The spiraling light whirled out of Central Park and transported Alex and the lion statues to Times Square. They landed on the rooftop just below the Times Square Ball that drops every New Year’s Eve. The world-famous intersection was completely empty, but all the flashing lights, the illuminated billboards, and the giant video screens had been left on during the evacuation.
Alex sat on the edge of the roof and sobbed over the death of her friend. The curse made her emotions skyrocket, but she was consumed by much more than grief. Her head filled with thoughts of guilt. It was her fault the witches had invaded the Otherworld. She was to blame for all the damage and fear they had caused. If it weren’t for her, Rook would still be alive.
As Alex tormented herself, she subconsciously caused vines and ivy to grow up the buildings around Times Square. Soon the entire square was covered in plants. Eventually Conner, his friends, and the Fairy Council stumbled into the square. Thanks to all the vegetation, they knew they were in the right place.
“I see her!” Conner announced. “She’s up there under the New Year’s Eve ball!”
The lion statues leaped off the roof and landed on the ground. The impact was so strong, Times Square rattled and the lions left paw prints in the pavement. Just as they had done at the library, the lions guarded the building and wouldn’t let anyone get close.
“Alex, I know you’re experiencing unimaginable pain right now, but it’s very important you listen to us,” Emerelda called up to the roof. “The curse you’re under stems from a very powerful and very evil magic mirror. It’s making you think things that aren’t true, feel emotions that aren’t real, and it’s disturbing your point of view. As difficult as it is, you can’t trust anything your body or mind is telling you. The magic only has one purpose: to destroy everything its host holds dear. If you let it deceive you, all will be lost.”
“But it’s all my fault!” Alex cried. “If I’d found my uncle Lloyd sooner, none of this would have happened! If I had stopped the witches in the fairy-tale world, they never would have come to the Otherworld! And if I had just forgiven Rook, he wouldn’t have felt the need to prove himself and save me!”
“Alex, none of that is true, because I’m the one to blame,” Emerelda confessed. “You knew the Masked Man was dangerous and you did everything you could to stop him. I’m the one who didn’t believe you. I’m the one who demanded you call off the search. I’m the one who thought you were being irrational instead of recognizing the signs of a curse. And because of my mistakes, I wasn’t there to help the kingdoms when the Literary Army attacked, I wasn’t there to stop the witches from traveling to the Otherworld, and I’m the reason Rook is dead. I take full responsibility for everything that’s happened, and now I need your help to fix it. So please, come down from there and we can fight the curse together!”
Emerelda seemed to ease Alex’s suffering, but only slightly. Alex searched deep inside her soul and found the strength to block out all the terrible thoughts and feelings the curse inspired. She dried her tears and mustered the courage to join her friends and family below.
“Not so fast!”
Morina walked out from around a corner and stood between the lion statues. As soon as the witch’s presence was known, Alex lost all self-control and the curse took over completely, returning her to Morina’s command.
“Why can’t you people just stay where I leave you?” Morina asked.
“Let my sister go, Morina!” Conner demanded.
“Sorry, but no can do,” the witch said. “I’ve got big plans for your sister, but sadly, you’ll just have to take my word for it—none of you will be alive by the time we’re through.”
“Haven’t you caused enough damage?” Emerelda asked.
“Actually, I’ve just begun,” the witch said. “Alex, hold down your friends so we can finish what we started.”
Alex nodded and waved her hand over Times Square. Vines shot out of the ground near the Fairy Council’s feet and pinned them to the pavement. Long electric cables shot out of the giant video screens and wrapped around Conner, Bree, Red, and Froggy, then held them against billboards and banners above the streets. The lion statues leaped into the air and tackled Mother Goose and Merlin to the ground.
“Good girl,” Morina said. “Now I want you to destroy everything and everyone in this miserable world, starting with New York City.”
Alex nodded again and levitated into the sky high above Times Square. She summoned more vines to grow across the island, working their way through one neighborhood at a time. The plants wrapped around buildings, trees, cars, streetlamps, and mailboxes, crushing everything in their path like a tsunami of hungry anacondas.
“Since your plan didn’t work, you’re gonna take it out on the whole world—is that right?” Conner asked.
“In a nutshell, yes,” Morina said with a sinister smile. However, the witch’s smile vanished when she discovered Froggy pinned to a billboard above her. “Charlie!” she shouted. “How did you escape the magic mirror?”
“I performed a good deed,” Froggy said. “That’s a selfless act one commits for the benefit of someone else, in case you’re wondering.”
“Impossible!” she declared. “No one can leave a magic mirror once they’re trapped inside it! That was the whole point of imprisoning you in one!”
“That’s odd, because I can name three people who’ve been freed,” Froggy said. “Perhaps if you were better informed, you might actually accomplish one of the atrocious plans you set forward.”
Morina glared at the frog man. “There’ll be no returning from where I send you next,” she said. “That I promise you.”
The witch raised an open hand toward Froggy and then clenched it into a tight fist. The gesture caused the cables around Froggy’s body to squeeze and choke him. The sight of Morina torturing Froggy made Red’s blood boil. When the witch wasn’t looking, the young queen managed to free her left hand. She reached into her purse and retrieved the Swiss Army knife she’d bought at the airport. She quickly cut herself free and landed on the ground.
“Leave the frog alone, you goat!” she yelled.
The witch turned around and was very amused to find Red challenging her.
“Well, if this isn’t the most pathetic thing I’ve ever seen,” Morina said. “Do you actually think you can stop me?”
“Underestimate me all you want,” Red said. “It’s much easier than facing the truth, isn’t it, Morina?”
“And what truth is that?” the witch asked.
“How sensationally jealous you are of me!” Red declared.
Morina howled with laughter. Conner and the others eyed one another nervously—they had no idea where Red was going with this.