“Lonnie! Jordan! Are you in there?”
Lonnie struggled to open her eyes. Her whole body felt sore and heavy from the elimination round the day before. She was groggy and exhausted, but she could have sworn she heard Jay’s voice. Although it was probably just her imagination. Or a dream.
Oh, gosh, she’d had the most terrible dream! She’d dreamed that Chen had led them into a trap, and they had gotten locked in a creepy old nightclub—
Lonnie glanced around her and shuddered.
It wasn’t a dream. It was real!
She clicked on her phone to look at the time and sat bolt upright. It was eight in the morning! The final competition was starting in thirty minutes! They’d slept the whole night and were still locked in this horrible place.
She’d never get her sword now. Not if they were still stuck in here. She couldn’t imagine how they’d ever be able to get out.
Why, oh, why hadn’t they just stayed at Auradon Prep for the Study Lock-In? She’d much rather be locked in the dorms right now studying for Auradon History than locked in this creepy old building!
“Lonnie! Jordan! Can you hear me?”
Lonnie froze and turned her ear toward the door.
Was that…?
“Hello! Anyone here?”
It wasn’t a dream! He’s really here!
Lonnie lunged for the air vent next to the door. “Jay! Jay! We’re in here! Over here!”
“What’s happening?” Jordan called out sleepily. “Why are you yelling?”
“It’s Jay!” Lonnie called. “He’s here!”
Jordan was up and next to Lonnie in a flash. “Jay!” she called through the slats.
“Jordan?” Jay called back. They could hear his voice, but they still couldn’t see him from their limited view.
“In here! The air vent!”
Finally they saw Jay racing around the side of the building. He skidded to a halt upon seeing their faces through the narrow gaps in the wall.
“How did you find us?” Lonnie asked.
Jay bent down to show them the invitation to the fake gala in his hands. “I found this in the bathroom of the suite. I’d been searching for you guys all night, and then I noticed my hair was looking a little ratty, so I went to borrow Jordan’s brush and—”
“Ew,” Jordan interrupted. “You borrowed my brush?”
“Hey,” Jay said, giving his hair a toss. “You gotta take care of the hair.”
Jordan rolled her eyes.
“Anyway,” Jay went on. “When I saw the invitation, I figured you guys came here. But what are you doing in an air vent?”
“We’re not in an air vent, you idiot,” Jordan said. “We’re talking through an air vent. We’re stuck in this creepy old shut-down nightclub.”
“Chen?” Jay said through gritted teeth.
Lonnie sighed. “He’s the one who lured us here with the invitation.”
“I can’t believe that guy!” Jay yelled. “I’ve been looking for him all night, too, but I can’t find him anywhere! I swear, I’m gonna get that hoodlum.”
“First, how about you get us out of here?” Jordan suggested.
“The final competition starts in less than half an hour!” Lonnie cried.
“Crud,” Jay swore. “Okay. I’ll see if I can break the door down.”
“Already tried that,” Lonnie said.
“Yes, but you’re a…”
“A girl?” Lonnie replied snidely. “Yeah, a girl who qualified for the Auradon Warrior Challenge, so what’s the next plan?”
Jay huffed. “I’ll go find someone with keys.”
Lonnie shook her head. “There’s no time for that.” She felt tears well up in her eyes. She quickly blinked them away. She couldn’t believe she had come this far and worked so hard just to have to forfeit.
“Wait,” Jay said suddenly, as though he’d been struck with an idea. “Why don’t you use your second wish and wish your way out?”
“She can’t,” Jordan said impatiently. “We don’t have the lamp.”
Jay grinned and took off his backpack, rifling inside for something. A second later, he pulled out a shiny golden object. “Oh, you mean this lamp?”
Jordan gasped. “You stole my lamp?”
Jay shrugged. “What can I say? Old habits die hard.”
“You little thief!” Jordan yelled.
“Relax,” Jay said. “I’m kidding. When I came back to the room to find you guys were gone, I took it just in case. A VK is always prepared.”
“Yeah,” Jordan said, “whatever. Can you just give it to Lonnie?”
“Well, well,” Jay said, cocking an eyebrow. “Look who needs a knight in shining armor now.”
“I most certainly do not,” Jordan said, crossing her arms. “And if you think this whole rescue thing is going to gain you any points with me, you’re wrong.”
“Fine,” Jay said, taking a step back and admiring the lamp. “You can just stay in there.”
“Fine,” Jordan snapped.
“Um, guys,” Lonnie interrupted. “Can we continue this argument later? I kind of need to get up to that arena.”
Jay seemed to snap to attention. “Right. Sorry, Lonnie.” He looked toward the vent and hesitated. “Um, how am I going to give this to you? This will not fit between these slats.”
Lonnie suddenly got an idea and turned on her phone. She shined the flashlight toward the air vent. “Look!” she said, pointing at four tiny screws that were holding the plate in place. “The screws are on this side. Maybe I can unscrew them with something and you can pass us the lamp!”
“Great idea,” Jordan muttered sarcastically. “But what are you going to unscrew them with? It’s not like I bring screwdrivers to every gala I go to.”
The group fell silent for a moment. Lonnie could practically hear the clock ticking from the arena.
“How about your earrings?” Jay suggested a moment later.
“I’m not wearing earrings,” Lonnie replied.
“No, Jordan’s earrings. The new hoopy ones she bought yesterday. They looked like they might be thin enough to wedge into the grooves of the screw.”
Jordan touched the gold hoops dangling from her ears. “I didn’t even think you were paying attention to our conversation.”
Jay shrugged. “What can I say? They looked expensive.”
Jordan groaned. “Is stealing really all you can think about?”
“Hey, you can take the guy out of the isle, but you can’t take the isle out of the guy.”
“Charming,” Jordan mumbled.
“Let’s just try it!” Lonnie screeched. “We’re running out of time.”
Jordan sighed and pulled the hoops out of her ears. She gave one to Lonnie, and they both went to work on the air vent.
“It fits!” Lonnie exclaimed, wedging the hoop into the screw and twisting. “They’re coming out!”
Less than thirty seconds later, Lonnie and Jordan had managed to get the plate off the air vent, leaving a rectangular hole in the wall just big enough for Jay to shove the lamp through.
Lonnie caught it and quickly rubbed the side.
“Now, Lonnie,” Jordan said in a warning tone, “remember what I said before. Wishes are very complex things. The key is specificity. You should think very carefully before you—”
“Get us out of here!” Lonnie cried hastily.
Jordan pursed her lips. “Or you can just go with that.”
Lonnie closed her eyes and felt the shimmery pink smoke billow around her. Hurry, she willed it with her mind. She could feel its silky heat against her skin and taste its smoky aroma in her mouth. When she opened her eyes again, she and Jordan were on the other side of the door, standing next to a scowling Jay.
“Really?” Jay asked in disbelief. “That’s what you wished for?”
“What?” Lonnie asked, confused.
“You could have wished to take us to the arena. It’s all the way across town.”
Lonnie’s gaze dropped to the lamp in her hands. “Oh. Whoops.”
“I told you. Be specific!” Jordan said, taking the lamp back from Lonnie and storing it in her purse for safekeeping.
“I’m sorry!” Lonnie said defensively. “I was kind of in a hurry.”
“Don’t worry,” Jordan said. “I’ll order another Majestic Ride.” She turned on her phone. “Finally! Signal!” Then she navigated to the Majestic Rides app, but a moment later scowled at the screen. “Dang it. There are no cars in the area. They must all be at the arena. It says it’ll take thirty-five minutes to get one.”
“We’ll have to go by foot,” Jay said.
Lonnie nodded and tried to psych herself up. She was a warrior, after all. She would not let a little transportation problem get her down.
“It’s okay,” she said confidently. “I grew up in this city. I know a few shortcuts. Follow me.”