The Moonskull Verses Canto 18
Bewildered and frightened,
Beetle and River
beseeched their friend,
“By what means have you done this?
Be truthful! Do you practice sorcery?”
Burdened by shame of killing,
yet thrilled by her first
success in arcane arts,
Shrub said, “A very long time of
studying Stonedrop’s book
and practice aplenty.
This was sorcery but
we sorcerers name it
The Strength.”