As it flew through the air, it unfurled and grew larger and larger until it blotted out the night sky. I need to learn how to do that, she thought, staring at it. She didn’t try dodge. She couldn’t have outrun it in any case.

The black net settled over her head. Corrosive, burning pain flared everywhere as the spell ignited. She screamed, lost focus, and her Power whip fell apart.

<It’s a death curse, Molly.> Sarah’s telepathic voice sounded urgent. <You have to stop it from absorbing completely.>

<How?> The pain turned excruciating as it lit all her nerve endings.

If either Josiah or Sarah tried to answer, she couldn’t hear them. Falling to her knees, she hunched over. There was nothing she could do to stop it. The curse had seemed physical at first, but when it touched her, the dark net had already melted through her clothes.

She didn’t know enough about how to dissipate spells… she had no Epsom salts, no tub of water to soak in, no time…

The only thing she had was her vial of ocean water.

Ocean water, blessed by the light of the full moon, and filled with nature’s salt.

It was growing hard to breathe. The inside of her lungs felt wet. Coughing, she spat out a mouthful of blood.

She dug into her pocket, pulled out the vial, and poured the liquid over her head.

Nothing happened. There wasn’t enough of the liquid to bathe in, and it wasn’t imbued with a cleansing spell. It wasn’t going to work, but she didn’t have anything else to try. Sagging, she planted a palm on the pavement and tried to keep herself upright.

The water from the vial soaked through her hair and touched her scalp, and a cool, white Power washed over the corrosive pain, soothing it. Gasping, she looked up at the sky as the clouds parted to reveal the moon.

The Power grew stronger. Her magic rose to connect with it, and they fit so perfectly together. Of course they fit. Molly had created the blessing when she had gathered the ocean water. She had put herself in the vial, and as Sarah had told her, all the strongest magics were created when you gave of yourself.

Moon’s light, ocean water, and her magic.

The Power of Three.

The pain vanished. Raising her head, she looked at the warlock. He stood, hands on his hips, watching her with a slight smile, unaffected by the pain he had inflicted or the fact that he thought he was watching her die.

Lightning filled her eyes and mind. Pushing to her feet, she spat out another mouthful of blood. “Now I’ve got a grudge.”