Witch's Pyre (Worldwalker 3)

“This is our Forum,” Grace told them. “Where we make government policy. Or try to, at any rate. Mostly we just argue.”

All eyes seemed to turn toward them and conversations stopped as they entered the plaza. Grace led the newcomers up the grand staircase, and as they passed, the chatter struck up again in urgent undertones. Lily nodded to herself, finally understanding why Grace had chosen to walk a bunch of battle-weary, shocked, and grieving people through the city. She and her coven were on parade. This wasn’t about them. It was for the people of Bower City.

Lily glanced up and tried to make eye contact with the members of the closest cluster, but they all looked away nervously. They were playacting. Pretending that this was just another day, but their forced nonchalance carried more tension than if they had gathered around, pointing and staring.

Grace and her attendants brought the coven through a forest of marble columns, and into a huge domed room. It was a colossal building, something that belonged on top of a hill in Italy or Greece.

Lily craned her neck to look up at the oculus in the center of the dome, which flooded the room with air and sunlight. Something large flew past, sending a swift shadow across the gleaming marble floor. The faintest hum followed, tickling the back of Lily’s neck.

They’re watching us, Una said in mindspeak.

Lily nodded, and glanced at Caleb, who was eyeing the oculus warily.

“This is the Governor’s Hearing Hall,” Grace told them.

“Nice office, Gracie,” Breakfast muttered under his breath. The acoustics of the room amplified his voice, and his mutter came out loud and clear to everyone in the room. Breakfast cringed.

“And we call it the Hearing Hall because you can hear even the slightest whisper,” she continued, smiling at him. “So even the smallest voice matters.”

They crossed the circular expanse of the Hearing Hall and went through one of three doors that were evenly spaced along the curved back wall. They walked down a long hallway, through another door, and into a private home.

Finally, Juliet said. The rest of the coven echoed her relief.

“You’re welcome to stay with me for as long as you like,” Grace said as she led them into a palatial living space. “I’ll give you a chance to clean up and rest, and we’ll speak later.”

“Thank you,” Lily replied, finally stepping forward to stand next to her sister.

“My pleasure,” Grace said, and left them with one of her emissaries.

It was the same young man who had chased after her and Tristan. He stepped forward and smiled at her. Now that they were no longer running for their lives, Lily couldn’t help but notice that he was extremely attractive.

“We have two rooms ready for you upstairs, if you’ll follow me,” he said in a pleasing voice.

“I didn’t catch your name,” Lily said, looking at his willstone. It was a deep rose color—almost burgundy. He’s a healer, she thought. A powerful one.

“My name is Toshi Konishi,” he replied. “And I’m up here,” he said, pointing to his face. Lily tore her gaze off his willstone and met his amused eyes, her face flushing.

“Sorry,” she stammered, “I’m just surprised by the color of your willstone. Is it common here for a rose stone to be so pigmented?”

“No,” Toshi replied. A slow smile crept up his face as he held Lily’s eyes. “Bedrooms,” he said, turning suddenly, “are this way. We’ve readied one apartment for the men and one for the women, but you’re welcome to make your own adjustments to the sleeping arrangement as you like.”

Toshi pushed the doors open to the first suite of rooms and revealed a common area with deep-seated leather club chairs and furniture made of dark, glossy wood.

Lily and her coven looked at the wealth and comfort around them blankly.

“The two sitting rooms are connected,” Toshi said, leading the girls through the man cave and opening up a set of double doors.

The girls’ sitting room had a large white couch and a velvet settee, and it was made bright and airy by a large balcony and many fresh flower arrangements.

“Your rooms are on the other side,” Toshi told them. A worried frown creased his forehead as he registered the listless expressions around him. “Is this arrangement not to your liking? If you don’t find the rooms suitable, just let me know what you require.”

“They’re lovely. We’ve been traveling for a long time,” Lily said in explanation. “And we’ve lost . . . a lot.”

“I’m sorry,” Toshi replied, his concern deepening. “I’m sure you need your rest. What you’ve done—just getting here—it’s amazing.”

Lily’s head filled with the mountains they’d climbed, the rivers they’d crossed, and the lives that she had lost along the way. She smiled at Toshi uncomfortably and went out onto the balcony as her coven broke away from one another silently and went off to be by themselves. Lily took a deep breath. A wisteria vine framed the wrought-iron casement and spilled over the railing like lavender locks of hair tumbling down a woman’s shoulder.

She felt Toshi join her on the veranda. “I mean it,” he said softly. “What you’ve accomplished is nothing shor