XF → Harry Hook [2]✔

Knights in Shining Armor

Audrey's suite was situated on the highest floor of the block of student dorms that lay beside Auradon Prep. It was closer to Ben's office than it was to the classrooms, which XJ could imagine had been one source of Audrey's petty pride, which had no doubt turned into ash in her mouth as a reminder of what could – what should – have been.

As they walked through the long hallway, donned with royal blue and gold flags, all bearing the school's emblem, Jay's eyes were wide. XJ wasn't surprised that the sly glint that meant a thief was scanning his potential bounty had disappeared, when before it was the only thing that lit up his dark pupils.

"I've never been here," Jay commented. "This entire floor can't just be for Audrey, can it?"

Ben shook his head. "Technically, it's where the school keeps its trophies and other antiques. When we bring tours around, the gold medals catch the sunlight brilliantly through the windows."

"I bet Audrey loved that." Mal snorted.

"On the contrary," XJ examined the cases that lined the polished walls, stuffed so full of bronze, silver and gold that it looked like the glass would crack. "I think she despises this place."

"Why?"

"No matter how much you sugar coat it, this is a glorified storage unit. It's for things that people don't want or have lost interest in." XJ stated airily.

Mal stopped walking. Her lips curled into a sneer the same way her hands curled into fists at her sides. Ben shook his head at her, and tried to usher her forward, only to find that Mal's feet had become rooted to the ground.

"I don't know whose side you're on anymore," Mal spat at XJ, who had continued to walk, albeit at a slower pace with Harry by her side. Her voice rang through the wide hall, echoing off its walls. "You're coming up with strategies to stop her, but at the same time you're defending her?"

"Mal, quit it," Evie tried to coax her friend into calming down. "We don't need this; not right now."

"Actually, I think it's the perfect time." Mal said loudly. "You're known for double-crossing people; how do we know you won't double-cross us?" Her fury only grew as the distance between her and XJ continued to grow. A vicious thought sprung from the corner of her mind, one that she reserved for Uma and XJ. "Then again, Harry double-crossed you, so maybe this is some kind of plot to get back at him."

The sound of footsteps that were growing more distant by the second stopped abruptly. Mal waited, triumph blossoming in the form of a smirk on her face. Ben and Evie stared at each other, frozen with disbelief at the words that had spilled from Mal's mouth. Meanwhile, Uma, who had been bringing up the rear of the group, looked on with nervous curiosity.

Everyone had expected Mal to be on the floor once they blinked, her throat cut open by either XJ's spear or her magic, the remains of golden dust mixing with crimson.

Instead, a raucous cackle sounded from the end of the hallway. It reverberated, bouncing wildly off the walls like a firework that had been let loose. Mal stumbled backwards, as if the laugh had physically shoved her into Ben, whose arms were covered in goosebumps. The tone of the laugh was so harshly Isle, that everyone but Uma winced at its dagger-like, icy edges. It couldn't have been a stronger declaration of a death sentence.

While XJ had been the one to laugh, Harry was first to turn around. His eyes were full of fire, his features sharp and pointed. It was a common thing for the son of Captain Hook to lose his temper, but while his usual bouts of rage were temporary and were easy to banish either by time or XJ, this anger was different, and it was immediately clear that even XJ might not be able to douse it.