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Lucas curled his hands into fists, but I grabbed his wrist. Finn turned away and started passing out pamphlets to other passersby.
“We’ll fight this,” I promised Lucas. “But let’s figure out what we’re up against first. Listen to this. Miriam’s Chosen are an elite group of witches and warlocks hand-picked by Mother Miriam with one common goal: to restore the coven’s magic. Through total cooperation, we can bring an end to the Waning.”
Talia looked skeptical. “They’re not exactly wrong. We should be cooperating. What’s the catch?”
“Forcing families apart,” I said. “But it doesn’t make any sense. Cast magic is chosen, not inherited. Mother Miriam doesn’t decide who goes to Alora or the Abyss—you choose that for yourself. She told me. Not even Mother Miriam gatekeeps your worthiness.”
Grant’s eyes widened as he scanned the page. “They’re calling to ban intercast magic and intercast relationships. You’re not even allowed to live with anyone outside of your Cast if you join!”
“It’s a ploy to weaken our people so they’ll do anything the priestesses say,” I insisted as heat flared through my veins.
“Talk about false prophets,” Lucas said bitterly.
I only got angrier the more I read. To become a member of Miriam’s Chosen, you had to undergo a ceremony to confess your sins and pledge yourself to Mother Miriam. “They want you to get a tattoo of a five-pointed star on your wrist, symbolizing the five Casts. It seems a little hypocritical, considering they want the Casts separated. Through this ceremony, you will be purified.”
Horror crossed Lucas’s features. “Look what it says here if you don’t join. Those who deny Mother Miriam will remain subject to the Waning. A ten-percent income tax will be imposed for non-magical members of the community.”
I gaped. “They’re branding this as a cure. They’re saying that if you don’t join, your magic will disappear.”
“You can stay in Octavia Falls, but you’ll be ostracized for it,” Lucas sneered. “No wonder people are so eager to join. Keep your magic, save some money. Pretty attractive deal, huh?”
A voice from behind me caught my attention. “The first ceremony is tonight. We have to go.”
I turned to see Gregory. He walked behind us, his head ducked as he read over another pamphlet. It was a different color than the one I held.
“Of course we do,” Brayden agreed.
“What’s happening tonight?” Lucas demanded.
Gregory came to a stop and pushed his glasses up his nose. “There’s a Chosen ceremony tonight in the ballroom at school. Anyone can come. I figure we might as well be the first to join.”
My eyebrows shot up. “You can’t seriously be considering this.”
Gregory narrowed his eyes. “And why not?”
“Intercast relationships are banned within Miriam’s Chosen,” I pointed out.
Brayden blushed a bright pink, and Gregory shot a look around. “Who are you to lecture me on intercast relationships?”
“I’m someone who’s in one,” I reminded him. “And I’m a priestess. This revelation isn’t real.”
Gregory turned up his nose at me. “Perhaps if the other priestesses are keeping you in the dark, there’s a reason. I’m not sure I trust you.”
“Nothing’s really going to change if we join Miriam’s Chosen,” Brayden added. “It’s just a precaution. We’ll bring an end to the Waning.”
“That’s a lie,” I insisted.
“Things are different now that the priestesses received the vision,” Gregory said. “I, for one, choose to be on the right side of history. The only way to keep our relationship a secret is to blend in. Come on, Brayden. These apostates don’t know what they’re talking about.”
Gregory and Brayden walked off, and my jaw dropped. “Apostates?”
“This is bad.” Grant’s voice shook. “This morning, I overheard Professor Clarke threatening to drop Alchemists from his classes. He must’ve already seen the pamphlets if he thought he could get away with that.”
“He’s my Criminal Justice professor!” I cried. “He should know how wrong this is.”
“Why would he think that as long as Mother Miriam sanctioned it?” Grant said sarcastically. “Sheriff Baker agreed with him, too. He was headed to try to convince Verla, last I saw him.”
“Verla won’t let that happen,” Talia insisted.
