Betrayal

                                    

                                          
The tension was palpable as the group made their way through the deserted Fairy Cottage. The sunset cast long shadows across the rooms, adding to the eerie atmosphere. Jay descended the stairs with a frown, "She's not upstairs," he reported.
The sound of knocking on a cupboard drew their attention. Ben opened it to find Chad huddled inside, looking more terrified than ever. "Chad?" Ben asked, puzzled.
"I want my mommy," Chad whimpered, backing away as Ben approached.
"What happened, buddy?" Ben asked gently, but Chad's fear was evident. His eyes widened as he took in Ben's appearance.
"Ben! Ben!" Chad cried, clutching at Ben's shirt. "Your face!" He then noticed Elina and, with a mix of desperation and hope, ran to her. "You need to go back to her; maybe she shows some mercy," Chad muttered, glancing around as if searching for safety. "She's gone, huh? The door's open. I'm free. Free!" With a final scream of "Freedom!" Chad bolted out of the cottage, his voice fading as he disappeared into the night.
Elina watched him go, shaking her head. "No one's getting her back to Audrey," she said, her voice filled with determination.
Harry laughed at Chad's departure, and Elina nudged him with her shoulder. "Shut it, Harry," she said with a soft smile. Harry put his arm around her shoulder, his tone gentle. "I'm gonna protect you, don't worry."
Elina smiled slowly, feeling a sense of forgiveness starting to replace her earlier anger.
Meanwhile, Jane, Gil, and Doug arrived at the museum, finding Fairy Godmother frozen into stone. Jane approached her, her voice trembling with emotion. "Oh, my gosh," she said softly, looking at her mother. "Hi, Mom. Um, I don't know if you can hear me, but it's been a really crazy day. On the plus side, it's been the longest birthday I've ever had. On the minus side, everybody's under an evil spell. Um, but on the plus side, Carlos remembered my birthday. See?" Jane held up the necklace Carlos had made for her. "We're going to figure out how to undo this. We'll find a way to make this right, Mom."
"Oof, alright, let's get this Audrey chick taken care of already," Uma said, joining Elina and Mal as they exited the cottage.
"What do you say, girl? Time to wrap things up?" Uma asked Mal with a smile. Mal nodded, her eyes softening.
Ben, catching up with them, asked, "You know, someday, you're gonna have to tell me how you guys all got teamed up."
"Actually, Mal promised to let all the kids off the Isle once this is over," Evie said with a smile.
Uma added, "Well, obviously Elina already had that planned, but yeah, Mal and I, we talked everything out," holding Elina's hand, who smiled and nodded in agreement.
"Mal?" Ben asked, confusion in his voice. "I have to tell you guys something," Mal said, stopping in her tracks. Elina looked at her, puzzled.
"Um..." Mal hesitated, her gaze dropping to the ground. "I lied to you. The kids won't be coming off the Isle."
"What do you mean?" Elina asked, her voice tinged with confusion.
"The program is shut down. And the barrier will be closed for good," Mal said, her voice heavy with regret.
"For Auradon's safety," Ben added, trying to justify the decision.
Uma's face fell, her disappointment evident. "Hold up. So we're saving your precious people, and your behinds, for a lie? I knew it was a mistake to trust you. You're always out for yourself."
Harry stepped forward, his tone mocking and angry. "And you, King Benny. You're probably just gonna throw us all back inside, eh?"
Ben looked down, his expression one of frustration and guilt. Elina stepped forward, her anger palpable. "Wait, you both decided that?" she demanded. "When?" She turned to Maddox, her voice rising. "Did you know about that?!"