A hundred pairs of flaming eyes opened in the ether all around her—devouring her with their hate and judgment. Fingers made of shadow and dark flame pawed and clutched at her ethereal body. And then they started to drag her down . . . down . . . down into the deep dark.

Come back to the light, Sarah Beth, a voice said in her head.

Mom? Mom, is that you?

A trembling but warm hand gripped her own, as her mother took her place at Sarah Beth’s side. With sudden and great certitude, Sarah Beth severed the connection and snapped back into her body.

“I saw what happened to him. Maybe it’s not too late. Maybe we can show him the light?” Sarah Beth said, turning to her mom.

“No, sweetheart. Victor is too far gone. He’s chosen the darkness and he’s never coming back from it,” her mother said.

“You’re right,” she said and knew her mother’s words rang true, “but I can’t fight him alone. He’s too powerful.”

“But you’re not alone. We’ll stand against him together.”

“The power of two,” Sarah Beth said, a spark of hope glowing in her chest.

The power of three, Corbin said in Sarah Beth’s head.

“The power of four,” Michaela said, stepping up beside Sarah Beth and taking her other hand.

Uncle Jed screamed in pain as Victor continued to maul him.

A flashbulb memory of the clockface at her bedside table appeared in her mind. When the thunderclap had woken her, the time had read 9:29.

The spark of hope in Sarah Beth’s chest caught fire and she knew what she had to do. She finally understood. To battle a legion, it takes a legion. More than a legion, it takes a community. More than a community, it takes God.

“It’s Mark 9:29,” she shouted with certitude.

“What?” her mother asked.

“Mark 9:29 . . . Jesus is talking about a special type of demon. He says, ‘This kind can come out only by prayer.’ To defeat Victor, it’s going to take everyone,” Sarah Beth said. “All the Watchers, together, in prayer. We have to pray to cast out the demons.”

Her mom nodded and Sarah Beth closed her eyes, and she was standing in the ether with Corbin, Michaela, and her mom.

What do we do? Michaela said.

We follow all the threads, until we’re touching every Watcher, and we bring them together, Sarah Beth said.

And then what?

And then we pray for God to cast out Victor’s demons.

Corbin, despite the pain, smiled.