“Of course, anything for a princess of the sea,” said Ben with a charming smile.
“We hear from our people that Uma has been seen underwater. She’s out there, free to wreak havoc and do whatever she wants.”
Ben brushed his hair off his forehead and nodded. “We are aware and have stepped up security. Genie mentioned seeing something near the Isle of the Lost that looked like it could have been a giant octopus. I’ll make sure to send more reinforcements to your area if she’s seen there,” he said, trying to sound reassuring.
“Thank you,” said Aquata, sounding a tad relieved. “It’s just, her mother…her mother almost destroyed my family.”
Ben nodded. “I’ll make sure everywhere on Auradon is safe, even underwater.”
“We’re not safe, not anywhere, as long as there’s a villain out there,” said Aquata, shuddering. “I heard you were going to let more of those people from the Isle come to Auradon. I hope that’s just a terrible rumor. Do say it isn’t true!”
“Actually, it is true,” said Ben. “We’d like to give more people a chance, especially the children, who are innocent. Everyone deserves a chance to be good, don’t you think?”
Aquata frowned, and her cheeks flushed. It was clear she did not agree. “I hope you know what you’re doing, for all of our sakes.”
Ben kept a diplomatic smile on his face. “My main priority, always, is the safety of everyone in Auradon. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
Aquata splashed away in a huff, but Ben let it go. He knew it was an almost impossible task, to bring the people of the Isle and the people of Auradon together to live peacefully once more, but he had to keep trying. He had to unite his kingdom somehow. That’s what a king was meant to do.
ma and Hades faced each other. She crossed her arms, and Hades crossed his. He glared at her. She glared back. It was like they were looking into a mirror; they were both blue-haired villains with a score to settle against their enemies.
“Did I hear you right? Did you ask me if I still have my ember?” said Hades.
“Yes, or are you deaf from all this loud music?” said Uma. “Your ember. Do you have it or not?”
“Why do you ask?” he said imperiously.
“It could be useful,” she said, leaning against the wall of his cave as if she didn’t care a whit whether he still had it or not.
Hades frowned. His blue hair stuck up from his forehead like a rock star’s, but he had lines around his eyes. Like Uma’s mother, Ursula, he’d been on the Isle of the Lost for more than two decades. Uma thought that Hades’s life on the Isle of the Lost was probably not all that different from his former life in the Underworld—there was no sunlight down here either.
“Aren’t you tired of living underground?” she asked. “In this damp and dreary cave?”
“Is it any better up there?” he scoffed. “On Auradon?”
“You fool! You know it is! I was there! The place is a fairy-tale land!” she told him. “And we should be part of that fairy tale.”
Hades yawned. “I’m more of a myth guy.”
“Whatever you are, you’re not content here. How could you be?” said Uma. “You used to be a god! Don’t you guys live on nectar and honey?”
Hades sniffed. “We do have delicate constitutions. Not that you’d know anything about that, being an octopus.”
“Sea witch,” corrected Uma.
Hades looked suspicious. “By the way, how did you get in here?”
“There was a crack in the tunnel. A tiny one.”
“And you fit through it?”
Uma waggled her eyebrows. “I have my ways.”
Hades nodded. “Shape-shifter. I get it. So why are you here? Why aren’t you out there with your pirates?”
Uma studied her fingernails, affecting insouciance. “I don’t want to let anyone know I’m around until my plan is in motion.”
“You’ve got a plan?”
“I do,” she said with a crafty smile.
Hades picked up his real guitar and began to pluck a few discordant notes. “Fine. Tell me.”
“We should team up, you and I. Together we could bring down the stupid barrier that holds everyone here. Then we could all be free!”
Hades listened. Then he smiled. Then he grinned. “Bring down the barrier, huh?”
“Yes. And I would finally beat Mal.” That’s all Uma wanted: to show Mal that she could beat her, that Mal didn’t get to win every time. So Mal had won the trident, and Ben’s heart, but Uma would have this. She would show her old friend, her forever rival, that Uma would have her revenge. Mal would never forget her name, or who freed the Isle of the Lost: UMA.
“Think about it. Once the barrier is down, you could go anywhere and do anything you wanted!” said Uma.
“You don’t say?” said Hades. He played a chord and let it echo around the cave.
“I do say,” said Uma. “How long have you been here? Twenty years? And how long were you in the Underworld? They don’t remember you up on Olympus anymore. Hades? He’s over. He’s nothing. That’s what they say.”
“Is that so?” He waggled his eyebrows in frustration.
“I’m afraid so,” said Uma with a faux-sad frown. “No one remembers you. All they talk about is Hercules. I’ve met his kid, Herkie. He’s huge as a bull and even more famous than his father.”
Hades threw off his guitar and paced the rocky cave floor. Soon he would overturn the lamp and kick the television set. His bad temper was as predictable as the weather.
“And Zeus, well, he’s just having a ball up there on Mount Olympus. Every once in a while he throws down his lightning bolts just to remind everyone who’s in charge,” said Uma. At this point she was completely spitballing. She had no clue what they were doing on Mount Olympus. But Hades didn’t have to know that.
“But I’m the boss!” cried Hades. “ME!”
“Then help me. Show them,” said Uma. “Show them who’s boss!”
“I will!” he said, his eyes lighting up. But Uma thought she saw something else flickering there, until he went on, “I’ll go back to ruling the world and causing destruction. We must take down the barrier and escape from the Isle of the Lost!”
“Now you’re talking,” said Uma. She held out her hand. “You know, you’re not too bad for a has-been.”
Hades cackled. “You ain’t seen nothing yet!”
ades paced on the beach and considered his situation. He was not without options. He had to try something. He couldn’t just rot on this island forever. Come on, were they kidding? He was the lord of the Underworld, the god of the dead! In Olympus, they would be laughing if they saw him looking like some washed-up little minion. Yesterday he’d been offered the most disgusting stew, made by some deluded she-octopus at some little shack. And yet he had forced himself to choke it down, because he was hungry. He had no choice. But he vowed he would not spend one more day on this gods-forsaken rock.
He had an idea.