An Isle's Advocate

Chapter 9

All four of them stare in stunned silence, trying their best to acquaint this dark prince, crown and all, with their friend. Hayden's always been dark, and they've always known that he's technically prince of the Underworld, but they've never seen him like this.

Then, Hayden cackles in that hair-raising way of his that's so familiar and they all snap out of it.

"Hayden!" Evie snaps with one hand pressed to her chest. "Don't do that," she scolds.

He shrugs. "It's the truth," he tells her before he cocks one eyebrow. "Now, what could you four possibly be doing down here? You know I'll be back topside on Friday, right?"

"Friday will be too late," Mal says.

"What have you guys gotten into now?"

"Uma has Ben," Carlos blurts out. Evie and Mal both reach over to slap him on the shoulders. "Ow," he mutters, shoving at a snickering Jay's shoulder.

Hayden's brow furrows as he ignores their little scuffle. "Why was Ben on the Isle?"

"Who said he was on the Isle?" Evie asks defensively as Mal gives her a look, reminding her that she's still not happy they took him in the first place.

"I've had six months to know that Auradon's not opening that barrier any time soon for any reason," Hayden says flatly.

Jay, Carlos, Mal, and Evie all wince at his words.

"Yeah, that might actually be part of the reason," Mal admits. She quickly explains everything that's happened since Hayden left Auradon and, when she's done, he just looks at her for a long moment.

"So, let me get this straight," he says. "Despite the fact that you have done everything you possibly can to forget that you come from the Isle including dying your hair, glad to see the purple is back, by the way, you went back because you got caught using magic and had a bit of a breakdown?"

Mal winces at the mention of trying to forget where she came from but nods in agreement. "Yes," she confirms.

He turns to the other three next. "And you three, along with Ben, despite also trying to forget the Isle and doing nothing at all to help me help the people still there, immediately drove over there, opening the barrier like I've been trying to do legally for months?"

Evie, Jay, and Carlos all wince as well. "Yes," Evie tells him quietly.

He nods slowly. "And Uma," he adds, "has captured Ben and will exchange him in return for Fairy Godmother's wand because she wants the barrier opened because she wants mine and Ben's deal to complete so I don't get hunted down for claiming the king's soul? Did I get all that?"

Mal takes a deep breath. "Yes," she says clearly.

There's a tense silence before-

"Well, I leave for two days and everything goes to Hell, doesn't it?" Hayden smirks at the exasperated looks the wordplay gets him.

Mal shakes her head, refocusing on what's important. "Look, Hayden... I'm sorry."

"We're all sorry," Evie adds, Jay and Carlos nodding alongside her.

"Uma was, and I hate having to say this, right," Mal tells him. "We got to Auradon and got so focused on where we were that we forgot where we'd been. You're the only one that's been doing anything to try and fix the whole Isle situation and you shouldn't be."

"Not alone, at least," Carlos says. "We all grew up there. We know how bad it is and we know that no one should have to live like that. We should all be right beside you at every council meeting."