I noticed the red witch beginning to encounter some kind of pushback from within the hex. It was clear that the black witch was resisting her efforts. But even so, the red witch didn’t falter. Instead, she doubled down and poured more energy into the spell she was working on.
It was obvious she was giving it everything she had, pushing harder, and even for a seasoned witch as powerful as she was, it looked like it was taking a toll.
There was nothing I could do but stay where I was and watch it all unfold. At last, the red witch made one final effort, pressing all her strength into that last surge of magic, and I saw her arms drop heavily to her sides as she exhaled in sharp, labored breaths.
The crimson glow that had surrounded Lyra began to recede, dimming slowly, and I cautiously app
