Chapter 137

1979, September 11th, Tuesday Afternoon.

“It wasn’t my decision, Vish. I’m sorry…”

“How could he do this to me? After all we’ve done together…”

“Newt has his reasons, and…and he’s right, Vish, you don’t need magic to be good, look at all of the good you did without it! You made that cure with him, melted old Alastor’s heart, proved Baba and Ama wrong…”

“But we can use them for cures?”

“That’s extraction, Vish. You know it’s different.”

“So he doesn’t think I deserve it…”

“No, he thinks you don’t need it, and I agree,” Amaya smiled softly and cupped Visha’s face, “you’re a genius, if you had magic, well, I’d be worried for us all.”

Visha flinched, and Amaya sensed she’d said something wrong. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh come on, Vish, nothing. Nothing, I was joking,” Amaya sighed. “We only started the project up again to save Atlas.”

“And to give me magic, like you promised.”

“Vish…I know I promised. But things change…”

“You promised when we were young, and you promised again when you asked for my help in curing your daughter. I agreed. I hoped. You tricked me!”

“I…I didn’t mean to. But Newt’s right, Vish…Atlas’s circumstances are different; she’d die without this…you just — you just want it.”

“No. No, I need it too — you don’t know what it’s like, baba always loved you no matter what! And so did ama, even when you changed your name and renounced the family business. They kept you as the heir, their sole heir; they loved you because at least you weren’t me!”

“Vish…”

“You lied to me…”

“I’m sorry…I’m really sorry, Vish.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because I thought I could do it. Because I wanted to do it. Because you’re my sister, and I love you.”

“I loved you too…and now I know Narcissa was right.”

“Visha. Don’t.”

“Everyone who loves you regrets it in the end.”