Pages 125 through 153 Summary

Morwenna goes out into the night to conduct a magical rite in order to protect herself from her mother. She has little idea what she is doing, and she feels foolish. The rite involves natural things like an apple. She also used a bit of blood from her finger, which she feels is dangerous but also potentially powerful. Morwenna doesn't describe the exact steps she takes in the ritual, partially due to superstition (the magic might lose its power if written down), and also because it's very hard to describe.

Morwenna feels her magic worked the next day when the librarian suggests Morwenna join the library's science fiction book club, which meets every Tuesday. She calls the happy happenstance the start of a "karass," or a protective circle of friends created by good magic.

Morwenna tells Gill in an awkward conversation...