Page 142 of The Lies We Conjure
Auden accepts a verbal baton. “We have a proposition for the pair of you, one we have all agreed to and we hope you’ll consider.”
“Okay…” Wren ventures, as my eyes seem to go everywhere, scanning the table, the faces, the space, for some hint as to what’s coming. Instead, it’s a blur of images too cursory to be of any use, as Winter produces a scroll from a hidden pocket in her peasant-cut dress.
“Over the past six weeks, we have worked together to create a new and rebuilt structure for safeguarding the magic of the Four Lines within North America. This document is your copy to read as you like.”
Winter holds it out and I accept the scroll, unfurling it as she continues.
“In my capacity as Liaison of the Lines, I can tell you that the high points are this. We have come to the conclusion that while we can’t carry on as the generations before us, we cannot in good conscience fully separate the lines. If there’s anything we learned while uncovering the masters it is that we are and always will be connected, no matter our individual lines. The lines are not silos of magic; they are branches on the same tree.” Here, her gaze slides over to Infinity, who squeezes Winter’s arm. “Thus, we honor our parents’ sacrifices and their vision for something new and fair regarding the balance and control of magic. We trust ourselves to know the limitations of our power and control in regard to returning the magical relics to each family member without binding them to a single point of control, but ultimately we refuse to reward dangerous agency to those who would and have used their power against us very recently.”
The Blackgates.
Handing them their relic and self-governance would be dangerous not just for the people standing here, but to every witch on the continent. And plenty of non-magical people like us too.
“As such, we have made the collective decision as a High Family majority to create a system of checks and balances not previously in place. The consolidation of the master relics was meant to stabilize and amplify our magic, by funneling the original lines through a central location to keep each line fed and safe from any unsavory designs by witches under our aegis.”
One look at the paper in my hand confirms Winter is reciting it nearly word for word.
“To preserve the stability we need for our witches, yet to provide the flexibility and balance we all would like to see going forward, we needed to come up with a piece of the pie for everyone involved.” Here, she smiles, going off script. “And, actually, that solution ended up being way more elegant than expected.”
Winter fishes a familiar choker out from beneath the high collar of her dress, and there, beside her key, is a ring. I would’ve thought it was Ursula’s, if not for everyone standing around the table, revealing their own rings on chains around each of their necks. The four stones are there—red, black, green, white—but there’s an additional flourish on every ring. An extra beveled line encircles the gems.
“Giving credit where it’s due, Auden, the genius, was able to magically multiply our High Sorcerer’s ring. All of us have identical copies,all equally tethered to the four relics, which each family holds, per the agreement.” Winter drops her necklace and gestures to the other families assembled. “Though the relics aren’t located in the same place geographically, we’ve found the multiple tether points keep the magic stable and safe in the same way a woven fabric is stronger than a single strand alone. In a way, we believe this is how the original masters were created—each of them mixed two lines of magic or more, perhaps proving that we’re stronger together than we are apart.”
Wren wriggles in joy next to me. “Oh man, the band’s staying together? I love this for you!”
Evander’s lips twitch. “You’ll love it more if you keep listening.”
That’s when I realize Auden is holding out a ring on a chain to me. I blink at him, somewhat aware that Evander’s hand is moving in the same revealing motion before Wren.
“We invited you tonight not only because we wanted to see you,” Auden says, “but because we want to include you.”
My sister flattens her free hand over her heart. “No. Way!”
“Yes, truly,” Evander says. “It’s right there in your copy of the agreement.”
Wren wrests the paper out of my hand and furiously scans the bottom at an angle I can’t read. I nudge it back, flattening the page until I can read the words.
Lines. Arrangement. Ring. Masters.
“If you accept the terms of the proposal, the procedure is exactly as it was in Ursula’s study. Your signature will be a thumbprint in your own blood.” Winter produces another parchment, unrolls it, and flashes the bottom. Six thumbprints shine a magic-infused shimmering crimson in the firefly light.
“And then both of us will be tied to the new lines,” I say slowly—not a question but a confirmation.
“Yes. You will be our fifth line.”
It’s right there, in the very last sentence.
“… hereby tying myself to the Five Lines as agreed to in terms one through twenty-one above…”
The Five Lines.
“Wait.” Wren holds up a hand, trying to process. “Will we be witches, like, can you do that?”
“Only biology can do that,” Infinity answers in that soft, erudite voice we’ve come to know. “What you will be is a safeguard. An additional line to keep us in check by providing an outside perspective we don’t have and, frankly, sorely need.”
My stomach flips.
A way to be one of them, even though we will never actually be witches.
