The War on Witches by Paul Ruditis Read Free Book Online Page A

occasion. It works better when there’s supernatural danger around, which is why this guy was so confusing. I didn’t get any kind of magical vibe from him, but he clearly used magic.”
    â€œSo it’s not just a warning power?” Piper clarified. “You’re sensitive to magic all around?”
    â€œUsually,” Nat said. “But I’m not feeling anything now. I thought it was because you weren’t a threat, but usually I can feel something. Would you say you’re powerful witches?”
    â€œSome people might,” Paige replied.
    Phoebe didn’t like where this was going. If Nat couldn’t feel the magic of the three most powerful witches the world had ever known, there wasn’t much chance she was going to feel anything else. “What about spells?” Phoebe asked. “Do you know any basic magic?”
    â€œJust a little party trick,” Nat replied, the concern reappearing on her face. “Nothing special.”
    â€œTry it,” Piper said.
    â€œNone of you have a quarter, do you?” she asked. “Any coin will do, but it works best with a quarter.”
    Paige reached into her pocket, pulled out a quarter, and handed it over. “I swear, if you pull this out of my ear or any other part of my body . . .”
    â€œNot that kind of party trick.” Nat seemed even more nervous as she stood the quarter on its edge on the counter. She held the coin down with a finger and gave it a flick. The quarter spun as she pulled her finger away. She leaned down so that she was at eye level with the spinning coin and whispered a spell. “Copper and nickel together make silver. But as it spins it changes color.”
    â€œGood to know there’s someone less skilled at spell writing than we are,” Paige mumbled softly. Phoebe elbowed her sister, gently, though she didn’t disagree.
    Four sets of eyes watched as the spinning coin danced across the counter, spinning slower and slower until it fell flat on its side. It was the exact same color it had been when Paige handed it over.
    â€œThat’s . . . not right,” Nat said. “It was supposed to keep spinning, changing colors the whole time. It makes a kind of colorful light show.”
    â€œThis is what I was afraid of,” Piper said. “Our other sister mentioned some sort of imbalance in the magic. I think he used a power-stripping potion on you.”
    â€œI don’t know of any power-stripping herb mixtures,” Paige said. “Certainly nothing that can be applied topically. The potions I know about need to be drank . . . drunk. Which is it?”
    â€œAnd to think, she works in education.” Phoebe tried to lighten the mood. It didn’t help.
    â€œHe took my powers?” Nat asked, panic rising. “You mean I’m not a witch anymore? I can’t do magic? At all?”
    â€œTechnically, you can still tap into the natural magic all around us,” Phoebe said. “Anyone can if they use the right combination of ingredients. But, no, you don’t have inherent magic at the moment. I’m sorry.”
    â€œAt the moment?” Nat asked. “So this can be reversed. I can get my magic back?”
    The sisters looked at each other. The truth was they didn’t know. It was possible her powers were bound, not stripped. It could be a temporary spell or something that lasted her lifetime and beyond. They didn’t have enough information to answer.
    Phoebe was the first to find her voice. “It’s hard to say. We need to know more about what he used on you. If only—” Phoebe stopped when she saw Paige suddenly drop to the ground.
    â€œWhat are you doing?” Piper asked.
    â€œPlaying witch-scene investigator,” Paige replied. “Maybe there’s some remnants of the herbs on the floor.”
    â€œI wouldn’t do that,” Nat said. “The owner’s not big on carpet cleaning. Or