrey's signature was easy to follow. XJ could sense it: a buzz on her skin, a tingle down her spine, a scent in the air. It wasn't as if the girl was trying to hide it either – XJ doubted that she could even if she wanted to. Audrey had only ever called upon the strength of magic a few hours ago; a cloaking spell would be too complicated for an amateur. Besides, XJ figured that even if Audrey knew about signatures, she would want to make hers prominent as a show of strength.

Her signature had been taken over by that of Maleficent's scepter – the scent of withered leaves and thick smoke. XJ wasn't surprised; after all, it was doing most of the heavy lifting. The magic inside of Audrey that allowed her to wield it was miniscule, since it only came from the faintest sliver of Maleficent's magic that had remained in Sleeping Beauty's body when the villain had cast her spell, but it was enough to trigger the artifact that jumped at the smallest opportunity to cause chaos, even if the artifact had to overexert itself in comparison to when it was in its original owner's hands.

However, there was a faint hint of strawberry, mostly whisked away by the scent of decay. But if you concentrated enough, it was there. That was Audrey's own signature. The scent of smoke was overpowering, and XJ could barely smell the strawberries that were supposed to be pungently sweet.

Even without the signature, though, XJ could have followed Audrey and Chad, whose footsteps never left the path that wound through the forest. Audrey's steps were steady and sure, her heels digging into the dirt, while the imprint of Chad's sneakers were inconsistent, indicating that he scrambled backwards once or twice whenever Audrey turned around to face him.

At a fork in the road, Chad's steps diverged from Audrey's, heading into the vegetation, leaving a clear path in the bushes. Audrey remained on the path, and XJ decided to follow those. Chad wasn't important in this situation or in general as far as she was concerned.

The footsteps led XJ to the king's office, ceasing right beneath the balcony. XJ looked up, raising an eyebrow at the golden bannister. She regarded the stronger signature with faint amusement; Audrey clearly hadn't bothered with the front door, which meant that she had probably used Maleficent's scepter to fly into the room.

XJ needed to see what was going on, but she had to do so without getting caught. While using her magic would be easier, XJ decided not to risk Audrey sensing her own signature. Audrey might not think to check if she was being followed, but the scepter might. She could cast a cloaking spell, but it would take time, and XJ already knew that she was missing the confrontation.

No, she would have to climb.

All this flashed across her mind with the strategic clarity that came in times of precariousness, and XJ settled on her decision in the time that it took her to blink. She moved forwards, both hands grabbing hold of a window ledge on the first floor and hauling herself towards the balcony, moving swiftly and silently. Her feet found stability in the smallest cracks of the wall, never slowing to keep fatigue away.

It took XJ about ten seconds to make it to the balcony. She stood on the side of it, feet on the balcony ledge and hands gripping the edge of the wall. XJ leaned in, her head cocked at an angle, ready to listen to the voices that streamed out of the office, none the wiser that someone was eavesdropping on their conversation.

And then a bout of nausea hit XJ like a tidal wave.

It slammed full force into her. Her vision blurred, and for a second, her grip on the edge of the balcony loosened. XJ felt too heavy to hold herself up. Her stomach flipped as gravity threatened to pull her back to the ground below.

Stone. The voice in her head, which only visited her in her dreams, suddenly whispered.

XJ didn't understand, until she felt the gust of Maleficent's magic being sent from the scepter like a projecting beacon, sweeping over the Isle like a plague.