“We’re out of here!” yelled Hercules.

He ran to the ropes and began hoisting the sails.

Queen Hippolyta stayed at the railing. “What’s wrong?” she shouted to her warriors. “What’s going on?”

What indeed? I joined Hippolyta at the rails. The Amazon boats were closing in. Soon they’d be bumping our hull. Some of the warriors had drawn back their bowstrings. They were ready to fire.

“Onward, mighty warriors!” cried the lead Amazon, pumping her fist in the air and shouting viciously. She wore a horned helmet, but her hair blew out from under it, so I couldn’t see her face. “How dare they steal our queen!” she shouted. “How dare they kidnap Hippolyta?”

Steal? Kidnap? What was this warrior ranting about? Wait a minute! Who was that warrior, anyway? I looked harder. That hair—it was Hera!

I ran to the ship’s wheel. Hercules had grabbed the wheel from a frantic crew member and was attempting to steer the Warrior Princess away from the Amazon war boats. I whipped off my helmet.

“Uncle Hades!” exclaimed Hercules. “The Amazons are after us!”

“Three guesses who’s leading the chase,” I said. “And the first two don’t count.”

Hercules wrinkled his brow in thought. “Okay, um . . . so how many guesses is that?”

“Never mind!” I shouted. “It’s Hera. She must have spread a rumor among the Amazons that you’ve kidnapped their queen.”

“Dang,” said Hercules, quickly turning the wheel to the right to dodge a rowboat filled with angry Amazons. “I guess getting that girdle isn’t so easy after all.”

Our ship wasn’t moving fast enough. The Amazons were catching up.

I pulled out my cell phone. I hit memory dial for my brother, Poseidon. I listened as the phone rang and rang. I hoped I wouldn’t get his machine.

“Ruler of the Seas,” Poseidon answered at last.

“Po!” I shouted into the phone. “It’s Hades. Thank Mount Olympus I reached you. I need your help.”

“Where are you, bro?” asked Po.

“I’m on board the Warrior Princess.”

“Excellent vessel,” said Po.

“We’re pulling out of Amazon Harbor. We’ve got Queen Hippolyta aboard.”

“I hear she’s a real babe!”

“The wind’s against us!” I shouted into the phone.

“Is she a babe, Hades? Is she?”

“Yes!” I shouted. “Listen, Po, there are about a hundred boatloads of angry Amazons chasing us!”

“Are they all babes?”

“PO! We need help!”

“Do what I can, big bro. Sounds like I should send some waves to swamp them and get a couple of wind gods to speed you away.”

“That would be great, Po. Thanks!”

I looked out at the Amazon boats. Hera was in the lead. She was shaking her fist and yelling. I was glad I was too far away to hear what she was saying.

Now Hippolyta ran to the wheel. “There’s an imposter in the first boat!” she cried. “You must turn back! We must vanquish her!”

“Not a good idea,” I said.

Hippolyta turned and noticed me for the first time. “Who are you? And who asked you?”

“I’m Hades,” I told her. “And the imposter is Hera. You’re strong, and you’ve got big muscles, Hippolyta. But you’re no match for a goddess.”

“I hear you,” said Hippolyta. “But why is Hera doing this? I always sacrifice to her.”

“She’s after me,” said Hercules.

“How did you offend Hera?” asked Hippolyta.

“By being born,” said Hercules.

“Mmm . . .” said the queen. “Not much you can do about that.”

A sudden gust of wind filled our sails. We began speeding over the waves.

“All right,” shouted Hercules as we raced across the water and away from the Amazon navy.

At the same time, the sea began roiling with huge waves. They broke over the Amazon war boats, soaking the warriors. At last the Amazons turned their boats and began rowing for the shore.

I owed my bro Po big time.

“I must go back and speak to my warriors,” said Hippolyta. “Tell them about Hera. Hey, what’s that?”

She pointed to something in the distance.

I squinted and made out Poseidon’s cherry-red sea chariot, pulled by his team of giant sea horses. In no time, he drew up alongside our ship.

“I see the winds I sent did the trick.” Po grinned at Hippolyta.

“They did,” said Hercules. “Thanks!”

Hippolyta grinned back at Po. “I’ll bet that chariot can really fly!”

“Hop in,” said Po. “I’ll take you for a spin.”

“You’re on.” Hippolyta climbed up onto the railing of the Warrior Princess and leaped into Po’s chariot. She turned back and waved. “Goodbye, Hercules!” she called. “Goodbye!”