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────── ★★★ ──────

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟑𝟐
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐔𝐍𝐄𝐗𝐏𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍

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Everly walked out of the room before their conversation could continue while ignoring Jack's calls. She quickly told Sam that he had nothing interesting to say, which made the man even more suspicious of what happened in the hospital room. However, before he had a chance to question her more, the Thorne woman walked down the hall. All Everly could think about was getting home to Cassie and the rest of her family to figure out what Jack meant. Something inside her was telling her that Jack was just a crazy man with even crazier ideas. Everly couldn't believe that her daughter had the power to break people out of the Curse. But after the conversation she had with Lucas, she wasn't too sure that Jack was actually crazy.

The Thorne woman didn't bother to turn on the radio as she drove through Hyperion Heights. Her mind was filled with a million different thoughts that gave her an unbearable headache. It wasn't long before she arrived outside her apartment building. Everly parked her car in her usual spot before staring up at her home. She was still unsure if she should even bother talking to her family about what Jack told her. The Thorne woman didn't want to give them false hope, and yet Cassie might be their only chance to break the Curse without poisoning both her and Henry's hearts.

So after letting out a long sigh, Everly got out of her car and walked inside the building. What felt like an eternity passed before she finally arrived at her apartment after climbing up the stairs. She just stared at the door for a long moment before unlocking it and walking inside. To Everly's surprise, she found her entire family plus Jasper sitting on the couches watching a movie. The Thorne woman just stood by the door and watched them for a moment, enjoying how peaceful they looked for the first time in a long time. However, it wasn't long after that when Felix looked over at her with a concerned look in his eyes.

The two of them just stared at each other for a moment before Every gestured for him to follow her into their bedroom. As soon as the door was closed behind him, Felix finally broke the silence surrounding them. "What's going on, Sunshine?"

"I talked to Jack about why he took Cassie," Everly announced, earning a shocked look from her husband before she continued speaking, "he said that she can wake people up from the Curse."

"And you believe him?" the Thorne man asked without even attempting to hide the shock in his voice.

"No...at least, not at first. And I wouldn't if it wasn't for Lucas," the Purest Heart responded while Felix continued to watch her with a questioning look on his face, "he came to see me before I found Cassie. He told me that she came to him in a dream and told him where she was. He said he was slowly putting the puzzle pieces together."

A small gasp cut Felix's response off before he even began. The couple shared a confused look as Everly opened the door. She wished she could say she was surprised to find her children standing on the other side, but she wasn't. The Purest Heart had a feeling they'd find out about what was going on one way or another. They were her children, after all. Silence surrounded them for what felt like an eternity as they just stared at each other. It wasn't much longer after that when Dawn began speaking. "Are we in trouble?"

Felix couldn't help but let out a long sigh as he studied each of his children. "No. But let's move this conversation out into the family room. There's more space out there."

No one said a word as they walked into the family room. Everly sat beside her husband on their loveseat while their children took the couch. The Thorne woman was surprised to find Jasper awkwardly standing in the corner, staring at them with emotionless eyes. It was obvious to both Everly and Felix that he overheard what was going on, but the Tremaine boy didn't know whether or not to join their family meeting. His look alone was enough to remind the Purest Heart that Jasper didn't know where he fit in anymore.

Jasper's entire family was gone except for Ella. She knew that he didn't mind that all that much since he never got along well with them, only Ella. But she didn't remember him as Jasper, just as Thorne. And the relationship they had in Hyperion Heights wasn't one anyone would be proud of. The expression on the Tremaine boy's face was very familiar to Everly and made her heart break. Jasper was simply a Lost Boy waiting to be saved.

It wasn't long before Jasper's eyes finally met Everly's and a smile formed on the latter's lips. Not even a second after that passed when the Thorne woman gestured to the empty space next to Cassie. The Tremaine boy just stared at Everly for a long moment before he finally registered what she wanted him to do, making a matching smile appear on his face. He didn't hesitate to walk across the room and sit down next to the Thorne girl just as Felix began speaking.

"Okay, so we know you guys already heard everything," the blonde man said before letting out a long sigh, "and we both know you have a million questions for us."

The Thorne siblings and Jasper instantly exchanged looks with each other, as if having a silent conversation among themselves. It wasn't long after that when they turned their attention back to their parents before letting Roland break the silence. "Actually, we just have one. Can Cassie really wake people up from the Curse?"

"We don't know for sure," Everly responded after interlocking her fingers with her husband, "all I know is that Lucas is starting to realize Hyperion Heights isn't real. But I don't know how much he remembers at this point."

Not even a second after she finished speaking passed when the Thorne woman's ears began ringing. Confusion instantly flowed through her veins as she glanced down at her hand to discover her fingers faintly glowing. Panic mixed with the confusion within her as she looked up at Felix, only to find him staring back at her with concern in his eyes. It wasn't long after that when Everly jumped to her feet and raced toward the mirror to see that her eyes were turning gold. Before the Thorne woman had a chance to think, the world around her began to blur and plunged into darkness.

Everly's eyes snapped open before she found herself standing in what seemed to be an eerie cave. Confusion flowed through her veins as she looked around the cavern until her attention landed on Hook sitting on a rock. The Thorne woman's blood ran cold as soon as she noticed his arms and legs bound together. It wasn't long after that when her surroundings became more clear, revealing a group of hooded women standing behind him. Standing across from Hook with fear in her eyes was Alice, who was looking as if she wanted to be anywhere but there.

The confusion Everly once felt was replaced with terror when she realized why the women looked so familiar. They were the witches of the Coven of the Eight. All of them were gathered in the cave, waiting to make their next move. Except for their leader, who was nowhere to be found. At least, that's what the Thorne woman thought until the redheaded woman made herself known.

"I remember this," Gothel announced as she stared at an object in her hands after walking out from around the corner. It wasn't long after that when a hint of hope appeared in her eyes. "This is it! Another scrap of magic left behind. How little mankind's left...just tatters and rags."

The redheaded woman paused her speech while keeping her eyes glued to the item she possessed. It wasn't long after that when she approached Hook and knelt down next to him. "But it's time to change that. Humans...even when they're beautiful, they're poison."

"What are you doing?" Alice asked after watching Gothel turn her attention toward the pirate captain's hands.

"Taking another tatter of magic," the redheaded woman responded as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Without thinking twice, Everly walked around Hook to get a better view of what was happening, only to find Gothel pricking the pirate captain's hand with a needle. A spot of blood instantly appeared on the Jones man's hand as a satisfied grin formed on the witch's face. "And amusingly, I'm also making a point. I can either take a little blood...or these witches here can take the whole lot. So, I ask you again, do you want to help me, or do you want to watch him die?"

"Don't do it, Tilly," Hook said, drawing the blonde girl's attention to him before she just stared at him with an unreadable look in her eyes. It wasn't long after that when Alice let out a long sigh before taking the cloak from the witch closest to her. Gothel's grin did nothing but grow as she kept her eyes glued to her daughter.

"There you go. And when you see the beauty of what we're going to bring back, you won't mind the cost at all," the redheaded woman told Alice before holding up the small vial that contained a drop of Hook's blood, "we have everything we need. Let's begin."

Everly's eyes snapped open once again before she bolted upright. Her breathing was quick as she looked around at her surroundings, only to find herself sitting on her couch with Felix watching her with concern in their eyes. The Thorne woman just sat there for a moment as she thought about everything she just witnessed. She knew that what she saw hadn't happened yet, but she had no idea how to stop it. At least, she had no idea how to stop it on her own.

"What did you see?" Felix questioned, snapping Everly out of her daze before she looked up at him.

The Purest Heart just stared at her husband for a long moment before finding the courage to speak. "The Coven of the Eight is back. They have Alice and Hook but I don't know where they are."

"What are we gonna do?" Fletcher asked, causing the Thorne woman to remember her children's presence.

A million thoughts ran through Everly's head before they settled on one clear idea. Deep down, she knew it was a risk that she might not want to take. But she also knew that there wasn't much time left before Gothel went through with her plans. A long sigh passed over the Purest Heart's lips as she turned her full attention toward Cassie. "Something big is coming and we're gonna need the whole family to stop it. Do you think you can do what you did with Lucas and wake them up?"

The Thorne girl just stared at her mother for what felt like an eternity before opening her mouth to speak. "I can try, but I don't know how long it will take."

"I need you to give it your all, Cass. Because we don't have much time," Everly told her eldest daughter while trying her best not to scare her even more. After receiving a small nod from Cassie, the Throne woman turned her attention toward the rest of her children and Jasper. "All of you need to be by her side while she does this. Family only makes our magic stronger."

All of them sent the Purest Hearts nods in response before following Cassie into her room. Everly and Felix just sat on the couch in silence, neither of them wanting to ask the question bouncing around in their heads. What felt like an eternity passed before the Thorne man was the one who decided to speak first. "How bad is this going to be?"

"I wish I could tell you," Everly responded before taking his hand into her own, "but if there's even a small chance that we can fix everything, we need to take it."

Silence surrounded them once again as she stared at the dark T.V. in front of them. They wanted to take a moment for themselves before the world around them plunged into chaos. However, the silence around them was soon interrupted by a soft tinkling sound. A wave of confusion washed over both of them as they tried to figure out where the sound was coming from. It wasn't long after that when they both spotted what looked like fairy dust flying through the air.

They kept their attention glued to the dust as it continued to move toward them. Neither of them knew what to make of it, both were still surprised to find it in a place like Hyperion Heights. It wasn't long before the dust was only a foot away from them, making them sit up a little straighter on the couch. Before either of them could react, the cloud of dust shot forward and went straight into Everly's chest. The Thorne woman gasped at the strange sensation as her chest flashed bright red. That only lasted for a second before the glow vanished into thin air. Not even a second after that passed when the Purest Heart felt as though a weight was lifted off her chest, meaning only one thing.

"What just happened?" Felix asked while keeping his eyes glued to his wife.

A small smile appeared on Everly's face as she turned to look her husband in the eyes. "I think the poison was removed, which means it was removed from Henry's too."

Hope instantly began to flow through the Thorne man's veins as he carefully took his wife's hands into his own. "Does that mean..."

"The Curse can be broken," Everly finished for him before pulling Felix into a tight hug. The two of them stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, enjoying the small win they finally received in Hyperion Heights. Little did they know that everything Everly foresaw was already taking place.

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