“I, Arina, swear on the primordial Powers. I, a Dark One Beyond Classification, swear on the Darkness—and may the eternal Darkness bear witness to my words. I, a Light One and Healer Beyond Classification, swear on the Light—and may the eternal Light bear witness to my words. I, the thirteenth and final Head of the Supreme Conclave of Witches, do swear on the earth from which I came, the water that is within me, the air that surrounds me, the fire into which I shall depart. I have not exerted any influence on you, your powers, your prophecies, your thoughts, your visions, your desires, your fears, your love, your hate, your joy and your sorrow. All that I have said to you is true or I believe it to be true.”

A white flame started dancing on her left palm, a spot of darkness condensed on her right. Arina brought her palms close together—and a small sphere started spinning furiously between them. It was white and black at the same time, it glowed brightly and consumed light simultaneously. It wasn’t gray, like the Inquisitors had, but dual, simultaneously Light and Dark.

“I believe you and accept your oath,” I said.

The small sphere shrank to a blindingly black point and disappeared.

“So, Head of the Supreme Conclave,” I mused. “And the Watches tried so hard to guess who that was and where she had disappeared to . . .”

Arina shrugged.

“I’m simply choosing the lesser evil,” I added.

“Even when choosing the lesser evil, never forget that you’re still choosing evil,” Arina said seriously.

“But in choosing nothing, we choose both the greater and the lesser evil at once,” I replied.

“Then we understand each other,” she said, nodding—the final Supreme Witch of the Conclave that had been disbanded a hundred years earlier.

“But that still leaves one little problem,” I said. “The Tiger. As I understand it, the prophecies are not active at the moment.”

“They’re sleeping,” said Arina.

“If we learn what they are—the Tiger will come for us.”

“But if we reveal them to humans—the Tiger will leave us in peace.”

“And what if the prophecies are bad? Are you suggesting we should die a heroic death? Or open Pandora’s box, and to hell with human beings?”

“No and no again. Witches have always preferred to choose a third way.”

I looked at her questioningly.

“We have tried to understand the nature of the Tiger,” said Arina. “As you have no doubt already realized, in certain areas the Conclave possessed knowledge that equaled the knowledge of the Watches. We did not succeed, but . . .” She paused. “We did find an Other who knows how to defeat the Tiger. He is still alive. I suggest that we meet him, to obtain this information—and open the prophecies after that.”