Witch's Pyre (Worldwalker #3)(35)

A raggedy old woman approached Lily, moaning in a language she didn’t understand, and Toshi stepped forward quickly to intervene. He spoke a few words of Japanese and a few of something Lily couldn’t hope to place and the woman backed off, doubling over with a racking cough as she moved away.

“I think she needs help,” Lily said, looking back over her shoulder. Toshi hurried her along.

“She probably does. Everyone here needs something.”

“I’m guessing they don’t have miracle soap that keeps them young and healthy sitting around in their bathrooms.”

“No. They don’t. And the Hive won’t let us give it to them, either. They won’t let us help the people here in any way. Not medically or financially.”

Lily saw the set of Toshi’s shoulders and the grim line of his mouth. “How long was your family here before you were born?” she asked.

“Only two generations,” he answered.

“What if someone comes here and already has talent?”

“They’d still have to wait. Everyone waits.” Toshi’s eyes were far away. “I’ve never heard of anyone being chosen by the Hive who was fresh off the boat, no matter how much talent they had. If the Hive wants you, Sisters go and get you. If not, you wait.”

As they wove through the streets, Lily saw people from every ethnicity and every culture she could name in just a few short blocks. Toshi led Lily off the main thoroughfare and down a series of alleys. They arrived at the back door of a shop of some kind, and Toshi let himself in as if he belonged there.

“Toshi!” a woman’s voice called out as he pushed his way in. Lily felt Toshi take her hand and bring her forward.

“And who is this?” asked an old Japanese man. His back was stooped and his hands were knobby. Lily could see arthritic inflammation, pulsing hot and painful, just under his skin.

“Dad, this is Lily,” Toshi said, while the old man tipped forward in a bow. Lily looked from the old man to Toshi’s young face, momentarily thrown, before she remembered Toshi’s true age.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Lily said politely. She bent forward, awkwardly attempting to bow back, but it didn’t come naturally to her. A middle-aged woman came forward and bowed from a place just behind Toshi’s father. There were Workers on both the old man’s and the woman’s throats.

“You honor us, Lady Witch,” the woman said.

“My sister, Hana,” Toshi said.

“Toshi?” an old voice called out from another room. “Is that Toshi?”

“Yes, Mother,” Toshi called back to her. He smiled at Lily. “Just give me a moment. I’ll be right back, okay?” Toshi left Lily to go to his mother.

Two kids came tumbling into the room like nipping puppies. The boy was about six and the girl was younger, probably only five or so. Lily couldn’t tell if they were arguing or playing, but they both stopped when they saw her, their mouths falling open as they stared at her willstone. Lily noticed Workers at their throats as well. Anger began to rise in her, which she had to quickly tamp down when she felt the Worker on her throat flutter its wings.

Hana pulled the children against her legs and shut their mouths for them with a snap. They went scampering out of the room in a flurry of excitement and delicious terror before Lily could even say hello to them.

“My grandchildren don’t see many true witches,” Hana said, blushing. She smiled broadly and stood aside for Lily to precede her. “But come in and sit. I’ve made tea.”

“They’re your grandchildren?” Lily repeated, still getting her head around the idea that Toshi’s sibling, and probably Toshi himself, was old enough to be a grandparent.

“Yes. My daughter is working in the city. I watch them during the day. They help around the shop.” Hana made a face to show that “help” was not really what they did.

Lily smiled and looked around her. She couldn’t read any of the Japanese calligraphy, but the walls were lined with row after row of box-like drawers, each with its own label, and she could smell the different herbs and roots inside.

“An apothecary shop?” she guessed.

“Just so,” Hana replied. “And we even have a few crucibles who come from the city to shop here,” she said with pride. “Our herbs are the most potent in the restricted zone. That’s why they allowed my daughter to have more than one child. That, and because of Toshi’s talent.”

Lily didn’t know if she’d heard right. “Allowed you to have more than one child?”

Hana frowned. “Yes. It’s the law,” she said uncertainly. “One child per couple unless there is proof that there is talent in one of the families. Then you may have two.”

“Lily’s not from Bower City,” Toshi said from the doorway as he rejoined them.

Toshi’s father made a surprised sound in the back of his throat. They looked with confusion at Lily’s willstone.

“Lily’s from Salem,” Toshi explained. “She and her coven were traveling west when they were chosen by the Hive.”

They couldn’t have looked more surprised if Toshi had said she was from the moon, but they were too well mannered to show it. Hana made herself busy pouring the tea.

“We’d heard an outsider had been brought to the city,” Toshi’s father said. “We didn’t really believe it, though.”