December 16, Monday

"OH MY GOD, you have to see this!" Frida's voice exploded through my phone. "Curtis posted a video on Instagram. He's completely bald!"

I nearly dropped my coffee. "What?"

"Like, overnight chrome-dome bald. Not a single hair left on his pointed head." Frida's laughter bubbled through the line. "He's having a total meltdown, accusing you of putting curses on him. The comments are brutal – everyone's making Karma jokes."

I sank into Rose's window seat, my heart racing. "When did this happen?"

"Last night, apparently. He woke up to clumps of hair all over his pillow. Now he's wearing a beanie and posting rants nonstop." She paused. "Jo? You didn't actually have another curse put on him, did you?"

"No," I said honestly. "I decided I was done with all that."

"Well, something made all his hair fall out. His doctors are baffled. And the timing is... suspicious."

The timing. Last night's full moon, when the power had gone out as usual. When magical energy was supposedly strongest.

"Maybe the universe really does balance its own scales," I murmured.

"Maybe. Or maybe someone balanced them for you."

A memory chord pinged. "Frida… I'll call you back."

Yesterday morning, Sawyer had noticed Curtis's bracelet on my vanity. Had commented on it. And I'd once mentioned offhandedly how vain Curtis was about his hair...

I hurried to the vanity, my suspicions growing.

The bracelet was gone.

My mind raced back to the ingredients Tilda had requested for the curse – something Curtis had given me. The vivianite crystal. The full moon.

Had Sawyer taken the bracelet? Used it somehow during the full moon?

I remembered his casual dismissal of magic, his insistence that the power outages were just solar flares. But there had been other things – the way animals reacted to him, how he could repair headstones with a touch, his mysterious connection to the Whisper family...

My phone buzzed with a text from Sawyer. Morning, cutie. Coffee later?

I stared at his message, thinking of all the times he'd listened to me worry about Curtis, about my career. How protective he'd become.

How he'd smiled when I mentioned the full moon yesterday.

Sure. Hey, this is strange… my ex lost his hair overnight.

That is strange.

Did you take my bracelet?

Borrowed. Will return it when I see you.

My mouth curved into a smile. Never mind. I don’t want it.

Good. See you soon.