there was utter silence. A chilling fear descended from the cold sky. The officer controlling the gate stood dumbfounded, but the mob’s reaction was like lightning. The people charged at him, their faces distorted by anger. Fear gripped Nathaniel. His heart froze. He backed up against the rear of the booth. The crowd surged in towards him. The officer vanished, swallowed up in the flood of people. They closed in, forming a tight semicircle around the booth.

The crowd leapt at him, but even as the people were mid-stride the gate swung shut in front of him, cutting them off completely. The people fell against it in a tangled mess and Nathaniel spun around to see the witches holding the gate open.

“Move!” the red-haired witch barked at him.

He leapt through, and the witches let go...

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