“Then that should be illegal—coerced claiming—but not claiming itself,” Lily argued. “What do the lawmakers care if people choose to give themselves to each other? It’s none of their business, really.” He didn’t reply. “What about becoming stone kin?” she persisted. “There can’t be any objection to that.”
“Illegal,” Toshi said curtly.
“Why?” Lily exclaimed.
“It fosters secrecy and obsession, and it’s another form of intimacy that can be coerced. All individual mindspace should be autonomous, and that autonomy is protected by the city,” Toshi repeated, as if by rote.
“That’s utterly ridiculous,” Lily retorted. “You can’t tell people they’re autonomous, and in the same breath deny them the right to choose.”
The trolley pulled near at that moment, and he urged her onto it. Lily wondered whether he’d heard her, but decided not to press him. If he did hear her, he obviously didn’t want to talk about it.
They met the rest of her coven back at the guest suite and spent a few minutes showing one another what they’d purchased. Rowan slipped in a few minutes after Lily and Toshi arrived. He’d been gone longer than any of them, but he was carrying no packages. He didn’t greet anyone. He sat apart from the rest while Una, Juliet, and Tristan looked through every bag to see what the coven had acquired.
“How long were you on the trail?” Toshi asked, picking up a garment that had slid to the floor and folding it.
“Was it three months or four?” Tristan asked, casting his eyes back to Caleb.
“Nearly four,” Caleb answered.
Toshi was impressed. “Did your tribe migrate a lot?” he asked Caleb.
“Some,” Caleb answered. “But I’d never been out in the wild for that long before.”
“Are things getting bad back east? Is that why you risked the trip?” Toshi asked.
“Define ‘bad,’” Tristan said, still digging through tunics.
“I don’t know. I have no idea what it’s like to live in the wild,” Toshi admitted. “But I’d imagine something huge must have happened to make you all risk going west. Did you think there might be something out here, or did you just go blindly?”
“You’re very curious,” Rowan said. His tone was not approving.
“Who wouldn’t be?” Toshi said, shrugging. “It’s got to be one hell of a story. Did you think there was a settlement or some kind of fort that you were heading for?”
“No one back east has any idea that there’s anything out here—and certainly not a city,” Tristan said.
He’s pumping us for information. Don’t say another word, Rowan said to all of them in mindspeak.
He’s just curious, Breakfast countered. It’s totally natural.
He’s a spy, Rowan insisted.
Takes one to know one, I guess, Caleb said. Lily felt how Caleb’s words stung Rowan.
“Are we going to see Grace today?” Lily asked, changing both the spoken and non-spoken conversations.
“Dinner. Tonight,” Toshi said cheerfully. “She’s sorry she can’t spend more time with you.”
“We’re sure she’s a busy woman,” Juliet said.
“Is she going to explain what she really wants from Lily yet, or is this dinner still part of her charm offensive?” Rowan drawled.
Toshi froze for a moment before recovering. “I’m sure Grace and Lily will have a lot to talk about. But about what, I couldn’t guess.”
“Thank you, Toshi,” Lily said. “If you see Grace, tell her I’m looking forward to speaking with her, too.”
Lily waited for Toshi to leave before turning to Rowan. “Not very friendly,” she said.
“Oh, so you’re looking at me again?” he replied. “Nice to know Toshi’s dimples haven’t completely blinded you.”