Prologue
Jay
The irony of it was cruel.
I stood, horrified and frozen, watching her life about to end the same way her mother's would have but for a hero—and there was no hero. She had noticed me already, but she didn't expect me to help, nor did I. Would anyone?
"Well, choose," my father said simply.
I shouldn't have even had to think about it—this was what we wanted, wasn't it? She didn't really need to die—my father only needed her blood to complete the potion, which he had taken already—but this was his revenge on her parents all those years ago. Our revenge.
But you can't just let her die, a small voice urged.
Of course I can—she's my sworn enemy! I thought.
Only by parentage. You could have been friends.
People like me don't have friends.
Then don't be that person! If your father goes down, you go with him!
For a moment, everything was silent. It was as though time itself had stopped.
"I've made my decision," I said darkly, hatred burning in my eyes.
"Good," said my father, nodding. "Come on, son."
"You're no father of mine!" I shouted.
I charged at the hourglass.
Chapter 1
Jamie
I'm sitting on my bed they day they come, watching out the window. Jordan is there, too, sitting next to me.
"Ooh, look!" she squeals when they come into sight.
"I know." Jordan can get a bit overexcited when it comes to something different. And Villain Kids are definitely different. Like, scary, different.
"I think that's Mal, Evie, Carlos, and—" she cuts off abruptly.
"What?" I ask, suspicious.
"Jamie, you're not going to like this," she warns.
"Why?" I ask, looking closer. "What's the worst that could possibly hap—" Then I see him.
"Jamie, I know what you're going to say. Don't worry. It's no big deal. You're too paranoid. Hey—my dad was the Genie! If anyone needs to worry, it's me…" she trails off, out of things to say.
I just sigh. I've finally figured out Auradon Prep. I get good grades. I'm not exactly Miss Popularity, but I have friends. And then the son of my parents' sworn enemy comes along. Of course.
"Calm down, Jamie," Jordan says gently.
"I'm calm!" I snap.
A normal person wouldn't be so freaked out about this, I'm sure. Still, my deepest fear is that Jafar will return from the Isle of the Lost, and there's the next-worst thing. I continue to stare out my window. Audrey, as far as I can tell, isn't scared. Her expression just radiates pure hatred, as does Mal's. Carlos appears to have recently discovered candy—he looks like a 6-year-old, as does Jay, which is some comfort.
"Come on," says Jordan. "You don't even have to talk to him. Let's just go to Chemistry."
There's a substitute teacher in Chemistry today, a girl who doesn't seem much older than the rest of us. She does manage to whip up a pretty good Sleeping Potion, though. Mine is awful, more blood-red than pale pink, but Jordan's is fantastic. Some boy—I can't see his face—sticks his finger in it and licks it. He's out in seconds. Jordan and I take him to the nurse, just in case.
"Sleeping potion mishap," I explain.
"No worries," Snow White says. "Happy to help!" She lays him on a bed. "Did you hear about the Villain Kids?" she asks, watching the kid, who I can see is Lawrence.
"Uh, yeah," I say.
"I'm hoping Evie doesn't have it in for me," she jokes. "But I hear she's the nicest of the four. And you wouldn't believe it, but Carlos loves Dude!"
"Wow!" Jordan says in surprise. The school nurse is, of course, a little too…perky. But we love her anyway. Welcome to the land of cheesy clichés.
The kid wakes up. "Where…where am I?" he asks.
"In the nurse's office. Next time, don't taste my potions," Jordan tells him.
"Lesson learned," he says, sitting up and smiling. Lawrence is a nightmare to the teachers, but hilarious to the rest of us.
"Good," says Jordan, "Because next week we're doing shrinking potions."
By the time we get back to Chemistry, class is almost over. I head to Auradon History, while Jordan and Lawrence go to Music.
"Welcome to Auradon History," says Professor Charming's slow, droning voice. He's Chad Charming's grandfather, and I think he lived through most of this stuff.
"You will be divided into partners to study a legend. If your person is a relation or friend of you or someone you know, please refrain from interviewing them. Thank you. Here are the partners: Ally and Doug will be working on Cinderella. Sarah and Carlos will be working on Sleeping Beauty. Jamie and Jay will be working on Aladdin—"
Wait. I misheard him, right? Me and Jay. Doing a report together. On Aladdin. His father's sworn enemy!
"Reports will be due on Friday the 22nd," Professor Charming drones. Today is Monday the 18th.
"I can't quite place your accent," Jay says, attempting to make small talk before we start. I grew up in Agrabah, but we moved to Auradon when I was ten.
"Can't you?" I whisper.
"Well, I—oh," he says, realizing what I mean. It's quiet for a moment.
"So…" I say awkwardly.
"So…" Jay mimics. "Look, here's how I see it. Aladdin is your dad, and my dad's sworn enemy. So, either way, you're going to take over the report because nothing I say will be right—which it wouldn't. Okay?" It's really just a statement—and an accurate one, too.
"That pretty much sums it up," I say. "I'll see what I can find at the library." I ask Professor Charming for a pass, which he grants me. I take notes on everything I can find. I am a straight-A student and intend to keep it that way.
The bell rings its shrill buzz. I have five minutes to get to next period. I dash to my locker, grab some random homework, and, heart pounding, run back to the library for study hall.