Chapter 25 – The Congress Room Break-In
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
After receiving the Dangerous badge, Amari is shunned by everyone except her closest friends. That night she and Lara use Lara’s father’s transporter to teleport into the restricted Congress Room. There they discover that all cameras were turned off before the freeze, and that every frozen official—including Merlin—stares in the same terrified direction. Amari concludes that the culprit must be someone recognizable and dangerous, most likely Dylan Van Helsing, whose tech magic could disable cameras and who may have stolen Moreau’s time‑freeze power. An alarm forces them to flee back to Lara’s room, where Bertha saves them from discovery. Amari shares her theory with Lara, who admits she hates her brother.
Key Events
- Harlowe announces that Amari is to be avoided; Amari experiences bullying from Tristan and Bear.
- Amari reads a magazine article calling her a villain.
- Elsie warns Amari that Lara might be setting her up, based on the library meeting with her father.
- Amari and Lara agree to break into the Congress Room using invisibility and a teleporter.
- They enter the frozen room, examine the camera‑surveillance file, and realize the cameras were switched off before anyone could see the attacker.
- Inside the room, Amari observes that every frozen official is staring at the same spot in terror; Merlin is clutching his chest.
- Amari pieces together that Dylan’s tech magic and his theft of Moreau’s shadow magic could explain both the camera shutdown and the time‑freeze spell.
- An alarm triggers; they escape back to Lara’s dorm, where Bertha covers for them.
- Lara admits her hatred for Dylan when Amari names him as the prime suspect.
Character Development
Amari Peters shows determination and growing investigative instinct. Despite her Dangerous badge and the social isolation it brings, she risks further punishment to solve the time freeze. She confronts Lara about her loyalty, demonstrating her distrust is balanced by a willingness to trust again. Her deduction that Dylan is the culprit marks a turning point: she is now actively piecing together the bigger conspiracy.
Lara Van Helsing reveals her internal conflict. She is visibly nervous about the break‑in and admits her hands tremble, but she follows through for the sake of her sister Maria. When Amari asks point‑blank if she is a traitor, Lara answers with quiet sincerity: “I’d do anything for Maria.” Her final line about hating Dylan underscores the deep family fracture at the heart of the story.
Bertha’s loyalty to the juniors is highlighted. She lies to a security guard to protect Amari and Lara, confirming she has a “soft spot” for them.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Trust and suspicion run through the entire chapter. The text repeatedly asks whether Lara can be trusted; even after she helps Amari, the shadow of the looking‑glass vision lingers. The broken camera system becomes a metaphor for how easily truth can be obscured—nothing records what happened, so everyone must rely on inference.
Power and control are embodied by Bane’s emergency authority. Amari notes that Bane has no incentive to end the freeze because it keeps him in power. This theme contrasts with Merlin’s frozen terror, showing how even the mightiest can be powerless.
The motif of invisibility reappears: Amari literally makes herself unseen to break rules, echoing how the real danger (Dylan) is acting unseen.
Why This Chapter Matters
This is the chapter where the investigation takes a decisive leap. Amari obtains physical evidence (the camera‑surveillance file) and synthesizes it with her earlier clues to produce a coherent theory: Dylan Van Helsing is responsible for the time freeze. The chapter also solidifies the alliance between Amari and Lara, even as it plants seeds of doubt. It raises the stakes for the next challenge, because if Amari is right, proving Dylan’s guilt becomes the only way to prevent war—and time is running out.
Study Questions & Answers
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Why does Amari believe the cameras were turned off intentionally, and who does she suspect is capable of doing it?
Amari realizes the cameras shut down moments before the freeze and that no one was seen tampering with them. She deduces that only someone with tech magic—such as Dylan—could have disabled every camera, including hidden ones, without being detected. -
What does the frozen expression of Merlin and the other officials tell Amari about the person who caused the time freeze?
Every frozen being is staring in the same direction with terror. Amari interprets this to mean they all recognized the attacker, ruling out unknown League magicians and pointing to a known, dangerous individual—likely Dylan. -
How does Bertha help Amari and Lara avoid being caught, and what does this reveal about her character?
Bertha tells the security guard that the girls are in their room as ordered and refuses to let him enter. This shows she is protective of the juniors and willing to bend rules to keep them safe, even when they are clearly up to something suspicious.