Maleficent snorted. "I have little interest in the child. If you'll recall, I have one of my own that can be retrieved at any time."

She rested her hands gently on the Cornerstone of Darkness. "As you may have guessed, it was Enid who failed to return with a stone. She has already earned my mercy, fulfilling a task that she alone was suited for." The long slender fingers tapped. "Which means that another must pay the price. And certainly there are failures enough from each of you to justify it."

She turned her attention to Hex. "Your loyalty has never been certain. She have already acted against our allies. And you were the last to return with your stone." Maleficent paused. "But I have chosen to spare you. You alone do not share what is both our strength and our weakness. Should they find a way to turn our other selves against us, you alone will be immune."