Chapter 30: Lies

"Solomon, I need to speak with you!" A voice loudly yelled from beside him.

Solomon furiously opened his eyes, he had as usually been hovering his hand over the cauldron, trying to get a better feel of the magic inside it. This had been an ongoing process for the past weeks, and though Solomon experienced the progress as very slow-moving, he did feel it. It was as if every time he tried again, it had become easier to 'fine-tune' his senses and magical abilities. Now he had been rudely torn away from his meditations and he looked at who the culprit was.

"What do you want, CJ?" He said breathing heavily.

"Freddie is here." CJ said panting, apparently, she had been running.

"What?" Solomon lazily said as he crossed his arms.

"Freddie is here! On the isle. In my room." CJ made clear and she pointed in the general direction of her room.

Solomon pulled up an eyebrow. "Yeah, right. How much have you had to drink CJ? You know the stuff makes you delusional."

"I'm telling the truth!" CJ yelled. "Freddie is here! She used some kind of teleportation spell with ol' Malsie. She came to get something, a magical reviver or something. She's here, in my room, for about thirty more minutes. If you want to, you can go ask the questions you so badly want answered."

Solomon still looked at her doubtfully. He could see no lies in her eyes, but what she said was absolutely absurd. Then again, why would she make this up? He could only guess that she meant a magical receiver, instead of reviver, which was something rare and powerful that would probably not be easily found on the mainland. If his theories on Freddie's magic were true, then it would also be highly probable for her to search for one.

"Are you being serious?" He asked, just to be sure.

"No! I came running all the way here for a practical joke." She replied sarcastically.

"I do not tolerate impertinence." Solomon said strictly.

"Alright, alright. But, I am serious. Freddie is here."

"You said she used a teleportation spell?" Solomon asked.

"Yeah." CJ replied.

"She cannot teleport from here by herself, not inside the barrier."

"No, no. She and Mal used the keychain around her neck as the thing, you know, ehm, the thing to get her back."

"An unbreakable teleportation spell cast over an item, how innovative." Solomon mumbled to himself. If either Mal or Freddie had actually thought of that, he had to give them credit, and this could also work very well for his plan.

"Take me to her." Solomon ordered, and CJ headed out the room before him.

Solomon beckoned one of his subordinates to him before he left the room. "Go to Uma, tell her and Harry Hook to meet me at the Facilier place as soon as possible, and no questions!"

"Yes sir." The thief replied meekly.

With CJ out in front of him, it took less than five minutes to reach Freddie's old place. CJ led him up to her old room, where, to his astonishment, he actually saw Freddie Facilier sit on her old bed.

"See." CJ said, quite full of herself. "I told the truth."

"So, it appears." Solomon replied while keeping his gaze on Freddie.

"What do you want?" Freddie asked him straight to the point. "CJ said that you threatened her and that I can help resolve things."

"What? Not even an 'hello' for an old acquaintance?" Solomon greeted with a smile.

"Here's your hello." Freddie replied, and she showed Solomon her middle finger. "Now, what is your business with CJ? Why did you threaten her?"

Solomon gave CJ a brief look before focusing back on Freddie. "No threats, just offers and promises." He said smoothly. "The same goes for you."

Freddie crossed her arms. "What do you mean?"

"I have an offer for you, one that you should accept if you have your best interests in mind."

"Better be a damn good offer if it comes from you." Freddie skeptically said.

"Have you not worked on your manners at all over in Boreadon?" Solomon asked with a grin.

"I was taught to only behave myself around people that deserve my respect." Freddie replied.

Solomon gave a brief chuckle. "I can see why CJ is so fond of you."

"Funny, I have absolutely no clue why she would even want to be in the same room as you." Freddie retorted with sass. "Now, explain what's going on!"

"Well, to cut to the chase, my father transferred magic to me when the barrier was temporarily deactivated. I was then able to escape into Auradon and retrieve my father's old cauldron." Solomon quickly summed up.

He gave no mind to Freddie's wide eyes and the questions she would undoubtedly have. "I found the cauldron and returned here. All I need is a more powerful magic source to activate the cauldron, after which I will command an undead army which I will use to destroy Auradon."

Freddie now looked at both Solomon and CJ in fear and confusion. "Is he serious?" She asked CJ.

CJ nodded. "I have seen the cauldron, it's real Freddie. People have been recruited from all over the isle to take part. This is an attack that will happen."

"You're in on this!?" Freddie asked panicking. "You? With him?"

"Trust me when I say it's not out of free will." CJ scoffed.

Solomon ignored them both. "I want you to join me Freddie. Your magic will be an immense help in activating the cauldron. When me and my army invade Auradon I want as much villain kids to join in our conquest. You can be the first." He stuck out a hand.

Freddie backed up. "You're insane! You're totally insane! CJ, you know he's insane!"

"Of course, I know, I'm the one who's had to spend time with him." CJ replied.

"Silence!" Solomon requested of CJ. "Freddie, join me, join us. You can have everything you ever wanted. You can rejoice in the conquest of everyone in that rotten fairyland that has ever wronged us! I will not restrain you, you will live out every dream you have ever had."

"You're a lunatic, you're absolutely batshit crazy!" Freddie pretty much repeated. "I will never join you, why would I? I have friends in Auradon, people I care about."

Solomon scoffed. "The good guys? Really? Do you honestly believe that they care about you? You're a villain! The scum of the earth. They want nothing to do with you. To them, you're nothing but human trash or in the best-case scenario a circus freak that should be put in a cage."

"Shut up!" Screamed Freddie. "You don't know them! You don't know anything about them!"

"Out here things are different!" Solomon spoke as he gave Freddie's ramblings no mind. "Here, on the isle, we are all equal. There are no kings, no queens, no self-absorbed princesses. In the new world I will create, we villains will show those pesky Auradonians that they should have never put us in this prison, or that they should have really reinforced the bars."

"Not a chance." Freddie said confidently. "I will never join you, and you will never win. In Auradon, there are powers you can only dream of, and fighters with more talent and bravery in their little finger than you have in your whole body!" she spat.

Solomon's look darkened. "Ouch, that hurt." He said sarcastically. "Very well, if you will not assist me voluntarily, I shall have to resort to different measures."

"Wait." CJ intervened as she put herself in between Freddie and Solomon. "You said you would not hurt her."

"I said that her life would be spared, but as a kindness to you, I promise that she will not be physically harmed." Solomon said as he approached Freddie.

"CJ!?" Freddie nervously exclaimed.

CJ pulled her sword. "No! Solomon, wait!"

"Or what?" Solomon said as he let the sword prick into his stomach. "Or what?"

"Put down the sword, CJ!" A voice from behind Solomon said.

Everyone in the room looked back and they saw Uma and Harry Hook stand in the doorway. Both CJ and Freddie were stunned when they saw them.

"Uma!? You're back!?" Freddie exclaimed, seemingly not believing her eyes.

"In the flesh." Uma grinned. "But I could ask you the same thing, Facilier. What happened? Trouble in paradise?"

Freddie did not answer and seemed to prepare herself for a fight.

"Solomon, why are they here?" CJ asked.

"Because I asked them to. I have some things to discuss with them regarding our little situation." Solomon replied.

"Solomon! No! No! They do not need to be here, this is between you, me and Freddie. She gave you her answer and I have done my part, now leave us be." CJ begged.

Solomon saw that Harry kept looking between him and CJ, with something apparently dawning on him. Solomon turned back to CJ. "I'm afraid I can't do that, this is bigger than any of us CJ. But hear me out here, if you do as I say right now, you will come out of this unscathed and Freddie will live, definitely."

"No! Whatever you will do to Freddie, I won't let it happen." CJ yelled as she got into sword-stance.

Solomon then directed himself at Freddie. "If she keeps doing this, she dies, and you might also come out of this less unscathed."

Freddie's scared eyes darted between CJ and Solomon, as the wheels in her head were working to their upmost to find a solution.

Harry then intervened. "Now, wait here for a second Solomon. No one is killing CJ, not on my watch."

"Harry!" Uma hissed as she tried to grab his upper arm. "What are you doing?"

Harry pulled himself loose and stood next to Solomon. "Do you hear me? She does not get hurt!"

"Right now, she's being terribly uncooperative." Solomon told him. "If you want her to remain healthy then persuade her."

"CJ, come here. Stop this." Harry immediately told his younger sister.

"Harry!?" CJ said astonished. "I won't leave her."

"Solomon said that she will live! Come on, CJ! Think for a minute!" Harry yelled.

"Harry…" CJ softly begged.

"She. Will. Live! Now come, get out of here." Harry said with clenched jaw.

Tears sprung up in CJ's eyes, which darted between Solomon and Harry, but she did not move.

"I already told you, let me do what I must, then you will walk freely, and she will live. This is your last chance. You know I hate repeating myself!" Solomon threatened.

CJ looked around bewildered, not knowing what to do.

Then Freddie suddenly placed a hand on her shoulder. "Go, CJ. I can handle this. Go." She whispered.

"N-no. I can't." CJ softly replied.

"She will live. No physical harm will come to her, if she cooperates." Solomon told her.

"Please CJ. Leave. Save yourself. For me." Freddie said.

CJ breathed heavily, and the first tears rolled down her cheeks, then she lowered her sword and slowly moved away from Freddie.

"Good girl." Solomon said darkly, but CJ could do nothing more than give him a dirty look as she passed him.

Harry tried to put his hand on her shoulder, but CJ angrily slapped it away.

"I need you to leave." Solomon then told CJ, who hesitated for a second before exiting the room after another glance from Freddie.

"Now, what's the plan?" Freddie asked, failing to sound nonchalant.

Solomon approached her. "Harry, what time is it exactly?" he asked.

"Ehm, six eleven." He hesitantly said after looking at his pocket watch.

"It's five fifty." Uma corrected as she looked over Harry's shoulder.

"Great, then let's get rid of this real quick." Solomon said as he snatched the keychain from around Freddie's neck.

"Hey! Stop!" Freddie panicked as she tried to grab the keychain back from Solomon, who simply pushed her down on her bed.

"What's this all about? What's so special about that necklace?" Uma asked.

"This." Solomon said as he showed Uma the keychain. "Is the item Mal has spelled which will allow the wearer to be transported back to Auradon."

"This thing will teleport you to Auradon?" Uma excitedly asked as she pointed at the keychain.

"Yes, at an agreed upon time. My guess is at six, to make it a nice round number to remember. Mal will then activate the spell wherever she is in Auradon and the wearer of this here keychain will promptly appear next to her." Solomon answered. "This is a major opportunity. We send someone else back with the keychain, I propose Harry, who will then speak to Mal."

"Why Harry?" Uma asked.

"Yes, why me?" Harry joined in.

"Because right now it is of upmost importance that it remains secret that Uma and I have returned to the isle. Sending Harry would be logical. Mal would probably think that he's working for you, Uma. We send him there, with the message that if she wants to see Freddie again, she has to come to the isle tomorrow, at say noon, and that she has to come alone."

"A little bit of blackmail, I like it." Uma said. "But why do we want Mal here?"

"Because after I'm done with this one." Solomon said as he pointed at Freddie. "I will then also be able to transfer Mal's magic to myself. Then we'll be unstoppable."

"You will regret this Solomon." Freddie suddenly said. "There are forces in Auradon you won't account for, there are people who would not only not hesitate to fight you, but who would win as well."

Solomon laughed evilly. "Oh, you are truly amusing Freddie. It saddens me that you didn't join up with us. You would have been fun to have around." He then directed himself to Uma and Harry. "Alright, we don't have much time left. Harry, when this starts glowing, keep it in your hand, you'll be teleported to Auradon. You'll most likely appear right beside Mal."

"Wait." Uma intervened. "What if she's not alone? What if she has beastie boy or Evie or Jay with her?"

Solomon thought about this for a second, before smiling. "Nah. My guess is that this was a plan by just the two of them. After what you did to king baby beast, Uma, it seems quite unlikely that he would have allowed Freddie to travel to the isle. Mal will probably await her all by herself."

From the scared look Freddie gave him, Solomon knew that he was right.

"So, Harry. When you get to Mal, tell her that you have taken Freddie captive and that Mal has to come to a location on the isle, what location shall we take?" He asked the others.

"The Lost Revenge." Harry proposed. "That's where we'd captured beastie boy last time."

"That's actually perfect. Tell Mal to be there at noon, or else she won't see Freddie again." Solomon said as he passed the keychain to him.

"Also, that she has to come alone." Uma explained. "If we see anyone with her, Freddie will walk the plank."

"Then tell her to then immediately send you back via another teleportation spell. If you won't be here by seven, Freddie dies." Solomon added.

"Have you got all that?" Uma hastily asked.

"Completely memorized." Harry proudly announced. "I can't wait to see the look on poor Malsie's face."

"Harry!" Solomon yelled as the keychain suddenly radiated a bright, white light. Harry closed his fist around the keychain and within seconds he had disappeared.

"Did it work?" Uma asked.

"It should have." Solomon replied as he looked around. "I just hope he remembers all our demands."

"He's not stupid, or at least not as stupid as you believe him to be horns." Uma made clear.

Solomon ignored Uma and directed himself to Freddie, whose eyes had teared up when she saw Harry disappear using her teleportation spell.

Solomon kneeled down in front of her. "I guess that this is quite a rough time for you, isn't it? I bet that you had reassured Mal that everything would turn out alright for you here, she must be so disappointed. You better hope for your sake though, that she'll honor this deal."

"You told CJ that you wouldn't harm me." Freddie said rebellious.

"But CJ isn't here anymore, is she?" Solomon said darkly. "Now that I have you here, she has outrun her purpose."

"So, that's why you let her join your gang, to get to Freddie." Uma said with a hint of admiration in her voice.

"Exactly, why else? Because she's such a calm and compliant spirit?" He said with a laugh. "You won't have any trouble with me betraying her trust, do you Uma?"

"Not at all horns." Uma replied with a grin.

Solomon then took out to flasks with potions from his coat. "Now, here's what's gonna happen Freddie. You will drink from this here potion." He explained as he shook the flask with a bright purple liquid. "And then I will be done with you."

"And why would you think that after all this I would still do what you say!?" Freddie spat back.

Solomon grinned. "Because CJ is right outside of here and I have no trouble with bringing her back in here and slicing her throat in front of you."

Freddie paled at this. Solomon held the flask in front of her again with a large smile. "You can trust me when I say that I wouldn't lie about that."

Freddie slowly reached for the potion and held it in her hand.

"Don't be nervous, you won't die. You will simply fulfill your destiny of becoming useful to me."

Freddie opened the flask, brought it to her mouth and quickly drank the entire potion, apparently trying to get it over quickly. Solomon simultaneously drank his potion and pointed his right hand at Freddie, who immediately started screaming. Solomon then spoke the incantation he had originally learned from his father, as Freddie dropped down from her bed to the floor and started squirming on the floor.

Solomon then heard footsteps behind him and a scream. "Freddie!"

CJ had stormed back in after hearing Freddie's screams. Solomon had to remain focused on Freddie however and paid CJ no mind. He then heard the sound of two swords being unsheathed, followed by cries and grunts from both Uma and CJ as they started fighting. Solomon calmly finished up his incantation as he watched Freddie writhe around miserably on the floor. He ultimately pulled back his hand and saw Freddie immediately relax her body. Solomon took a moment to sense the added magic now flowing through him, Freddie's considerable amount of magic had substantially strengthened him.

He then looked back to see Uma and CJ locked in a stalemate. He quickly approached them, took CJ by the shoulder, and effortlessly threw her against a wall, after which she only weakly moved around on the ground.

"I say we rid ourselves of her." Uma said as she inspected the tear in her sleeve that CJ had produced.

"Calm down, Uma. What would Harry say?" Solomon replied as he approached CJ.

"N-no." Freddie weakly mumbled as she tried to crawl to CJ, only to collapse after a few seconds.

CJ, meanwhile, had managed to get on all fours. When she saw Solomon approach, she quickly tried to raise her sword, but Solomon blocked her swing and twisted her arm, making her drop her sword.

"You really are a feisty one, aren't you?" Solomon said threateningly as he twisted CJ's arm even more, making her yelp in pain.

"W-we had a deal." CJ grunted.

"Oh, yes we did. But, boy are you making it hard for me to honor my agreements." He told her. "You have really been useful to me though. You brought me Freddie, you helped me. And I reward those that help me." He said before punching her hard in the face, knocking her out.

"Uma, you wouldn't happen to have brought along any of your crew?" Solomon asked as he let CJ's limp body fall to the floor.

"Of course, I have." Uma answered.

"Excellent, would you mind telling them to take these two and lock them up in your ship?"

"Not at all." Uma said before loudly whistling. Two of her pirates entered the room, warily looking around. "Take these two and put them in the brig." Uma commanded, and the pirates obeyed her, carrying the unconscious CJ and Freddie out of the room.

"You got what you were after?" Uma asked once her minions had left.

"Naturally." Solomon answered. "I can already feel that Freddie's magic has significantly strengthened me."

"Enough to activate the cauldron?" Uma asked.

Solomon shrugged. "Probably."

"So, why do we need Mal then?"

Solomon looked at her. "Wouldn't it be nice to have her out of the way before the fighting begins? Say what you want about her, but you can't deny that she's a powerful enemy."

Uma scoffed. "Please, give me a sword and I can show her power."

"Your ego has already brought you plenty of trouble, Uma. Don't let it cost us our victory." Solomon teased.

Before Uma could respond, a bright, white light appeared in the middle of the room, which quickly took the shape of Harry Hook.

"Harry!" Uma exclaimed as she approached her first mate. "How did it go?"

Harry gave a broad grin. "You know Mal, always eager to please. She will be here, tomorrow at noon."

Feel free to review or share theories, I appreciate all feedback.