Page 43 of The Lies We Conjure
We work in silence until I flip to the firm center of the coffee-table-sized tome I’d been thumbing—Natural and Physical: Magic in This Day and Age(circa 1918), and a two-page spread reveals itself in full-color ink. Atop, in gorgeous calligraphy, it reads, “The Four Lines.”
“Kaysa.” I stab the page with an exclamation point.
A drawing very much like the famous Da Vinci depiction of theVitruvian Mansplits the double page in perfectly drawn anatomy. In the pockets of open paper on the diagonal and wedged next to both his outstretched hands and feet are little paragraphs, each labeled with the Four Lines of magic.
I shove the book under Wren’s nose, and breathless, we read the introduction.
The Four Lines
The Four Lines of magic describe the four manners of magical expression and amplification as recorded in witch clans settling North America in the 1600s. The Four Lines do not hold aegis over all magical forms and systems worldwide, in North America, or within the present-day United States. Information on types of magic outside the Four Lines can be found elsewhere. For the purposes of this text, information will solely focus on the Four Lines.
As much, the witches of the Four Lines recognize that though they all are innately magical beings, their abilities are conveyed in the way in which they are amplified. The Four Lines of witchcraft are Elemental, Celestial, Blood, and Death. The witches use available materials to enhance their magical abilities. Since the Witch Hysteria of the 1600s, the witches of the Four Lines have protected their magical amplification abilities by tying their amplification needs to a “master relic” that is protected by the designated High Sorcerer.
The purpose of this tether is to ensure each witch has continued and constant access to their amplification no matter their physical location nor external threats from non-witches. Without the tether, magic amplification is not uniform, and therefore unstable. Previous to the introduction of the master relics, some stability was provided by the ley lines, but that stability is not static and is based on location. The High Sorcerer’s hold of the master relics and the High Families’ maintenance of the Four Lines has provided the stability necessary to keep the sister lines safe from disruption and ensure that the continued practice of each manner of magical expression is consistent and active into the twentieth century.
“Okay, so while I’m not clear on why Ursula is making everyone work so hard, I get why the master relics are important now, I guess,” Wren says.
“Yeah… wait, look at that.”
I tap at the page, a few paragraphs down.
The first High Sorcerer to hold the master relics was Napoleon Demont Cerise in 1690, but since 1692 and the ascension of Mercy Hegemony to High Sorcerer, the title has belonged to the Hegemony family of Elemental witches.
“So, hold on.” I’m trying to parse through this, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Even though everyone seemed eager to worktogether to find the master relics in the study… wouldn’t someone like Hector or even Luna be interested in challenging Evander for that title if it’s technically up for grabs once they’re actually found?”
“Totally. This is ripe for backstabbing.”
“And if Marsyasdidkill Ursula,” I continue, “wouldn’t she want in on the title too? They told us they executed her son, which is motive enough, but why just bury the person when you could also steal the legacy?”
Wren’s mouth pops into a littleO. “Yeah, shit. What can we do about that? I mean, is she planning to useussomehow?”
“She already has. But it’s true, there could be more. Not much we can do about though.” I sigh. “Okay, let’s keep reading. Maybe there’s something else in here.”
I read the descriptions, starting in the upper right by the figure’s hand, and moving clockwise from there taking pictures on my phone as I go.
Elemental Magic (Green Magic)
Elemental magic bends the five elements—earth, wind, fire, water, life—to the will of the witch able to harness them. Elemental magic does not rely on overt, spoken spells, but rather the witch’s personal talents to manipulate the elements.
Because, save for the element of life, the elements are limitless and always available for use, Elemental witches have often been considered the most powerful and robust of all the surviving lines of witches. Elementals have long been able to avoid detection and, thus, persecution for their magic, simply because the temperamental aspects of the natural world allow for blurring the line between magic and normal fluctuations in the elemental forces.
Traditionally, the Hegemony Clan—and families like them—oaths its heir with a key worn around the neck. Other family members within the same generation may also receive keys to designate their own roles within the family beyond the oathed heir.
“It says ‘families like them,’” Wren points out. “Guess that answers the inbreeding question.”
I nod. “What about the colors? Green for Elemental, and the others have them too.”
“Shorthand?” Wren guesses, voice going high with a question mark.
I bite my lip. “Maybe.”
Celestial Magic (White Magic)
Celestial witches like the Starwoods are bound to the night sky. Moon cycles, star cycles, the sun’s rise and fall enhance their magic. These Celestial witches have power that ebbs and flows. Certain spells can gather power and bank it for use in rare cases when a large amount of magic is needed at one time.
Some Celestials, and most certainly the Starwoods, find tangential power in the sun and its solar cycles, though this magic is rare and most common in locations with the highest sun radius. The same can be said for tide cycles because of their relationship to the moon. For that reason, Celestial witches often live at or near the equator on the coasts.
Traditionally, the Starwood Clan oaths its heir with a pentagram pendant fashioned from moonstone.
