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    Summary

    There is a boy. He's small, grimy; his clothes hang loosely, bits of fabric that swallow up sharp ribs. He is no different from any of the others on the Island. He walks and talks and smells the same.

    Except: his eyes.

    They're dark, almost black, peering out from between dirt-darkened skin. His eyes, which should be vacant or terrified. His eyes, which dart every which way, bright as a spark (as an ember) (as a match against the night).

    (Mal is six, so far from being the woman she will become, but that doesn't change what she is (the only thing dragons love more than gold is playing with fire)).

    He doesn't look different, doesn't act different, but in his eyes--well. He's something else.

    ~OR~

    I didn't expect my other Descendants fic to get so popular. I actually said "well no one will read this but here goes anyways" as I hit post. And then? It's the one with the most reads??? And you guys somehow surpassed 1,000 hits??????

    Anyways, here's the prequel no one asked for but hopefully you guys will enjoy reading anyways. It's more dark & gritty Isle, but with a happy (ish?) ending, because let's be real, I can never resist one of those.

    Series
    Language:
    English
    Words:
    5,818
    Chapters:
    4/4
    Comments:
    13
    Kudos:
    327
    Bookmarks:
    52
    Hits:
    3,847