Into the Depths

Chapter 1

As the light cleared, Mal found herself right where she had started: on the cliff looking out onto the Isle. She wasn't going to lie, there was a part of her that still found the idea of going back to the Isle tempting.

No rules, no responsibilities...no handlers waiting to judge you the moment something's wrong with your outfit or an answer you gave to the press. No reporters waiting for the moment you mess up to be there with their cameras to film it, airing it on TV for months on end.

Plus, the Isle would have Hadie—and Steph, for six months at least. That was better than nothing. Plus she had her clubhouse so it wasn't like she was lacking for a place to stay.

But, as she looked over her shoulder at Auradon one more time, she knew the Isle wasn't her home anymore. Evie was in Auradon. Carlos was in Auradon. Jay was in Auradon. Ben was in Auradon.

The light of the sun caught on Ben's signet ring and Mal couldn't help but smile as she saw it. How had she been so reckless? To throw away her relationship with Ben over one fight? A fight that had been entirely her fault anyway? And not only that but to run back to the Isle, where Uma and her warf rats apparently gained control since the power vacuum that opened up since Maleficent turned into a lizard.

Uma. Mal growled as she looked out toward the Isle once more, her eyes glowing a slightly brighter green. Was that sneaky squidling back behind the barrier with Harry and Gil, plotting her escape? Or did the Blue Fairy take pity on her and leave her in Auradon like she had Dizzy and Hadie after the first viewing?

If it was the later, Mal couldn't afford to stay out here any longer. After seeing what Uma was capable of, she didn't want to put Ben at risk. Mal brought her leg over the scooter, straddling the bike; ready to turn it around and head back to Auradon Prep.

"Mal!"

Mal blinked; had that been Ben's voice she heard?

No, I've got to be imaging things, she thought with a small head shake. There's no reason for Ben to be out here. Especially by himself.

This is Ben though. The same boy who gave his security detail the day off on our first date. You really think the fact that he'd be so close to the Isle would stop him from coming out here without a guard?

"Mal!"

The voice called again and this time Mal was certain, that was Ben's voice she was hearing. Turning around, Mal stared in shock as she saw Ben standing before her, his blue scooter standing by as he quickly climbed off it. Clearly hastily clad in what he thought passed for Isle clothes, Mal had to shake her head.

"Ben, tourney sweats do not count as Isle garb," she said softly. It was a valiant attempt but the large gold lettering down the side of the pants that read 'Auradon Fighting Knights' was a bigger giveaway that Ben was from Auradon than the jacket with the Beast insignia had been during the viewing. At least the pants were dark blue—if it hadn't been for the lettering, it might have worked.

I see Jay lent Ben one of his beanies, Mal thought with a small smile. Either that or Ben just grabbed it on his way after me. But when did he have the time to change? I know he wasn't wearing that during the viewing nor was he wearing it on our picnic date. The one where I idiotically tried to spell him with a mind wipe spell.

"Evie said the stuff I had commissioned from her needed about another half a day to finish. Apparently, having a giant beast in a shield present on the front of the jacket wasn't a good idea after all," Ben told her, gently breaking into her thoughts. "I...I didn't know if you were still going to the Isle after everything so I wanted to be ready in case I needed to follow you."