This situation could end up being a real shipwreck.

But not with the daughter of Maleficent on board. Now, let’s trick this witch.

Mal reached the bridge that connected the pier to the pirate ship.

It was a rickety old thing, encrusted with brine. Below, sharp rocks and broken boardwalk beams jutted out of the roiling sea. Mal’s friends stood behind her in a supportive huddle. In front of her, on the ship, were dozens of ragtag pirates, made fierce by face paint and glinting swords. Uma clung to Ben’s arm. He stood on a plank with both hands behind his back, bound tightly with rope. Ben looked at Mal, whose eyes narrowed at Uma. Mal stepped onto the bridge.

She was going to get Ben back.

It would be the wand for the crown.

Harry stepped onto the bridge in front of Mal and glowered.

Uma strolled onto the bridge beside him, flipped back her long turquoise hair, and cackled. Harry’s eyes bulged as he mumbled to Mal about what he’d do to harm Ben. In his excitement, he swung his sharp hook, but Uma grabbed it and yanked him back onto the ship. This trade would be between her and Mal.

Mal backed up, and Carlos shoved the fake wand into her hand.

At that instant, Harry tipped Ben forward on the plank. He gripped Ben by the jacket so that if he let go, Ben would surely plummet into the dark icy sea.

Mal and her friends froze and looked on, horror-struck.

Ben called out to Uma, telling her that he’d give her a chance at life in Auradon.

Uma met his offer with raucous laughter. Either Mal made the trade, she said, or Ben walked the plank. Uma walked farther out onto the bridge toward Mal, eying the sparkly wand gripped in her closed fist. “Hold up,” Uma commanded.

Mal waited.

“Too easy.” Uma grinned. “Give it a test drive! We want to see it work.”

The pirates behind her on the ship jeered and exchanged smiles.

Mal rolled her eyes. “Wow, you always were such a drama queen.”

Uma’s grin vanished. She sheathed her sword. “Nothing too big,” she threatened, “or else Ben is fish bait.”

Harry lowered Ben by his jacket even more.

“We’re dead,” Carlos muttered to his friends. But then Evie leaned in and whispered something to Carlos: “Dude.”

Mal spun around to look at her friends in terror; then Carlos nodded to the side, toward where Dude was sitting on the pier. “Okay,” said Mal, turning. She pointed the fake wand at Dude. “Although it seems absurd, turn your bark into a word!” Mal incanted.

Dude stared at her.

It was quiet except for the crashing of the tumultuous sea.

Mal and Uma glared at each other until Mal wheeled on Dude. “Talk, dog!”

Carlos gave Dude a squeeze to get him going.

“What? I hate public speaking!” cried Dude.

Uma’s face broke into a smile, and the leering pirates behind her nodded and nudged one another, beaming and mumbling among themselves excitedly.

Mal and her friends exchanged tense looks.

Hook, line, and sinker? Mal wondered.

“Anyone have some bacon? Anyone?” Dude asked.

Uma turned toward Mal, revealing that her smile had been replaced by a wicked snarl. “Okay, give me the wand!” Uma barked. She put out her palm.

Mal drew the fake wand toward herself. “Give me Ben!” she shouted back at Uma.

Uma turned to Harry, who was still holding Ben over the side of the plank. “Let’s go, Harry. Let’s go!”

Disappointed, Harry yanked Ben off the plank and dragged him toward the bridge.

“Ben!” called Gil. “Before you go! Um…can you tell your mom that my dad says hi, and also, tell your dad that my dad says that he wishes he had gotten rid of your dad when he had the chance?”

Ben just looked at Gil as Harry continued to nudge him along.

“Come on!” Uma shouted.

Things happened in quick succession next. Once they reached Mal, Harry kicked Ben to his knees and drew his sword. Uma held out her hand for the wand again. Mal held out her hand for Ben.

“Cut him loose,” Uma commanded Harry.

“I never get to have any fun,” Harry complained as he sliced Ben free with his sword.

Ben grabbed Mal’s hand, but as he started to stand, Uma put a hand on Ben’s shoulder, letting him know he shouldn’t get up so fast—not until she had what was owed to her. Uma bore daggers into Mal’s eyes.

Mal handed the fake wand to her.

Uma couldn’t help grinning once she had the wand in her possession.

Ben quickly leaped up beside Mal, and they slunk off the bridge.

Uma retreated to the ship, where the other pirates swarmed around her and celebrated their victory with cheerful growls. She pointed the fake wand high overhead. “By the power of the sea, tear it down and set us free!” she incanted.

She thrust the wand at the magical barrier as the pirates grinned and roared.

Nothing happened.

Uma’s smile faded.

“No!” Uma screamed, realizing she had been tricked. She broke the fake wand in two. “You do not get to win every time!” she yelled at Mal and her friends, who were halfway up the pier. Uma regarded her crew. “Get them!”

“Now!” yelled Mal.

Carlos used his slingshot to launch a smoke bomb, which exploded in a thick colorful cloud.

The pirates ducked and fell back but were quickly up again.

Carlos chucked another smoke bomb.

“Go!” Uma commanded her pirates.

They roared in anger and swarmed past Uma, who stood furiously glowering at Mal and her friends.

Jay tipped a barrel that stowed the quiver of swords. He doled out swords to Evie, Lonnie, Mal, Ben, and Carlos. The friends took strong stances and braced themselves against the pirates, who were charging forward at full speed and swinging on ropes from the ship to the pier. They were out for blood.

In moments, Mal and her friends were battling the vicious crew.

Lonnie fought a pirate and disarmed him. Wanting a real fight, she said, “Here. Take mine,” and offered her sword. The pirate grabbed it and struck at Lonnie. She ducked out of the way once, twice, three times, four times and kicked the pirate, who flew backward onto a landing. Then she picked up her sword, thrust it in the pirate’s direction to scare him, laughed, and ran, leaving him groveling on the floor.

Harry had leaped from the ship onto a ladder and landed facing Jay on the pier. He removed his pirate’s hat and twirled his hair, sizing Jay up. He unsheathed his sword and swung. Jay dodged the blade. Soon Harry was swinging his hook, too. They parried and thrust, blade hitting blade. Harry pinned Jay against a wooden rail with his hook and sword locked on to Jay’s sword, and Harry’s pirate’s hat fell into the sea below. In a few snakelike moves, Jay freed himself from the tangle, and he kicked Harry down while yanking his hook right off his hand. Jay dangled the hook off his sword blade and held it out over the edge of the boardwalk, smiling. Harry extended his hand, but Jay let the hook slide off his blade and fall into the sea. Harry moved past him, ducked under the rail, and dove in after it.

Being the captain of R.O.A.R. had come in handy.

Meanwhile, Mal had been knocking pirates’ swords away with hers while Evie and Carlos did the same. Mal sent one pirate flying off the bridge and into the sea. She dodged a few more and ducked under others. I’ve still got it, she thought.

Finally, Uma strolled across the bridge toward her.

It was time for the two of them to battle now.