Tower of Thorns

Chapter 11

Mila's POV

"I'm back!" Maleficent yelled as the smoke cleared. "And I've brought a dying present."

The smoke appeared once more and a lump landed on the floor. The lump rolled over and I recognized it. "Mom!" I rushed over to her slumped form and rolled her on her back. A sharp hand grabbed a fist full of hair and yanked me away from my mother.

"Did you really think it would be that easy?" Maleficent tisked.

"Go away, Mother," Mal said a certain level of tiredness in her voice. "And let my friend go."

Maleficent started cackling, assuming that her daughter was just putting on a show. "Oh. I'm so... You're very funny. Here. Wand me. Chop-chop."

"Don't give it to her, Mal," I said. The grip tightened on my hair and I let out a small yelp of pain.

Mal reached her arm out like she was going to hand the wand to her mother but she threw it to the Fairy Godmother. The Fairy Godmother tried to cast a spell but Maleficent was faster. With the big distraction, Maleficent let go of my hair and I rushed back over to my mother, only to find her frozen. Everyone but the six of us were frozen. Maleficent walked up to Fairy Godmother and took the wand from her gasp. From what I'd gathered, Maleficent's evil plan was making fun of everyone.

"Where shall we begin?" Maleficent asked rhetorically. "I know. Why don't we start by getting rid of this?" Maleficent pointed the wand in Mal's direction and took a ring from her finger. "Perfect fit!... Falling in love is weak and ridiculous."

"No!" I shouted standing up from the floor. "Love is not weak. Love is strength. Your hate kept you prisoner on the island, not the royal family. A mother is supposed to love her child not force her to do something she doesn't want to do."

"Be quiet!" Maleficent yelled. She raised her staff and slammed it down on the ground. A gust of green smoke rushed at me, knocking me to the ground.

"And now I command, wand to my hand!" Mal yelled.

There was a brief struggle but the wand ended up with Mal. Maleficent had a tiny breakdown, demanding the wand like a three-year-old demands attention. Carlos suggested that good is more powerful than evil and Maleficent barked at him. The Campus Mutt, Duke, bravely rushed towards Maleficent but didn't really slow her down. Jay made a grab for the wand but it seemed to suck out his strength.

"Enough!" Maleficent shouted. "You all will regret this!" More green smoke swirled around Maleficent and when the smoke cleared a dragon took her place.

Dragon Maleficent shot a burst of fire towards Jay which he expertly dodged. I moved to cover my mother and thankfully we were out of the range of the blast. Jay tried to outrun Dragon Maleficent but she was too fast. To give Jay more time Evie used her magic mirror to shine a light in Dragon Maleficent's eyes which sent the creature stumbling to the ground.

"Behind me E," Mal said, standing in front of her friends. I got up and walked over to her so we were standing side by side. "Leave my friends alone! This is between you and me, Mother."

Dragon Maleficent's eyes started glowing a bright green. I looked over at Mal and her eyes were doing the same thing. "The strength of evil is good as none, when stands before five hearts as one." I grabbed Mal's hand and started chanting with her. "The strength of evil is good as none, when stands before five hearts as one. The strength of evil is good as none, when stands before five hearts as one."

The two of them had a staring contest, neither backing down. Dragon Maleficent slowly shook her head to rid the effects of the magic before more green smoke engulfed her. The smoke cleared and we all ran over to see where she had gone. A tiny purple lizard took Maleficent's place.