Witch's Pyre (Worldwalker 3)

“He’s from Russia?” Una guessed.

“His family was, like my family was from Japan. But it’s been so long since the Hive has allowed anyone new to immigrate to the city no one here is really from anyplace else anymore.” He lifted his eyebrows. “Why do you think we’re throwing you this party?”

“You know, I’m not really sure.” Lily looked up at Toshi, testing him. She spread her hands to indicate the glittering room. “It’s a bit much.”

“Being chosen is a big deal,” he assured her. “It hasn’t happened in almost twenty years. If you’re here, it’s for a reason.”

“So the Hive kidnaps people and flies them to a strange city to fulfill some kind of purpose?” Caleb asked. “What could a bunch of insects want from humans?”

Toshi turned to him, his face taut. “The Hive selects people. And all it wants is a well-run society.”

“Oh, great,” Breakfast said wryly. “Because perfect societies never have a downside.”

Toshi laughed, dispelling the tension. “No one ever claimed Bower City was perfect,” he said. “But it is well run.”

They arrived at a large table, where Gr

ace was half listening to Mala say something in her ear. Grace saw Lily arrive and stood before Mala had finished.

“Lily. Thank you for coming,” she said, looking pleased. She was wearing a buckskin suede dress decorated with turquoise beads and an impressive feathered headdress. Tribal paint streaked her face and dotted her shoulders and thick silver bracelets were clipped over her wrists like gauntlets.

Lily didn’t have a response, so she just smiled. Grace invited Lily to sit next to her. Mala was obliged to move down a chair, which she did with pursed lips. Toshi and the rest of Lily’s coven seated themselves around the table. Ivan circled back to place his drink down between Tristan and Caleb before he darted off again. Once everyone had claimed a seat, there was still an extra place setting.

“Did you enjoy your visit to the docks?” Grace asked.

Lily pulled her gaze away from the empty seat. “Some of us more than others,” she replied.

“Oh? Was there a problem?” Grace directed her question at Toshi.

“Just culture shock,” Toshi assured her.

“Yes,” Grace said. “I suppose it would be hard to take in, wouldn’t it?” Caleb made a disgusted sound. “Speak your mind,” Grace urged. “You didn’t like it?”

“Oh, the ships, the trade, that’s all great,” Caleb said, a knife-edge gleam in his eyes. “For you.”

“Go on,” Grace said, knowing there was more.

“You’re wearing a sachem’s headdress, but you’ve left your people to die.”

“Bower City is where my people are,” Grace replied gently. Caleb shook his head, rejecting her answer.

“You could send out scouts right now and tell the Outlanders that there are no Woven in the west,” he persisted. “They don’t need your charity if you’re worried about refugees, and they wouldn’t have to come here to the city. They could build one of their own. There’s plenty of room.”

“Okay, say I do send out scouts,” Grace said hypothetically. “For those who manage to get past the Pride and the Pack, what happens to the ones the Hive doesn’t accept?”

“Thousands would die,” Mala answered, on cue.

“Thousands are dying,” Caleb shot back.

Mala opened her mouth to say something, but Grace raised a hand to silence her. “Caleb, do you know what the Hive wants? What guides its choices? Or why it kills some and accepts others?” she asked. Grace leaned in, holding his eyes. “What if the Hive decides it’s done accepting people altogether and it kills everyone who tries to make the crossing? I’m sure you’ve heard the stories of whole tribes being wiped out.”

Caleb looked away.

“So we can’t tell anyone,” Tristan said. He raised an eyebrow. “And I’m sure if we promise not to say anything, you’ll let us leave and go back home.”

“Go north, go south—there isn’t anything out there, but you’re welcome to look,” Grace said. “I’m afraid the Hive will stop you if you try to go east, though.”

“Why? What do they care which way we go?” Lily asked, her frustration evident. Again, she found herself encountering a strange “rule” that the Woven followed for no apparent reason. No one hazarded an answer.