father made a deal. He told me of a legend from his hometown. He promised he'd get me the pearls to grant me unlimited power, immortality, anything and all I could ever want! All in exchange for you." He pointed the cigar to her forehead before taking another puff.
"I agreed. It seemed like a good deal, but months passed and he failed to procure the pearls. I began to suspect he was purposely stalling. On his next trip home, I followed him...but he turned on me!" He yelled with rage.
"He stabbed me through the chest with some holy knife and in return, I put a bullet in his heart, though I was left too weak to go after you. By the time I had recovered, you were gone." He paused to smoke his cigar.
"So I used your father's debt to keep all that you owned, hoping to find some clue about those pearls—but I was fooled. There was nothing!
"With time, I long gave up hope of finding you... that is until there were rumors," he paused as he leaned in close. "Rumors of a red-headed girl taking down a flying beast. I investigated some more, then learned about that same girl stopping a crashing moon. I was reminded of the fairytale your father once told me. I knew it was you."

Maria felt a pool of emotion in her heart. Her father really was trying to protect her.

"You weren't behind Althea?"

Althea scoffed from the corner of the room. General Harrison shot her a glare. "Unfortunately, I cannot take credit for her, it was a stroke of good fortune. She wanted the magical artifacts I was transporting at the time. You can say it was fate.
"So now back to our conversation. I have the pearls here, but they are not granting any wishes." He leaned in close, blowing another puff of smoke into her face and sending her into a coughing fit. "I have a feeling it's because of you."

He stood up and began pacing about the room. "Althea mentioned you have magic, but you don't seem very powerful. I believe you and these pearls are linked. You can't have one without the other. Whether you like it or not, you will grant me my wish."

"They don't work that way!"

"I don't believe you!"

He shoved the pearls into her face. Maria screamed as she was engulfed in a white light that burned her skin and pierced her heart as though she'd been stabbed. He pulled them away after a few seconds. Beads of sweat rolled down her face. Her eyes were sunken in. She was pale and shocked. The pearls had never hurt her this way.

"Why aren't they working!" He yelled as he shoved them near her once more, causing her to scream in agonizing pain. Maria's head began to throb. She was sure she was about to lose her mind.

Then, a white blurry mist caught the general's attention. He pulled the pearls away and looked around the room, but there was nothing.

As he moved the pearls towards Maria once more, the lights in the room shattered.

"Whose there!" General Harrison barked.

There was no response.

"This doesn't make any sense!" General Harrison slammed the necklace across the desk. "Why isn't it working? Do you know anything?" He gestured towards Althea.

"No. The pearls came to be well after my time, but mother nature can be a fickle being."

General Harrison clenched the pearls in his fist. He screamed as he tried to take control of their power. Black smoke swirled down his arm and encapsulated the pearls. White light fought against black in undulating waves. All eyes focused on the pulses of contrasting light.

The pearls began to burn. His fist started to shake. Then a loud explosion shook the room as the pearls shot everywhere across the room.

"Damn it all!" He bellowed. He unsheathed his sword and brought it to Maria's neck. "If you can't give me what I want, then I may as well kill you now!"

Suddenly the door was kicked open and her friends ran into the room. David shot General Harrison's sword out of his hand as Robin pulled Maria into his arms. The rest formed a protective circle around them.

"Uncle?" Will asked in disbelief. "What in the bloody hell is going on?"

Maybelle's wail cut through as she clutched her brother's body to her chest.

"Althea!" General Harrison shouted.

Purple bolts shot out of her hands and threw everyone against the wall.

"Get rid of them now!" The general shouted.

Before she could lay another blow, she was sent flying back into the wall. Minerva had come just in time to their rescue.

Maria craned her neck, searching for her pearls. She stretched out her hand and the pearls flew towards her. She stuffed them in her bodice as they all took off running. Down the stairs and through the parlor, she caught a glimpse of her father's ghost. She heard the echo of his 'I love you' as they exited the house.

Outside they stopped to catch their breath. It was then they noticed they were missing three people. Neither Minerva, Maybelle, nor William were with them.

"We need to go back," Maria said.

"Are you mental?" David asked. "Just look at the state you lot are in!" He waved at her and Robin. "You're basically propping each other up!"

A commotion came from the door. Maybelle and William were dragging Charles' body while Minerva covered their backs. Just as they crossed the threshold, Minerva was sent flying through the air. She crashed into the gates with a thickening clang. A nasty gash ran across the top of her chest, just narrowly missing her neck.

"What're yer all waiting for!" Riz swung open the gates. He hoisted Minerva into his arms, "we need to go!"

They ran past the gates of Maria's old house and clambered onto their carriages. They sped through the streets of London until they arrived at the port by the crack of dawn.

Wasting no time, they immediately set sail to Moonacre.