Mal braced herself to go out on the balcony and address the crowd.
“Hold on,” said Evie, brushing Mal’s hair from her forehead and pulling up her jacket collar. “Better.”
“Thanks,” said Mal, trying not to feel too nervous.
“You’ve got this, okay? It’s a great plan, and I know you’re going to do Auradon proud,” reassured Evie.
“I just really want this to work,” said Mal, taking a deep breath.
“I know. Me too,” said Evie.
“You’re gonna be great!” said Carlos. Jay grinned and clapped Mal on the shoulder for encouragement. She smiled and stepped onto the balcony.
Mal took her place and raised her hands to signal for attention. Jay, Carlos, and Evie walked behind her, fanning out so that everyone could see them. Mal hoped they looked like a power squad, and not like a bunch of kids who didn’t know what they were getting themselves into.
A hush fell over the crowd as the people of the Isle of the Lost spotted them. But whatever Mal had expected their reaction to be, it wasn’t this. The audience shrank back, whispering wildly and gesturing with fright toward the four of them. Some people even seemed to be trembling! A few of the little ones were outright crying. Mal looked around in confusion and disbelief. She knew she had a reputation, but how scary did they really think she was?
Evie crept up beside her. “Um…Mal?”
Mal stage-whispered back, “What’s going on? Why do they look so freaked-out?”
Carlos cleared his throat. “Well, we’re kind of standing in the shadows,” he said, gesturing to the overhang that was cloaking them in darkness. “I think that they think you’re, well, your mom.”
It was only then that Mal could make out the fervent, terrified whispers from the crowd. “Maleficent!” they were saying. “She’s back!” Someone in the crowd shrieked and ran away.
Mal tugged down the collar of her jacket—which might have looked a bit cape-like in silhouette, she realized. But, come on, it’s not like she had horns. She stepped out of the shadows and into the sunlight.
“Guys, guys,” she said, waving her hands. “It’s me, Mal!” And my mom is like, eating leaves and lying on a rock somewhere, she wanted to add, but didn’t.
A murmur rippled through the crowd as terror turned into something that resembled relief, but a relief that was definitely still tinged with terror. Mal! She’s back! Mal’s going to curse us! Why is she here? Who’s that behind her? Why, it’s the four of them! They’re all back! I like Evie’s dress! What’s Mal going to do to us?!
“I hope my mother doesn’t find out I’m here,” muttered Carlos, standing next to Evie.
“Shhh,” said Evie, who was waving to the crowd and blowing kisses like a true princess. “Everyone calm down! We have good news!” called Evie, but the crowd ignored her and continued to churn with nervous energy.
Jay stepped forward. “Settle down, settle down!” he commanded. “Go on, Mal, tell them.”
Mal raised her hands once more for silence. This time, she got it.
“Hi,” she started again, then took a breath and squared her shoulders. “I have an official announcement from the kingdom of Auradon. Auradon Prep is taking more applications from the Isle of the Lost!” Mal paused, glancing around for applause or gasps of excitement. But they were only staring up at her silently. “Four new kids are going to be selected to attend the school, just like we were. I promise you, this is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I hope you’ll all consider applying. Join us on the mainland!”
Mal finished her announcement with a grin and waited. But the villains were just shaking their heads. They grumbled to each other: School? Who wants to go to school? Auradon? Why would we want to go there? This is stupid. Homework? Ew.
The crowd began to disperse, muttering and shaking their heads. Evie rushed up next to Mal, her arms outstretched. “Wait! Hear us out! Please!”
“Please?” Mal heard one of the kids scoff. No one ever used common courtesies like please on the Isle. Mal thought that most of them must have been shocked into complying, though, because they all seemed to pause.
“Yes, listen!” said Carlos. “We’ve had a great time in Auradon! There are so many delicious things to eat that aren’t even rotten or expired. And so many awesome desserts!”
“There’s this game called tourney,” said Jay. “Where you can really beat someone up!” Evie shot him a look and he shrugged. “You have to give them what they want to hear.”
Mal nodded. Jay was right. They would never be able to explain the appeal of Auradon to people who only knew life on the Isle of the Lost. But she had to try.
“I was like you once,” she said. “I just wanted to live a wicked life, full of treachery and evil deeds. But Auradon changed me. I realized there’s more to life than being wicked.”
“Like what?” sneered a snaggletoothed witch.
“Well…” said Mal, searching for something the crowd would respond to. “There’s strawberries—these amazing fruits that burst with flavor on your tongue!”
“And there’s this stuff called peanut butter!” said Carlos. “It’s…like butter! Made from peanuts!”
“They don’t know what butter is except that it’s rancid,” Evie reminded him in a whisper. “Let me try.” She stepped up to the railing. “Like Mal said, there’s more to life than being evil. There’s loyalty and friendship.” The four of them linked hands and smiled at each other.
“You will find friends who will do anything for you,” said Carlos.
“You’ll discover that you’re more than what you thought you were,” added Jay, and they lifted their hands to the sky in unison.
“And there’s love,” said Mal, feeling tears come to her eyes. She was Maleficent’s daughter, born and bred to hate, to plot, to scheme, to command minions to do her bidding. Mistress of Darkness. Queen of the Isle of the Lost. But all she felt for this ragged, unruly crowd was deep empathy and affection. Mal wished they could all understand that there were greater things to live for than revenge or violence or pettiness, greed, and graft.
The crowd still didn’t look too convinced, but Mal thought it was a good start. She had to give them time. Even the four of them took a while to discover they were better off in Auradon than the Isle of the Lost.
he next morning, they all headed back to their old stomping grounds at Dragon Hall. Evie felt a momentary rush of nostalgia for the place. Even though it was no Auradon Prep, she had always loved coming to Dragon Hall—especially after all those isolated years of castle-schooling. The front steps of the mausoleum were full of students tripping each other and pushing their way up the stairs in the usual morning chaos. Once again, the kids stared as they noticed Mal, Jay, Carlos, and Evie in their midst.
The whispers buzzed through the crowd. Isn’t that Mal? What’s she doing here? Did you hear she turned her mother into a lizard? Don’t stare or she’ll turn you into one!
Evie saw that Mal was trying to smile at them, but when she did, the kids ran from her. “How am I ever going to connect with them if they can’t see past my old reputation?” she asked Evie with a sigh. “I’m not my mom. It seems like people in Auradon finally get that. But maybe everyone on the Isle will always think of me as the old Mal.”