We sneak into the basement and face the magic mirror. It’s bolted to the far wall. It’s twice my size and has a stone frame around it that’s decorated with little fairies and wings and wands. It’s pretty awesome-looking. I can’t believe the people who used to live here left it. Who would leave something this beautiful behind? People who have bad judgment, that’s who.

I have excellent judgment. My judgment is so good that when I grow up, I’m going to be a judge. Well, first I’m going to be a lawyer, like my parents, and then I’m going to be a judge because that’s the rule. But one day, I’m totally going to rock a judge robe and gavel.

“Let’s do this,” I say to Jonah. “It’s time.”

“Let me,” he says, and knocks once. A hissing sound fills the room.

“Maryrose?” I call out. “It’s Abby and Jonah. Are you there?”

Jonah knocks again, and the glass turns purple. He’s about to knock a third time when he stops with his fist in the air. “Uh, Abby? Maybe we shouldn’t go.”

“Huh? What? Why?”

He twists his lower lip. “We’re kind of in enough trouble. What if we get caught and Mom and Dad take my golden ball away for a week?”

“How would we get caught?” I ask. “We’ll make sure to be home by seven in the morning when they wake us up. Or even by six forty-five when their alarm goes off. We always get home in time. Well, usually.”

Jonah scrunches up his face and takes a giant step backward. Prince does, too. “I don’t know,” he says.

“Well, I do. Mom and Dad were mean tonight. No friends. No fun. No fruitcake. And I didn’t even want fruitcake! It’s the worst dessert ever! But they still wouldn’t let us have it. How is that fair? They were in a bad mood and took it out on us! Come on,” I say. “We’re going.” I reach over and knock on the mirror — knock number three.

The purple swirl in the mirror widens. It feels like a vacuum sucking us in. And I should know. Tonight I am a total vacuum expert, unfortunately.

I jump through.

And something flies into my mouth.

What is that? It tastes disgusting. Bitter. Like spinach?

I spit it out. I’m flat on my belly on the ground. I push up and look around. I’m in some sort of a field that’s surrounded by a blue wooden fence. Beyond the fence are huge trees. A forest. That’s no surprise. We often land in forests. Fairy tales are full of forests. Fairy tales are obsessed with forests.

I stand and look up. The sky is pale blue with fluffy clouds, and the sun is out, but it’s already lowered in the sky. I think it’s late afternoon. It’s a little bit chilly. Good thing Jonah and I are wearing hoodies.

And speaking of Jonah … um, where is he?