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“None taken.”
“And you’re a little too female for me,” Caleb said, grinning.
“It’s a fact. I am female,” Lily said with an apologetic shrug. She turned to the minister. “So, no. Witches don’t pick hot mechanics to surround themselves with potential partners. We pick them based on trust.” Her eyes found Rowan, who was speaking to someone on the other side of the room. “Or lack of it.”
The prurient curiosity didn’t end after they’d been seated. Then, it was Mala’s turn to try to make them all feel uncomfortable.
“So, Una,” said Mala, already two drinks in, “what’s it like being a female mechanic?”
“It works just fine for me,” Una replied.
“But didn’t you ever want to be a witch so you could have a herd of adoring men to call your own, like Lily?” Mala persisted.
“No,” Una replied. “Tell me, do witches here firewalk?”
“There’s no reason for witches to do that in Bower City,” Grace interjected sternly. “Firewalking is for battle.”
“Well, I’ve heard Lily shrieking on the pyre,” Una said, pinning Mala with a look. “And I’ll take being in the battle over being on the pyre any day of the week. Herd or no herd.”
Get me out of here, Lily said in mindspeak to Juliet.
Stay calm, she replied, resettling her napkin in her lap primly. They’re just testing you to see if you fly off the handle again.
Lily could sense Rowan brushing up against her mind, asking for entry. In a moment of weakness she almost let him, but thought better of it at the last moment. She didn’t want his support. When the food arrived, she felt Toshi nudge her elbow with his. When she looked over at him, he gave her an encouraging smile.
“I’m sure Lily didn’t claim her mechanics for ego-serving reasons,” Grace said, taking Lily’s side. “In the east, a witch needs mechanics or she’s not safe. But claiming is unnecessary here. The Hive protects all citizens equally.” Grace put down her chopsticks. “So, Lily, have you made up your mind yet?”
“My mind?” Lily asked.
“As to whether or not you’d like to stay in Bower City.”
“Actually, I haven’t,” Lily replied honestly. She looked down the table at her coven. “We haven’t,” she amended.
“That’s a shame. This city has a lot to offer someone with your skill. More than you had back east, although I’m sure you were very important,” Grace said.
“Not exactly,” Lily said, frowning.
“Oh?” Grace said. She cocked her head to the side.
“It’s complicated.”
“Lily Proctor.” Grace leaned back, thumbing through her memory. “There was a John Proctor of the Salem Bay Colony in Massachusetts. He was the first mechanic and his wife, Elizabeth, was the first firewalker. Their descendants have been the on-again, off-again Salem Witches ever since. Aren’t you from Salem?”
Lily saw the conversation narrow, leaving her on a tightrope. “There are a lot of people with the last name Proctor.”
Grace’s smile was detached from her eyes. Thoughts moved behind them like pieces on a chessboard. Silence rolled up the long table and landed in a taut bundle in front of Lily.
“No, there aren’t,” Grace said in a soft voice. “You are Lillian Proctor of Salem. You are the Salem Witch, and Rowan Fall is your head mechanic.”
Lily felt Rowan shoving urgently at her mind. She ignored him. She could handle this on her own.
“I never said my full name was Lillian,” Lily said, keeping her voice as soft and assured as Grace’s. “If the Hive won’t allow anyone to go east, how could you possibly know that?”
Grace didn’t answer. “The thing I want to know, and that Toshi couldn’t seem to find out for me, is why? Why did you leave Salem?”
Lily decided that if Grace didn’t feel the need to answer her questions, there was no need for her to answer Grace’s. As the tense moment grew more uncomfortable, Grace seemed to relax, even enjoy it, until finally she was laughing.
“I like you, Lily Proctor. You remind me of me.” Grace tipped her head to the side, considering this. “That might be a good thing.” She stood and Mala scrambled to stand alongside her. “As I said, the Hive has made it clear that they want you, so you and your coven are welcome here. But there’s one thing. If you chose to stay in Bower City, you’ll have to give up your claimed. That’s the law here. They’ll have to smash their willstones and start anew. Understood?” Lily nodded once. “I’ll give you a few days to think it over.” Grace softened, her smile a surprisingly sad one. “They’ll only hurt you, anyway. One by one, no matter how well you think you know your coven, they’ll all turn on you eventually.” Her gaze strayed pointedly to Rowan before she left the dinner party with Mala trailing behind.
