Mal and Harry: Together, we can do this.

Chapter 24

Light pierced in from the windows, and Mal squinted at the space beside her, only to find it empty. Quickly kicking off the covers, Mal ran out of the room at once, and she desperately sniffed at the air, hoping that she could smell something cooking or at least some fumes of their old stove, but there was nothing. 

Racing down the rotting stairs, Mal looked around the kitchen, but there was nothing. The hall? Nothing. The study? Not at all. And Mal felt dread as she rushed to the roof, and the dread sank in. Maddy, of course, was there. Significantly different from the last time Mal saw her, the Maddy now looked crazier. And the way her left arm was on her hip, Mal suspected it was broken.

"Maddy. Don't do this." Mal's eyes moved from Maddy to Harry, whom she dangled off the plank and off the room, and Maddy smiled, "Why, now, Mally, scared to lose your little Pirate? If I can't have him, Maleficent, neither can you." 

And Maddy released the rope.

Mal fell for the trap at once, the flames crackling high as she blurred past so quickly she was invisible, and she caught Harry by his coat, before she disappeared back to the roof, she and Harry accidentally separated, for Mal didn't see Maddy's repulsion spell awaiting them.

And now, at her throat, the tip of a blade was pointed, and Mal didn't dare to swallow as she felt the cool sharpness against her skin. "Well, well, Mal. I told you to play nice, didn't I? Unlike Hades and Harry, I don't fancy a feisty one." Anthony's voice was no longer silky, as though trying to court her. 

No, his voice was cold and sharp, and Mal's eyes darted to Harry quickly, only to see him now tied against the old mast of a boat leaning over their hideout, wriggling everytime Maddy tried to touch him.

"Let him go, Maddy, take me." Mal pleaded, watching Harry jerk back in shock when his face was suddenly bright red, and Mal watched the bright red hand mark, the aftermath of a slap, appear on his cheek. "I don't want you anymore, Mal. I only want Harry, don't I, dearie?" Maddy giggled as Harry spat at her feet, "I belong to Mal."

That instantly motivated Mal. Tilting her head slightly, Mal quickly did a backflip, not only putting distance between her and the weapon, but also conveniently disarming Anthony as the blade went over the roof and blinking as it disappeared into the sea. Before Anthony could catch her, Mal flicked her wrist, and a small ball of fire flew towards Harry's ropes, freeing him, and he quickly leapt onto the roof and sprinted to Mal.

"You!" Anthony roared,and suddenly, everything happened so quickly it was a blur. The next thing Mal knew, Anthony was on the floor, his mouth gaping as his eyes were widened. And in his eyes, any signs of life were gone. "Ah, yes. Refreshing." Maddy cackled, and Mal saw her aura change, now preserving a grayish shade to it, and with horror, Mal realised what had happened.

"You killed him. You took an innocents' soul? Maddy! The spell should not be used this way!" Mal was wary at once. If anything now, Maddy was possibly powerful. It depended on how willing Anthony was to be her slave. "Anthony!" Mal shouted as wind began to gather from nowhere, "You will never be able to regain your life again! Why help her?"

"I'D RATHER DIE TRYING!" The wind howled, and Maddy smiled maniacally, "I always get what I want, Mal. I will always get what I want!" And as she tipped her head back to laugh, a thick layer of air surrounded her, and Mal only saw Maddy reappear, but this time, as a dragon. 

This dragon wasn't so different from the Maddy Mim they had encountered in the past. Perhaps, a little larger, but the fact that her wings were still smaller and there was a mop of hair on her head, that was enough to resemble Madam Mim. 

Taking a glance back at Harry, he stared at her with uncertainty, unsure of what she was about to do, and Mal could only flash him a comforting smile, before she ran forwards, purple mist swirling with each step, and at her third step, Mal flung herself into the gathering wind, and she appeared, seconds later, high up in the air, her huge wings spread out, trapping air and keeping her afloat.