Witch's Pyre (Worldwalker 3)

“Oh, great. You’re

soulful.” Lily said, rolling her eyes.

He looked hurt. “You don’t give anyone a break, do you?”

Lily made an effort to soften her tone. “No, I don’t,” she admitted. “But I actually like soulful. It was a compliment.”

He dropped his eyes so Lily couldn’t read him. The saleswoman came to his rescue, returning with a tiny vial that she placed carefully inside a tissue-paper-lined bag. She looked anxious.

“It’s okay,” Toshi reassured her again as he took the bag. “Thank you.”

Lily waited until they were outside to speak. “I’m guessing I picked the scent that costs a fortune?”

“Yes, but money’s not the issue,” Toshi said. “Only one other person in the entire city wears that scent.”

A chuff of a laugh escaped Lily. She knew who it had to be. “Grace.”

“Yup.”

“Interesting,” Lily said. “I know why I like it,” she added, thinking of the smoke, the tree sap, and the salty animal smell of her own sweat sizzling in the pyre—thinking of the power and the rush of pouring herself into another person. “But why would she if she doesn’t have mechanics?” Lily stopped and turned deliberately to Toshi. “Are you her claimed?”

“No,” Toshi said, genuinely shocked.

“Look, I’m not the smartest person in the world, but I know one thing.” She jabbed a finger at the little bag in his hand. “That scent is something a witch only becomes acquainted with by firewalking, and it’s a scent she learns to crave only by giving the Gift. You know, there’s been a lot of talk about how claiming is slavery, butI don’t buy it.” She smirked at him. “Don’t tell me the people of Bower City are so pure that they’re not tempted to claim.”

“They’re more than tempted,” Toshi said hotly. “It happens—of course it happens. And when it does, it’s a huge scandal and there’s always a public trial. It’s very, very messy. Claiming is the only crime that gets committed here, and it’s punishable by banishment.”

Lily stuck out a hand to stop him. “Wait, did you just say that it’s the only crime in Bower City?”

“Yes.”

She looked at him, perplexed. “But you have laws against murder and rape and all that stuff?”

“Of course. But those things don’t happen here.”

Lily started laughing. Toshi didn’t join her. Her laugh died. “You’re serious?”

“Lily, listen very carefully. There’s no crime in Bower City. No murder, no rape, no arson, no theft, no domestic abuse, no kidnapping, no assault, no crime. Except claiming.”

“That’s impossible,” she said.

Toshi reached out and led a Worker from the sleeve of Lily’s kimono onto his thumbnail. She sucked in a surprised breath. She hadn’t even realized it was there.

“Who knows how much the Workers understand of what we say?” he said pensively. “The Warrior Sisters can understand some, but from what Grace has said, they understand differently. Whatever that means. What we do know is that the Hive senses what we can’t. They recognize hostility, fear, and aggression of every stripe. Last night, you saw for yourself how quick they are to intervene. They don’t let violent crimes happen. For nonviolent crimes, like theft—well, the Hive is everywhere. They see it happen even if they don’t know what it is. You only have to report something stolen for it to be found and the perpetrators brought to justice. There is no ‘getting away with it’ in Bower City. But claiming is the only crime the Hive can’t understand because it’s not like the others.”

“It’s consensual,” Lily said, finally believing.

“Even pleasurable, I hear,” Toshi said softly. “We’re all tempted to do it. But since it’s the one and only committable crime in Bower City, there’s nothing else for us humans to put our energy into ferreting out. That’s why I can say with some certainty that Grace doesn’t have any claimed. Least of all me.”

There was regret in his voice. Lily understood why the people here stared at her and her coven, and why they kept their distance with such dislike, even distaste. What would she feel if she had been tempted with something her whole life and denied it, only to see a group of people flaunting the freedom she wished she had? A freedom that they should have. Her brow furrowed.

“Why is it illegal?” she asked.

“Huh?” Toshi said, distracted. He was looking up the street for a trolley.

“Claiming is consensual,” she said, thinking aloud. “A witch can’t force herself on another. The willstone would shatter if she tried to break the will of the bearer. So why is it illegal?”

“There are other forms of coercion,” Toshi reminded her. “Ways to make people give their consent.”