XF → Harry Hook [2]✔

Restrained

A black and gold blur, the sound of breath being knocked out of someone's lungs, and a metallic unsheathing noise, all in less than a fraction of a second.

Before anyone could blink, the daughter of Ursula had landed heavily on her back, her legs swept out from beneath her. For the second time that day, the tip of XJ's spear was a hair away from cutting into someone's throat. The slightest tremble of her hand, and Uma's skin would rip apart.

XJ loomed over the girl, her body a cord of muscle as she held her spear, not even the slightest waver or readjustment of her grip. Her face was a white, taut mask of horrifying calm. Her lips had gone pale, pressed into a thin line, and her eyes were stones, the lack of emotion bone-chilling.

Uma swallowed, only to wince painfully as the metal dug into her throat. "Look, XJ - "

She was cut off as the spear dug even deeper into her neck. XJ's jaw was clenched, and her eyes never left Uma's.

"As much as I want to do the same to her," Mal piped up. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Mal!" Ben exclaimed, shocked at the bold statement.

The future queen of Auradon's eyes narrowed into slits. "She almost killed you, Ben, and I wouldn't be taking this chance if I didn't know for a fact that she has the ember."

"I'll just take it now, then." XJ's words were cold and quick. She spoke as if she couldn't have cared less about the person whose life was in her hands, but it was obvious to everyone that she wanted nothing more than to end it.

Uma strained herself to talk. "You can try," her voice was high and thin, but she still spoke without a tremble. "I've charmed it so that nobody can take it off me as long as I'm alive."

XJ bared her teeth, a menacing shark's grin. "That's an easy problem to solve."

"Xiao?" Harry asked nervously. He took a step closer, only for Uma to flinch again as XJ drove the spear even deeper. The message to stay away was clear. "Lass, I know that I'm probably biased, with Uma being my old captain and all, but I really don't think that you should kill her."

"I second that," Gil, who had run to hide behind Harry, spoke up from behind him.

As XJ stiffened, Evie shot Gil a look of warning. He frowned, confused. "Wha - "

Gil flew backwards like he had been kicked in the stomach. The back of his head hit the trunk of the tree behind him with an audible crack, making the leaves overhead rustle violently, branches waving at the sudden force. Gil's body slumped, and he was left sitting unconscious on the forest ground.

"Oh my god!" Evie shrieked, her hands flying to cover her mouth in shock.

Carlos ran over, scrambling as he placed a finger on the side of Gil's neck to check his pulse. He breathed a sigh of relief. "He's alive."

"Not for long," Jay muttered under his breath.

"We're don't have time for this," Mal scowled, folding her arms over her chest. "We need to get going, especially with the small window we have to stop Audrey and save Auradon. If you're going to kill Uma, just get on with it."

"I'm not going to have blood spilt in my kingdom." Ben said forcefully, in an attempt to be kingly. XJ didn't react.

"Xiao Jun, please don't." Harry pleaded. "For me." He added.

XJ demanded, her cold fury so sharp that her words cut through the air. "What do you mean 'for you'?"

"I owe her." Harry answered, his face pained. "Back on the Isle, before I met you, she saved my life."