Witch's Pyre (Worldwalker #3)(113)

She stormed right up to Rowan and he braced himself, like he thought Lily was going to hit him. Instead she threw herself into his arms and kissed him. After one stunned moment he dropped the weapon in his hand and lifted her up against his chest, holding her off the ground as he kissed her back.

“When this is over, you and I are going to sit down and tell each other every secret we’re keeping from the other,” Rowan said when he finally set her back down.

“Okay.” She smiled up at him. “You go first,” she said, winning a laugh from him.

“Ah, guys?” Una interrupted. “So glad you two worked it out, but we need a little more direction here. What’s the plan?”

One quick squeeze that promised a proper reconciliation later, and Rowan released Lily.

“Tristan,” he said, every inch the general again. “I want volunteers who can handle heights and who are good shots with a crossbow to ride the raptors.” He turned around and glared at the rabbit-like stares he was receiving from the ranks. “Step up! If you don’t volunteer I’ll hand you over to Una and she’ll put you on the back of a lion.” He grinned. “If the Pride doesn’t decide to eat you first.”

“You heard the man,” Una repeated crisply as she clapped her hands, snapping the gawkers to attention. “Raptor riders with Tristan, Pride riders with me.”

“Caleb. I need you to coordinate between Alaric and the Pack,” Rowan said. “I’ll introduce you to Alpha, the Pack’s leader. Are you going to be okay fighting with the wolves?” Caleb nodded once. He didn’t like his assignment, but he knew what was at stake. “They speak our language, you know. That’s why I’m putting the Outlanders and the wolves together. I think we have more in common than you realize,” Rowan told him. Caleb looked stunned by this for a moment and then he seemed to rethink it. Rowan turned to Breakfast. “And you—”

“Guard Lily while she’s on the pyre,” Breakfast finished for him. “This ain’t my first rodeo.”

“Exactly,” Rowan said, and turned back to Lily, his demeanor softening. “Reach out to Lillian. Stay linked with her. The two of you are going to have to work as one for our armies to synchronize.”

Lily called out to Lillian.

I’m here, Lily said. My army is in the redwood grove.

I’m climbing my pyre now. Keep your army hidden until I tell you to join us and then stay open to my call. You’re going to have to jump your army out of the blast zone as soon as I tell you to.

Listen to me. You can’t use the bomb, Lillian, and if you’re counting on using it to save you in the battle you’re going to die. Carrick—

Lily felt heat and pain as the fire rose around Lillian and their connection was severed as all of Lillian’s concentration went into changing heat into force. Lily called her over and over, but Lillian didn’t answer. She looked up at the swaying treetops, unsure if Lillian had understood her. Lillian’s witch wind began to howl through the grove, whispering and moaning around the branches like ghosts summoned to the battlefield.

Lily looked around her, taking this one moment to be right where she was, right at that moment. Rowan was marshaling her army into shape. Men, woman, and Woven were running this way and that. Axes were being put to the trunks of the redwoods and every thump of the metal biting into the venerable wood was like a sin inside her heart. But this was war, and Lily knew that the trees were just the first of many to die this day.

Toshi, Lily called. Where are you?

She caught a glimpse of the streets blurring past as Toshi ran through Bower City.

I’m a bit busy at the moment, he replied. She could hear him counting in his head. He got to ten. I’m not dead. He seemed surprised by this.

Lily could feel sweat streaking down his back and the bubbling hysteria of a squashed laugh in his chest. He looked to his left and his right and she saw rough-looking men carrying rope on either side of him. Lily recognized them as hers by their willstones, and called each of them by name. Avery. Michelson.

We’re trying to get crossbows from the Hive’s lookout platforms so we can use the pesticide we developed, Toshi continued.

Does it work?

Don’t know yet. But the antidote does.

They’re still building my pyre, but I’ll give you what power I can, she replied. Where is the antidote?

Ivan has it, Toshi replied.

Good. Let me know if you succeed with the pesticide, Lily told him. I have an impossible task for you when you’re done with that.

Oh, good. My favorite.

Lily smiled to herself. She transmuted as much energy as she could spare and filled Toshi’s, Avery’s, and Michelson’s willstones with force. She felt them revel in it and smiled. A wave of exhaustion hit her and she staggered to the side. Juliet caught her.

“You need to sit,” Juliet said, leading Lily through the confusion and to a mossy rock.

“I just need salt,” Lily said as she sat down. She looked over Juliet’s shoulder and noticed that Alaric’s painted guard had shadowed every step Juliet took.

“Alaric really meant it when he said you were going to stay out of the fight, didn’t he?” Lily asked, gesturing to the guard.

“Yes.” Juliet rolled her eyes. “I feel so useless, and so do they,” she said, indicating her entourage.