Celia scowled as she flung the note onto a nearby coffee table, frustration etched on her face.

"Oh, come on, Celia," Isabelle chimed in, standing up from her tinkering with the short-circuited television. "How hard can it be to decipher?" She grabbed the paper with a raised brow, her curiosity piqued.

"Herkie," Isabelle called, extending her hand expectantly toward the boy lounging with a massive notebook.

With a groan, Herkie retrieved the book and placed it in Isabelle's hands. She flipped through its pages with practiced ease, much like Mal with her old spellbook. Finally, she nodded in triumph.

"Aha! Got it!"

"Well, what does it say? Don't leave me hanging!" Herkie's leg bounced impatiently, his energy radiating.

Isabelle took a deep breath and began to read aloud:

"Hey, Celia. I've got Squeaky and Squirmy. I mean, it was easy—they're not exactly fighters. Don't worry, I won't kill them or anything. I just want a fair duel with no voodoo, magic, or cheats. Accept my challenge, and I'll release them unharmed. But if you refuse? Well, let's not find out. Just hand over the crystal ball. —Red."

Isabelle glanced up, her face softening. "At least the twins are okay."

"That sounds like a threat, Facilier," Herkie muttered, his tone unusually grim.

Celia sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I don't know what she wants the crystal ball for, but she's not getting it—not while she's acting like a brat."

"Since no one's in real danger, I'm finishing the TV," Isabelle said dismissively, tossing the note over her shoulder as she returned to her tools.

Celia turned to Herkie. "Wanna hit the food court? I need to find Melody and Zevon afterward."

Herkie stretched and stood, his energy immediately shifting back to its usual enthusiasm. "Lead the way, Facilier! I need fuel."

The duo headed toward the cafeteria, the enticing aroma of fresh-baked bread wafting through the air. Celia scanned the room before spotting Melody and Zevon at a table in the far corner, their expressions tense.

"There they are," Herkie said, pointing.

The pair made their way over. "Guess who?" Herkie teased, placing his hands over Melody's eyes.

"Hmm, strong hands. Hard too. I wonder which meathead this could be," Melody joked with a sly grin.

Herkie turned bright red, pulling his hands back and covering his own face. "Aww, stop," he mumbled, flustered.

Celia rolled her eyes but smirked as she slid into the seat across from Melody. "Alright, Herkie, time to focus. Why do you need the crystal ball?"

Herkie fished something out of his pocket—a rough copy of the ball. "I made this. But what's the deal, Celia?"

Celia sighed heavily. "Red's throwing a tantrum about the crystal ball again."

Herkie laughed. "That's hilarious."

Celia stood, ready to leave, but Herkie's voice stopped her. "Wait—are you planning to fight her alone?"

"Why not?" Celia shot back. "I beat her last time."

Herkie chuckled. "Facilier, you're lucky she didn't pull a full 'off with her head!' move."

Melody stepped closer. "Celia, this is different. Chloe might—"

Before she could finish, Chloe appeared, followed by the eccentric Madeline Hatter.

"What are we waiting for?" Chloe asked, her tone eager and confident.

Together, Celia, Herkie, Melody, Zevon, Madeline, and Chloe set off outside Auradon. The question lingered heavily: why was Red, the Queen of Hearts' daughter, now acting like her mother? For now, though, all they knew was that they needed to rescue Squeaky and Squirmy—and figure out Red's true intentions.