Escape from the Isle of the Lost Read online

  “Of course not,” said Ben. “We can’t forget the Isle of the Lost.”

  “Let’s not make a hasty decision just yet,” said Fairy Godmother. “Why don’t we discuss it again at the next meeting of the Royal Council? Give us a little time to think it over.”

  “Absolutely,” said Ben with a smile. “Besides, I’d take any excuse to have more tea and scones from Mrs. Potts.”

  ay and his opponent battled up and down the mat, crashing against the walls and over every obstacle. Once the slyest thief in all the Isle of the Lost, Jay had found that it was just as much fun to score a goal in tourney or win a battle at R.O.A.R. as it was to swipe a scarf from a merchant on the plaza. Maybe even more fun, since no one chased him around angrily afterward. Whenever he put on his team’s yellow-and-blue face mask or picked up his sword for another round of swords-and-shields practice, he forgot that he had ever spent his childhood in a junk shop on a remote island. All he cared about was victory, his world narrowing to the points he scored against his fearsome opponents.

  He leaped and attempted a strike, but was deflected. His opponent rushed forward and made a hit. The referee called the score. Now Jay was behind.

  They went back to their places on the mat, and this time, Jay waited and let his rival come to him. He didn’t have to wait for long, and was on the defensive again, blocking strikes and cleverly dodging any attack.

  At last, he found his advantage, twirled around, and landed a direct hit. The buzzer sounded, signaling that time was up, and the referee blew his whistle. “That’s the game,” the ref called. “It’s a tie!”

  “Good one!” said Lonnie as she took off her mask and let her long black hair fall on her shoulders. She shook his hand.

  “Thanks, Captain.” Jay grinned as he removed his mask and gloves.

  There was a round of applause from a group lined up along the courtyard, watching them. “Excellent work!” said one. “Brilliant!” said another. “Bravo!” said the third.

  Jay squinted in their direction. He hadn’t noticed them at the start of the match. He’d been playing for himself, not to impress anyone. “Who are they?” he asked, as he put his equipment away.

  “Coaches,” said Lonnie. “It’s college visiting day, remember?”

  Jay did not remember. He never kept track of dates or read announcements or e-mails. Life was too short, and he had too many fun things to do, like play video games and eat pizza.

  “Go over there! They definitely want to meet you,” said Lonnie, gently pushing him in their direction.

  • • •

  The first coach was a muscular gentleman in a black-and-gold vest, voluminous white pants, and gold shoes with curled tips. He wore a grand white turban with a ruby in the middle and a gold stripe running around it. “Jay!” he said heartily, as if they were old friends. “I am Coach Razoul, formerly captain of the guard at the Sultan’s palace. But now I head up the athletics program at ASU—Agrabah State University.”

  “Nice to meet you,” said Jay, bowing to the coach.

  The coach bowed in return, seemingly pleased that Jay remembered Agrabah’s customs. “You must come and visit us sometime. Have you decided where you will continue your education? Would you consider coming home?”

  Jay startled at that. While his father was from Agrabah, Jay’s home was the Isle of the Lost. But he didn’t want to embarrass Coach Razoul. “To be honest, I haven’t given it much thought yet.” Graduation was still a few months away. He didn’t have to decide where to go to college yet, did he? Definitely not.

  “Jay!” said the next coach, a big bear of a guy who wore the green livery of Robin Hood’s men. “Coach Little John here, from Sherwood Forest University. We’d love to see you play for the Arrows.” He handed Jay a card. “We’re ranked number one in the league.”

  “For archery,” said Coach Razoul, wagging his finger. “Not R.O.A.R.”

  “Not yet, maybe,” admitted Little John. “But with players like you, we will be.”

  Coach Razoul gave the archer a condescending smile. “In Agrabah, your dormitory will be a palace! Every meal is a feast, and if you rank first in your class, a genie will grant you three wishes!” He pressed a gold-foil-covered catalog into Jay’s hands.

  Meanwhile, Little John handed Jay a tote bag filled with Arrows merchandise—a water bottle, a bow and arrow, and a sweatshirt with the school’s motto—STEAL FROM THE RICH; GIVE TO THE POOR—embroidered on the front. The bearlike coach smiled affably. “Stealing was your hobby, wasn’t it? You’ll fit right in!” he said.

  “Stealing? Well, in the past maybe. Not anymore. But thank you so much,” said Jay, as he accepted the loot.

  Not to be outdone, Coach Razoul presented Jay with a treasure chest of riches—robes with the Agrabah State University crest, new golden slippers, and a genie lamp. “It’s just an oil lamp, no genie in it,” said Coach Razoul with a laugh. “Yet!”

  “Don’t listen to them,” said the third coach, a cheerful apple-cheeked woman in powder-blue wizard robes with a pink bow that tied the hood under her chin. She looked vaguely familiar. “Hello, Jay! My sister tells me so much about you! You must consider playing for us! Everyone knows MIT is the best college in Auradon. Our alumni include Professor Yen Sid, as well as Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather!”

  Magical Institute Training was the top college in the kingdom, taking only the best and brightest from Auradon Prep. Students needed an almost-perfect SAT (Salagadoola Abracadabra Test) to be considered.

  “MIT!” said Jay. “I’m not sure I have the grades?”

  “Oh, we work miracles at MIT, don’t worry,” said Fairy Godmother’s sister. She waved her wand, and a small white carriage loaded with treats—athletic duffel bags, sneakers, and a new face mask, sword, and gloves—appeared next to the treasure chest and tote bag.

  “Think about it.” She winked.

  “Come home to Agrabah,” said Coach Razoul, shaking Jay’s hand once more.

  “Join our merry band,” said Coach Little John, slapping him on the back. “Come to visiting day and hang out with the team.”

  “Visiting day?” asked Jay. “What’s that?”

  “Oh, you go on a little adventure with the students, see what Sherwood is like, check out the scene,” said Little John. “I think you might enjoy it.”

  “I think I just might,” said Jay with a grin.

  “Great! I’ll send you the information,” promised Little John.

  At last, the coaches left to talk to other players. Jay gathered his stuff and jogged back to Lonnie. “Do you want any of this?”

  “I’m good. I met with them last week,” said Lonnie. “They even spoke to my parents.” She picked up the tote bag. “Let me help.”

  They walked out of the training courtyard together, Jay straining under the weight of the treasure chest and the carriage full of treats. “Did you decide where to apply?” he asked.

  “I’m not sure yet if I will. I might play R.O.A.R. professionally instead. But if I do decide to go to college, I’ll definitely choose one that would prepare me to join my mother’s army. I’m going to be a general like her one day,” she said proudly.

  “Cool,” said Jay. The only inheritance he’d receive from his father was a decrepit junk shop on the Isle of the Lost. But Jafar had been the Sultan’s grand vizier once, the power behind the throne. Perhaps one day Jay could have that same kind of stature, but without the greed and the obsession with Aladdin’s lamp.

  As if she had read his thoughts, Lonnie asked, “What about you?”

  “Me? I’m just glad I didn’t have to steal any of this,” he said truthfully. Until this moment, he hadn’t really given much thought to his future. It felt like he had just arrived at Auradon Prep. He was sad to think that soon there would be no more tourney games, no more living with his friends and seeing them every day. Sherwood sounded like a fun prospect—he would definitely have to visit, see what it was like.

  They were all growing up
so fast. Time was speeding along too quickly. One day he was just a street rat from the Isle of the Lost, and the next he was a top recruit at MIT. Wait until he told his dad! Except Jafar would probably insist that Jay steal all the school’s magical secrets. Some things never changed.

  s Evie sat at her trusty sewing machine and worked on a gorgeous graduation gown for herself, she felt a flutter of sadness in her chest. When she was a kid growing up all alone in a damp and moldy castle, Evie had wanted nothing more than to have a group of friends—to play with, to laugh with, to depend on. But Mal, Jay, and Carlos were more than friends—they were family. Even though their parents had been just as successful at raising children as they had been in executing their evil schemes (read: total failures), the four of them had always been there for each other. But now high school was ending, and graduation would be here before they knew it. It felt like they were all going their separate ways.

  Mal had told Evie about her official tour the other day—she would soon be traveling all over Auradon to learn more about the various kingdoms and their people. Jay was always off training with his R.O.A.R. team, and when Carlos wasn’t studying, he spent most of his time with Jane. Evie missed her friends.

  She felt a tear come into her eye and almost pricked her finger on the needle. She sighed and put the gown away. It was going to be a deep sapphire blue to complement her hair, with a red ruby heart in the middle. Usually the joy of dreaming up and creating a beautiful dress to wear for a fancy event filled her spirit, but today she just felt melancholic.

  “What’s wrong? Are you crying?” asked Doug, looking up from Mal’s desk, where he was practicing his trumpet.

  She smiled sweetly at him and brushed away her tears. “No, not really. I was thinking that everything is happening so fast. Didn’t I just arrive at Auradon Prep? Now we’re graduating.”

  “Time certainly flies,” he said. “Even my hair is longer!”

  She chuckled. Doug had been growing out his hair so that it was shaggier than usual. “It really is!”

  “Do you not like it?” he asked worriedly.

  “I love it!” said Evie, clasping her hands. “You look very dashing. But…”

  “But…?” Doug asked, setting down his trumpet.

  “But things are ending,” said Evie. She hung up her graduation gown and admired its sweetheart neckline and puffed sleeves. Just a few more flourishes on the sash and the dress would be done. “I don’t even know where I’m going to live when I graduate. I just realized I don’t have a home here. Where am I going to go?” She couldn’t return to the Isle of the Lost, of course, but after she left her room at the school dorms, there wasn’t anywhere else she could go.

  Doug shook his head. “Auradon is your home.”

  “I know,” said Evie. “But I’m not like the other kids. I’m not from here.”

  “We’ll think of something,” said Doug, a serious look on his face.

  Evie nodded. “I would love to have a place of my own. But who knows what next year will bring?”

  “Hopefully not Uma,” said Doug.

  “Roger that,” said Evie, shuddering. “But I am hoping next year brings more villain kids to Auradon. You know, to study. Like the four of us.”

  Doug smiled. “Isn’t Ben doing that?”

  “Sort of,” said Evie. “He definitely wants to recruit more kids from the Isle to apply to Auradon Prep. Except…”

  “Except?”

  Evie smoothed the fabric on her gown. “Well, we’re just not getting the response we thought we would.”

  “How many people have applied from the Isle of the Lost so far?” asked Doug.

  Evie turned back to him. “How many?”

  “Yeah.”

  “One.”

  Doug’s mouth quirked in amusement. “One?”

  She nodded. “Just Dizzy, who was invited to apply, and actually still has to be selected by the admissions committee before her registration can be confirmed.” Evie was sure Dizzy would be accepted, but of course nothing was guaranteed until Fairy Godmother sent the enrollment letter.

  Doug crossed his arms against his chest. “Just Dizzy? Really?”

  Evie let out a rueful chuckle. “I know. Isn’t that sad? There’s got to be a way to get more kids from the Isle to apply.”

  “How many spots are open?” asked Doug.

  “Good question. I’m not sure, but I think Auradon Prep would take more than one, since they want more students from the Isle to apply.”

  “Then what you need,” said Doug, putting his trumpet away in its case, “is a recruitment strategy.”

  Evie looked at him thoughtfully. “Intriguing. Go on.”

  “The kids from the Isle of the Lost will probably be too intimidated to apply, unless they get encouragement from kids like them who are already doing well in Auradon.”

  “Kids like us, you mean?” asked Evie, her mind whirling with ideas.

  “Exactly. Once they hear more about how you, Jay, Carlos, and Mal have grown at Auradon Prep, they’ll be inspired to join you guys. Maybe it won’t be so scary if they know they’ll be welcome here.”

  “You’re right,” said Evie, clapping her hands. “So let’s show them! I’ve got to find Carlos, Jay, and Mal!”

  Evie ran from the room, excited to get started. She was halfway down the hall when she realized she’d forgotten something.

  Just as quickly, she ran back into her room and kissed Doug on the forehead. “You’re a prince. Thank you!”

  “Just a dwarf, really, but I’ll take it,” he said, hugging her back.

  he last bell of the day had finally rung, and the weekend beckoned. Carlos packed up his books and followed the crowd out of the classroom. There was a lively chatter in the air as people made plans to meet up at Camelot Grill for dinner and darts games or to hang by the Enchanted Lake. He craned his neck and spotted Jane, who had her Advanced Wish-Fulfillment class right next door to his History of Heroism seminar. Carlos was still getting used to the idea that she liked-him liked him. He had been so nervous to ask her to Cotillion, she hadn’t even understood what he was asking her until it was almost too late. But now, when she saw him, it was like everyone and everything else melted away.

  “Hey!” she said, her bright eyes shining. Her dark hair was pulled away from her face with a light-blue headband, and she was wearing a matching ruffled dress. With him in his black jacket, white button-down shirt, and black-and-white pants, they made a handsome pair, if he did say so himself.

  They smiled shyly at each other. “Happy Friday!” he said, because seeing her always made him happy.

  “Happy Friday to you,” she said. They reached for each other’s hands at the same time, causing Jane to giggle. “So, is everything set for you-know-what next week?” she asked, lowering her voice in case one of the seniors could overhear them.

  “I’ve got the list, and I’ve alerted the proper authorities,” said Carlos. “Everything should be ready.”

  “Amazing,” said Jane. “It’s going to be such a fun night!”

  “The best!” he enthused. They had really pulled it together. It had been a little difficult getting all the parents to agree to their plans—Rapunzel, for one, didn’t want to let down her hair too much—but in the end they’d all agreed to help. Carlos was no longer the scared little boy who’d arrived at Auradon Prep, shaking at the sight of a puppy. He had grown taller, leaner, and much more confident in the time he’d spent away from the Isle of the Lost. Without his mother’s haranguing and constant criticism, he had truly come into his own—especially since he no longer had to fluff her wigs and take care of her furs.

  Everything was going happily-ever-after—he was doing well in his classes, he had a very cute girlfriend, and next year, once Jay and Ben had graduated, he was going to be the BMOC: Big Man of the Castle. Maybe he could even run for Class King! He ruffled his crop of black-and-white hair, thinking about how everything would truly be perfect. Except for just one thing—
he would miss his friends.

  The others would be going their own ways after graduation—that was for sure. Jay was going to be some big R.O.A.R. star, Evie would probably expand her fashion business, and Mal had her duties to Auradon—after all, she was the future Lady Mal now. Carlos felt a tad nostalgic for how it used to be, when the four of them were just a bunch of Isle of the Lost misfits, stumbling and scheming their way through Auradon.

  Which was why he was doubly glad he and Jane had coordinated this very special supersecret project next weekend that was part of the traditional graduation activities at Auradon Prep.

  “See you tomorrow?” she asked.

  “At the Auradon City Mall,” he replied with a grin. “Seven o’clock.”

  “They just installed new dancing fountains—trained by the Sorcerer’s Apprentice!” she said. “It’ll be so cool!”

  “Can’t wait.”

  He walked her back to her dorm, where she gave him a quick kiss good-bye. “Tomorrow,” she promised.

  “Tomorrow,” he echoed with a smile, still feeling the sweetness of her kiss against his cheek.

  As Carlos walked back to the boys’ dorm, he texted the group chat nicknamed “VKs”:

  C-DOG: Hey! It’s Friday! Let’s hang! Want to grab eats at Charming’s Chili?

  MALEVOLENT: Sounds SO FUN, but Ben and I have a dinner with Aziz and his new princess tonight. So sorry!!!

  IT’SJAY: Rain check? Kinda sore from practice, spending night in.

  PRINCESSEVIE:…

  Carlos was waiting for Evie’s reply when she ran right into him, still typing a response on her phone.

  “Carlos!” she said joyfully.

  He broke into a smile; Evie was always so cheerful. She was like a big sister to him. “Evie! What’s up? Want to go to Charming’s Chili?” he asked.

  “I’m so sorry, I can’t. Doug’s band is playing at the Wishing Well later,” she said with an apologetic smile. “Want to come with?” While Doug was a member of the marching band in the daytime, at night he whistled a different tune. Carlos would usually be happy to join her, except Doug’s music was just a tad too EMO for him. (Extremely Moody Orchestrations, that is.)