The Crooked Man’s lair is huge, containing treasures that inspire the many tales he has told, skulls of children whose lives he has taken, and a crypt full of preserved bodies. The many horrors in his lair are a testament to the Crooked Man’s evil nature, especially towards children. However, despite all of the power the Crooked Man has accumulated, one thing he cannot control is the way outsiders in the land change it. For example, when Jonathan Tulvey entered the woods, his worst nightmares became real in the form of the Loups. David, though, was different from other children who had entered the land. He had faced his fears, destroying the woman in the Fortress of Thorns and the Beast. The Crooked Man has less than one day of life left in his hourglass and needs David to betray Georgie by speaking his name. This will allow the Crooked Man to take Georgie’s lifespan for himself and doom David to a life of fear and regret as the new king.

Meanwhile, David returns to his room in the castle while the soldiers prepare the castle’s defenses against the approaching wolf army.