Interlude

Council of Witches

Megiddo National Park, Jezreel Valley, Megiddo, Israel

T he Witches’ Council was deadlocked. It had been three days of women stuck in the cave shouting at one another over the prophecy. Three days of arguing over whether, with the Council recognizing Evie and Cole as the old gods returned, the prophecy’s demand that the witches leave the forest and end the world was figurative or literal. Three days of rage and grief as the witches tried to work out whether they would annihilate everyone they loved. The traditional covens demanded that they comply strictly with the prophecy. The new generation of witches’ stance was that the prophecy was metaphorical more than anything else, not to mention millennia old and out of touch, while also making the witches judge, jury, and executioner in a way that was not only wholly unjust but violated their creed of nonviolence. The rest of the witches fell somewhere in the middle, more concerned about the apocalyptic end of their loved ones and their families than the hypothetical people out in the real world.

All of them were exhausted. Tempers were frayed. More than once, Hecate had to impose order through magical means. She had even stripped one witch of her powers and memory, sending her into the world and away from her coven, after the woman had the audacity to accuse Hecate of being a fraud who didn’t believe in the prophecy. Unfortunately, there seemed to be no end in sight.

“How are we supposed to put our faith in a prophecy that has been in existence since before anyone in this chamber, save the Mother of Witches, existed?” one of the Central Park Coven witches shouted. Like many of their American sisters, they believed in leniency for the world. "Especially when the records chronicling the prophecy are long destroyed!" A chorus of approving shouts rose around her while the traditionalists jeered and booed. One even threw something, although Hesteia couldn’t tell what it was.

An older traditionalist from Nova Scotia spoke, spitting her words like bullets. “You new witches are cowards! You know nothing about which you speak. Your ignorance will destroy the covens!”

Hesteia rubbed her temples as a new generation witch from gods-only-knew where screamed from her wheelchair, “Whereas you traditionalists are demanding that we actually destroy the covens and the rest of the world because of a prophecy that’s thousands of years old and has more than one interpretation, most of which wouldn’t demand an apocalyptic end! Some of those interpretations could even command that the witches ally with the returned old gods to support what their building.”

The Nova Scotian sneered, but a new speaker jumped in over her derisive scoffs. “What is wrong with you traditionalists? You try to exclude witches from the covens arbitrarily based on magical ability or physical imperfections. Case in point: the little witch from the Barataria Coven years ago. You were prepared to let an infant die because the coven’s seer prophesied that she was the cause of her mother’s death. You are the narrowminded bigots here, not us. Your ignorance is tearing witchkind apart!”

After three days, the cavernous chamber was more or less a war zone with the two sides naturally selecting physical sides of the cavern as well. It was looking like a battlefield more and more each day.

A traditionalist witch across the way began shouting a curse, dark magic swirling around her as she summoned her power. Fortunately, she didn’t get very far because Hecate heard her.

“ Enough! ” Hecate’s raised voice echoed through the chamber. All conversation immediately ground to a halt. Despite the tumult of the last three days, Hecate had not raised her voice, not once spoken above her normal cadence. Now, however, she was standing, fury incarnate, with shadows in her eyes, her hair rippling with the force of her own magic. “ This is reprehensible behavior, and I am ashamed to call some of you my daughters. ” Her gaze locked on the traditionalist attempting to cast the curse. At first, it looked like she was only giving her a hard stare, but seconds later, two balls of light emerged from the witch, one from her chest and one from her head. They came to sit before Hecate, who banished them with a sweep of her hand. “ I will not accept any one of you trying to harm the others. Dire consequences will befall those who attempt to do so. ”

The traditionalist appeared confused. “Excuse me,” she called. “Where am I?”

“You are nowhere, child,” Hecate snapped. “You will be seen out.” Once Hecate’s legion of shadows removed the woman, who no longer bore any magical powers or memory, she turned back to the crowd. “I have been patient with all of you. I understand that this is a significant decision. But let me make myself extremely clear: if you attempt to curse or otherwise harm your sisters, I will remove your powers and memory and send you out into the world with no one to help you, care for you, love you, or support you. You will be completely alone, cast out from your coven.” Her jaw tensed. “Consider this before you next speak.”

She looked to Medea and Circe. “Given what just occurred, I think we have reached the time for the first vote.” The two other judiciary members inclined their heads. “The question before the Council is whether, with the return of the old gods, the witches must ride to bring the apocalypse. As before, your coven will have twenty-four hours to cast your vote. Those who agree we must bring about the apocalypse cast a blue key to rest in the bowl on Circe’s side of the tables. Send a red key to rest in the bowl on Medea’s side of the table if you believe that the prophecy does not require the destruction of this world. Please return to your resting places to reach a decision. If we do not have your vote by the end of this time, your coven’s vote will not be considered. If we receive all votes before the end of the twenty-four hours allotted, we will summon you to the chambers at that time. Come immediately back to the chambers at the end of the voting period if you are not summoned to return before.”

Twenty-four hours later, the covens gathered once more in the chambers. Hecate, Circe, and Medea stood behind the high table; Circe and Medea faced off against their goddess, matching expressions of distaste on their faces. Unlike before, though, they were arguing, their words incomprehensible but their tone unmistakable to those slowly filtering in through the entrance. Medea’s irate stance immediately unsettled the new generation witches and their allies. On a good day, Medea was not the most temperate or sympathetic of the Judiciary. On a bad day, she would smite men, women, and children arbitrarily and at her leisure.

Circe, however, believed in strict adherence to justice and fairness unless it came to matters associated with her love life. She was unpredictably predictable, and, in times where she aligned with Hecate, it was because there was an element of fairness to the decision. She voted with Hecate to initially allow Evie into the coven despite her mother’s corpse but had agreed to the Draconian measures Medea demanded given the Council’s decision to allow Evie in despite Medea’s wishes. Circe herself was resting her hands on her hips, head canted at a disbelieving angle.

Hecate, however, drew all of the witches’ eyes. Her violet eyes were glowing orbs of rage that illuminated the Judiciary members standing opposite her, throwing grotesque silhouettes on the wall behind them, magic and shadows swirling violently around her. Fists clenched, jaw tight, she was the epitome of barely contained fury.

The coven elders sat in uncomfortable, fearful silence while the three Judiciary members argued vehemently at the front. Hesteia and Thea sat among their sisters, hips pressed against each other and fingers intertwined for emotional support. Chloe’s head was buried in her hands, her shoulders shaking. For all intents and purposes, Evie was her daughter; in the last twenty-four hours, Chloe's mental state had deteriorated rapidly, the Council discussion and any resulting decision tearing her apart more so than anyone else in the coven. None of this felt right. Or safe. None of them had prophetic abilities, either and, without Cassandra, they didn't know what to expect. All told, they were a bit blind here, but, even without their seer, not a single one of them felt right sitting in a chamber filled with angry witches, many of whom—more than they had initially expected walking into the chambers—wanted to end the world in flames and magic.

Finally, after almost an hour, Hecate turned to the witches sitting before her. “We appreciate your patience, my daughters.” Although the words were positive, her tone was terse. Furious. “We received all votes for the covens gathered here today, and the vote was tied. A dead heat.” The three Judiciary members took their seat. Having concluded their argument, each of the witches at the high table was now concertedly ignoring the others, even though Medea had to pass Hecate to take her seat. “As you all know, in the event of a tied vote by the coven elders, the Judiciary members must vote on the issue. Only in the event of a unanimous vote by the Judiciary will the motion carry. At this time, we will take a poll of the Judiciary. In favor means that the member wishes to fulfill the prophecy. Opposed means that the member does not agree that the prophecy must be fulfilled. Circe?”

“In favor,” the witch responded with a pointed glare at the goddess.

“Medea?”

“In favor,” the golden-haired witch announced proudly.

“I am opposed,” Hecate concluded. “As you can see, we do not have a unanimous vote. In the event of a tie between the covens and a non-unanimous vote by the Judiciary, all covens that voted in favor of a particular motion must nominate one representative to present their position to the Council. The selected representative will have up to one hour to present their best and last case to the chamber, after which time, the covens will vote once more.” Hecate stood. “At this time, those who voted in favor of fulfilling the prophecy, please gather in the front of the chamber to discuss with Medea and Circe who will present your argument. Those who opposed fulfilling the prophecy, please gather at the back of the chambers where I will join you upon my return.” Shadows surrounded her and, when they cleared, she was gone.

Whispers echoed, shock at Hecate’s sudden disappearance rippling through the room. Those in favor of fulfilling the prophecy went to the front to join Medea and Circe. Those opposed went to the back of the chambers. As she walked to the back, Hesteia glanced over her shoulder at the traditionalists, fear skating along her skin at the zealous fervor she saw in their eyes.