Page 54 of Rewitched

He breathed a laugh, as though she were painfully naive. “It’s not the great sacrifice you’re making it out to be. You’re only used to the primitive pattern of time that non-wicchefolk operate in.”

“Did you really just call me primitive?” she asked, getting a laugh in return.

“I just mean that you forget that things are different in the magic realm. I spend my life surrounded by wicchefolk, many people around me have also taken the pledge at one time or another. It’s what we do.” He shrugged. “You’re the strange one, in their eyes, for not seizing the chance to unfurl your years properly.”

“I can’t say I know my whole family tree, there’s probably someone back there who took the pledge. But my mum hasn’t, neither did my grandmother. They both fell in love with non-wicche folk, had children, loved non-wicche friends dearly.”

He glanced sideways at her. “And that’s the case for you?”

“Minus the true love and the kids. So far. Still, call me crazy, but when there’s other lives and loves to match yours up against, you don’t want to imagine your own unfurling for longer than theirs would last.”

Rune shifted. “Like I said, I knew from the moment my powers came in. It’s what I’m supposed to do.”

“Have you ever thought about relinquishing?” she asked, knowing it was possible but not common for witches to go back on their decision.

Rune was quiet for a moment. “Once.”

She was surprised. “For someone else?”

He nodded, clearly not willing to expand on the point.

“What changed your mind?”

Another silence. “I just reminded myself what needs to matter most.”

Belle was struck by his quiet reply. “And what’s that?”

“The coven. Making sure magic is going where it needs to and not being mistreated. Keeping hold of the balance of magic and non-wicche worlds for the good of everyone in both. That’s something bigger than me, or any of the people I might be fond of.”

Belle pulled a face. “Whatever that means.”

“It means that magic in the wrong hands would spell disaster for every single aspect of this earthly plane, Belle. If it wasn’t for those who dedicate themselves to witchery, who knows what the world would look like.”

“All right.” She rolled her eyes. “I just think if everyone collectively agreed to relinquish the cauldron pledge, then—”

He shook his head. “You’re dreaming.”

She faltered. “Don’t talk to me like that.”

“Sorry,” Rune said, sounding like he genuinely meant it. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”

Belle’s mind returned to the pews in the courtroom, witches and warlocks seated side by side. How many of them were several centuries old?

“Morena and Bronwyn are with you, I assume?” she asked. “There’s no way Morena looks that good without a little help.”

Rune nodded, pushing back the hair that fell into his eyes. “Plus a handful of coven elders. I’m the youngest by a fair shot to have made the pledge. They tried to encourage your mum to take it a few years back, and Caspar, too. They would be good assets to the future of Selcouth.”

“Good assets.” Belle mocked his formality. “Maybe the good assets are the ones who aren’t willing to take on supernatural lifespans to keep hold of their powers. Maybe relinquishing them, letting old age and death come naturally, letting powers pass down a family tree sooner, would actually be the more beneficial option for the coven. Maybe things wouldn’t be quite so archaic and outdated that way.”

“You sure have a lot to say for someone who doesn’t really know what they’re talking about.” He stared straight ahead, his jaw clenched.

Belle bristled. “I know that it’s a weird power trip to choose to live for hundreds of years and keep your mitts on your magic rather than, heaven forbid, let it go back into the ether for the next warlock. There’s no need to be quite so frightened of what comes next,” she said with mock gentleness and a hand on his arm.

“Says the witch who’s been too frightened to change anything about her own future,” he said with the same mocking, overly bright tone.

Belle stopped in her tracks. He turned to face her.

“Don’t give me that look. You said it yourself at your trial.”