𝙒𝙄𝘾𝙆𝙀𝘿 𝘼𝙇𝙒𝘼𝙔𝙎 𝙒𝙄𝙉𝙎 🔥 𝖉𝖊𝖘𝖈𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖆𝖓𝖙𝖘

𝙓𝙄𝙄.

Ben paces back and forth through the recently overpowered castle of the Queen of Hearts. All the heroes have gathered in the throne room. The villain kids had all been captured and locked up in the dungeons, except for Pyper's closest circle. Those had been put in the throne room and tied against a pillar with enchanted rope. 

Mal stands besides her fiancé and glances over the three. Frey was shivering. Tears begin leaking out of his eyes and he becomes a little snotty, reminding everyone just how young the boy actually was. 

Sitting shoulder to shoulder besides the boy was the oldest of all of Pyper's alliances. Rae's scepter was taken from him the moment of his capture. Since then he has refused to speak. He just stares ahead with a blank look in his eyes.

Then there was Pyper's closest friend, Antoinette Tremaine. She was sitting next to Rae, also silent. She, however, didn't cry or look even remotely upset.  If one of them was to change for good Ben had put his wager on Anne, but now he was not so sure anymore.

The king faces his friends. The adrenaline was working off and he just now notices how tired his body actually was. "Where could she have gone? How could she leave Wonderland without anyone noticing?"

Ben's questions went unanswered. His friends glance at each other, all of them silent and pondering. One moment they were hot on her trail, but then they were distracted for a second and she was gone. 

Pyper had lost Hades' Ember and her entire army, but it did not feel like a win. 

Mal clenches her jaw. Her gaze wanders over their captives when she notices Anne's lack of emotion. She knows Anne quite well from the days where they were still friends with Pyper, since Pan's daughter would never allow Anne to be excluded no matter what. Her behaviour is odd, which gives her enough reason to question her.

Mal walks forward, kneeling down in front of Antoinette. "You know where she went, don't you?"

Anne looks up. She stares passively in Mal's eyes, but she was never good at hiding what she thought. There was a glimmer of satisfaction in her eyes, a spark of relief. Mal looks at her boyfriend and their friends.

"She knows something."

Carlos crosses his arms, staring at the interaction between the two of them. He shakes his head with a disapproving nod. "It is useless trying to get anything out of her, Mal. She is loyal to Pyper, she won't talk."

Mal glances back at Anne, who smiles. "He's right, you know," the black- and pinkhaired girl says, her eyes twinkling. Mal narrows her eyes on the girl, but realizes Carlos was right. There were many things you could say about Anne, including that she wasn't the smartest one of the bunch, but she would never betray her dearest friend. Not even if it means being free.

"Come on Mal, let's not waste more of our time. We need to think," Jay says, standing side by side with Lonnie, Carlos and Jane. Ben nods agreeingly. He begins pacing again, clutching his chin between his thumb and index finger. "Jay's right. Think, what are the options?"