Florence Gale

*"No! We’re not losing any more people, okay?"*
― Florence refusing to leave Ash behind[src]Florence Gale is one of the main POV characters of A Sacrifice for Salem. She is a Time Mage, though she is commonly mistaken as a Momentum. Florence is the only member of the Salem Four to have died on the trip to Salem.

## Pre-ASFS

Florence was brought to the Academy at around eleven years old and quickly became friends with Callum Denham. Not much is known about this time.

## ASFS

Florence is first shown helping Callum after he was beaten up by Damian, Justin, and Cara. Her first POV scene is in chapter five, in which it is revealed that she has a crush on Callum. She and Callum also tell Mary that there is no way for her to be able to get out of the Academy on her own.

Florence later accompanies Callum, Reg, Ash, and Ashley West to London in order to rescue Mary. When Callum breaks his leg in the car crash on the way back, Florence is visibly distraught and is seen crying.

Florence is one of the four who leave to go to Salem, but is the only one of the Salem Four not to return, having being shot by Marcus.

## Abilities

### Time Mage

Florence can stop time completely and move around it at her will. Anything she touches while frozen can join her, so long as they stay connected. The moment she lets go, whatever she held onto freezes in time once more.

This, like all magic use, also has a detrimental effect on her health. It is mentioned that Florence once fainted after trying to see how long she could last while freezing time

## Relationships

### Callum

Florence and Callum are best friends. The two have a close relationship at the beginning of the novel that only grows as they talk to each other over the phone throughout the Salem Four's trip. Despite Callum not reciprocating his feelings for Florence, the two remain friends until the latter's death, in which Callum shows high levels of distress.

### Ash

Ash and Florence develop a strong friendship during their trip to Salem. When Ash's arm becomes infected and Mary goes on to find help, Florence and Ash become more friendly and by the end of the novel, they are shown to care for each other. When Florence is killed, Ash breaks down crying alongside Callum.

### Mary

Initially, Florence and Mary do not interact much and it is actually implied that Florence distrusts her. However, they later begin to bond as they make their way to Salem. Florence teaches Mary how to use her phone and the two of them share a selfie. Mary is deeply saddened by her death.

### Reg

Though they do not interact much early on, Reg appears to approve of Florence and her friendship with Callum. He is one of the only people to have figured out that she is not a momentum, but a time mage. Their friendship only grows when he returns to the group after the attack on the Rainbow Bridge. Reg is extremely saddened at her death.

## Trivia

* Florence's last name, Gale, is a reference to Florence Nightingale.
* Florence is killed in order to bring back the Witches of Old Salem, making her the eponymous "sacrifice for Salem"
	+ Florence's death is foreshadowed in chapter 17 as she dreams of "lay[ing] on a field of grass, staring into the beautiful blue sky" and expressing her desire to "see Callum again". Both phrases are some of the last things she thinks of before dying.
	+ Florence's body disappears after the Battle for Salem
		- Where her body goes is going to be answered in future novels.