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𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟔
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐃 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐒

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Everly, Felix, Sam, Katherine, and Austin sat with Fletcher and Dawn in silence in the palace courtyard. While the two children whispered among themselves, the adults watched their allies along with Jasper stand around the table, trying to devise a way to defeat Drizella and her witch coven. Despite knowing she should be helping them, the Purest Heart couldn't stop thinking about her two children who weren't with them. She felt foolish for letting them venture into the world with all the danger. But she also knew how much Cassie wanted to feel useful after standing on the sidelines for years. Everly just wished that her daughter picked a different time to decide to be a hero.

It wasn't long after that when they heard the sound of rushed footsteps coming toward them. The noise caused everyone to turn around just in time to see Lucy come running around the corner. Everly, Felix, Sam, Katherine, and Austin instantly got to their feet and walked over to the table right as Ella pulled her daughter in for a hug.

"What are you doing back here?" Ella questioned Lucy while keeping her hands on her daughter's shoulders.

"They got him, the witches. They got father," the Mills girl explained, causing everyone to exchange worried looks before they looked back at the young girl.

"Then we have to get him back," Jack declared while looking around at everyone that surrounded him.

"Go," Tiana sighed before her attention fell on Lucy and the Thorne twins, who were now standing on either side of the girl, "I'll stay with Lucy, Fletcher, and Dawn."

After taking one last look at her children, Everly turned around and followed the rest of her allies toward the exit of the castle. However, they didn't have it very far when Ella called out to them, making everyone stop in their tracks and turn to face her. "This is exactly what Drizella wants...to distract us from stopping this curse. And if we don't...nothing will matter. Not even Henry."

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Hours passed before Regina finally returned with Zelena, determined to defeat the witch coven and get her son back. After deciding that Felix, Sam, and Katherine would stay back to help Tiana watch over her kingdom and their children, Everly went with Austin and the rest of their allies to confront Drizella and her witch coven. As soon as they arrived at a very spooky-looking mountain, everyone found a place to stay out of sight while they watched Lady Tremaine talk to her deranged daughter. However, it wasn't long before Drizella grew tired of the conversation she was having with her mother, causing her to wave her hand through the air and forcing Lady Tremaine to fall asleep.

"Still working out those mommy issues, I see," the Mills woman said as she and Zelena came out from their hiding spots and stopped in front of Drizella and Gothel, "I bet we can help with that."

"We pretty much invented that," Zelena added while staring at the Tremaine girl with disdain in her eyes.

"Regina. Zelena. Sisters together again," Drizella greeted before the smirk on her face grew, "afraid that's not going to be enough."

"Oh, she's not the only one I brought," the Mills woman announced, causing Hook to come out of hiding and place his hook against Gothel's neck while Ella and Jack did the same with their swords to two of the cloaked witches. At the same moment, Everly stood in front of Drizella with both her hands glowing brightly.

"Oh, the Purest Heart, a pirate, a princess, and...Jack and the Beanstalk," the Tremaine girl mocked as she turned back to face Regina, "oh, how will I ever defeat you?"

In response to her question, the Mills woman threw her hand out in front of her. Everyone watched as Regina's magic sent Drizella flying through the air before she landed on the other side of the cliff. A small smile appeared on Everly's face as she watched the brunette girl struggle to get to her feet. It wasn't long after that when the former Evil Queen opened her mouth to verbally respond to the girl's question.

"You wanna witch fight?" Regina hissed after watching Drizella stand to her full height, "happy to oblige."

Not even a moment after she finished speaking passed when the brunette woman stuck her arm out once again. Her actions caused the Tremaine girl to be pinned against the stone behind her before Regina began cutting off her airway. Once she was trapped between air and the pillar, Zelena used her magic to transport the Curse's scroll from Drizella's hand and into her own. The redheaded woman kept her eyes glued to the young witch across from her as she held the scroll out to her sister, who took it from her without an ounce of hesitation.

"But as you can see," Regina continued while holding the Curse's scroll in the air while keeping her eyes on Drizella, "you will not be casting this curse."

"I know. That's why you're going to cast it," the Tremaine girl responded through a labored breath, earning confused looks from the heroes on the cliff before Drizella looked over at Gothel, "show her."

"May I?" the woman in red questioned as everyone's attention turned to her, making Regina send a nod to Hook.

Her actions caused the Jones man to reluctantly take his hook off the witch's neck before shoving her away from him. After straightening out her cloak, Gothel walked over to the witch nearest to Drizella and removed their hood. All the emotions flooding through Everly's veins suddenly faded away before her glowing hands followed. Her jaw slightly dropped as she stared at a gagged Henry, completely taken aback by his condition. Sweat covered every inch of his face, making the front of his hair look as if it was glued to his forehead. But the worst of it was his bloodshot eyes.

No one said a word as they stared at the Truest Believer before Gothel took a step back, causing Henry to fall to the ground. Shouts cut through the air as Ella lowered her sword before she, Regina, and Everly raced towards the Mills man. Henry's coughs filled the world around them after Ella took off his gag before she untied his wrists. While Ella and Everly continued to look over Henry, Regina spun around to face the two witches standing behind her.

"What did you do to him?" the Mills woman demanded, only for Drizella and Gothel's smirks to grow larger than humanly possible.

"What witches do best," the woman in red responded while keeping her eyes glued to the three heroes, "we poisoned him."

Everly just stared at the two of them for a moment longer before she turned her attention back to her nephew. Her eyes scanned over his pained face as her hands began to brightly glow once again. Without thinking twice, the Thorne woman placed her hands over his heart and used all the magic she could muster to heal him. Despite her feeling considerably weaker and Regina's shouts to stop, Everly continued to push herself with only thoughts of Henry in her head. It wasn't long after that when her hands slowly faded before she slumped down on the rocky floor behind her. The Purest Heart just stared at her nephew, who was still in the same state as before, then let out a shaky breath and slowly looked up to meet the Mills woman's gaze.

"It's not working," Everly told Regina in a voice just above a whisper.

"And it's not going to," Drizella announced, drawing everyone's attention back to her before she continued speaking, "as a matter of fact, the only thing that can...is a trip to a land without magic."

"Don't do this, Drizella," the Mills woman pleaded while Everly continued to stare at the brunette girl while Ella went back to tending to her husband, "I can't just...I can't just cast the Curse. It takes time, and...ingredients."

"Eight...to be exact. And I have seven of them right here. The only one I'm missing...the most important one, and of course, the hardest to find...is magic from a witch who crushed the heart of the thing she loves most," the Tremaine girl explained, causing Regina and Everly to exchange a look before Drizella continued speaking, "so, Regina. What will it be? My curse...or his life?"

"Ella," Henry called out, causing all three women sitting around him to look down at the painful look on his face, "I'm so, so sorry."

The brunette woman just stared at her husband for a moment before she turned her attention towards Regina. "We gotta do something."

"There's nothing you can do except cast the Curse," Drizalla declared while keeping her eyes glued to the three heroes in front of her.

"Fine. I'll do it," Regina announced despite Henry's protests as she got to her feet, causing Everly to copy her actions before she and Zelena stood in front of the Mills woman, "move."

"This is not what he wants," Zelena told her with a hint of desperation in her voice.

"Wouldn't you do it for Robin? And for your children? I would for Alice," Hook said to Zelena and Everly as he walked towards them before stopping next to the three women, "let her do it."

Everly watched with tears in her eyes as the redheaded woman stared at the pirate before stepping away from her sister. However, the Purest Heart didn't move an inch and continued to keep eye contact with the Mills woman. The two of them just stared at each other for a moment longer before Everly finally opened her mouth to break the silence that began to surround them.

"We need to find another way."

"Everly-"

"The Curse doesn't affect me, remember?" the Thorne woman cut off Regina before the latter could even start as tears began to fill her eyes, "if you do this, I'll be trapped alone in this realm. If you do this, you'll tear me away from my husband and my children. You'll tear me away from my entire family and I can't let you do that."

"Oh, don't worry. We thought of that too," Drizella announced, causing Everly's entire body to tense before she turned around to face her, "you simply have to tether your heart to someone who's almost as pure as you. Unfortunately for you, the only one around here with a heart like that is Henry. You just have to decide if you'd rather connect your heart to a poisoned one or stay here without your family."

The Thorne woman hesitated for a long moment then glanced back at Regina. Once again, the two women just stared at each other before Everly finally realized she wouldn't be able to change the woman's mind. After letting out a long sigh, the Purest Heart walked around the Mills woman and sat down next to Henry once again. Her eyes scanned over her nephew as a tear rolled down her cheek. Her hands shook as she placed one on Henry's chest while putting the other over her own. Before Henry had a chance to argue with her plan, Everly's hands began to glow before a stream of light emitted from the hand over her chest and connected with one on Henry's. As soon as the light faded, the pain began.

Everly's breath hitched while her chest tightened so much it felt like it was squeezing her heart. Sweat began to form on her brow as her whole body shook before she started falling backward. Hook raced forward and caught her before she hit the ground and gently placed her head in his lap. After letting out a shaky breath, her bloodshot eyes moved to meet his gaze, only to find him staring down at her with tears in his eyes.

"This better work," Everly managed to say before she let out an inhuman-sounding cough.

"It will," the Jones man responded while using his hand to brush the hair out of her face.

The world around the Purest Heart seemed to blur as the sound of footsteps greeted her ears. Unknown to her, Regina took a few steps forward to stand in the center of the witch's circle. A silent moment passed before the Mills woman opened her mouth to speak.

"Know one thing. It is not over."

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