Elves Invasion

20

Ava saw the set of Toshi’s shoulders and the grim line of his mouth. “How long was your family here before you were born?” she asked.

“Only two generations,” he answered.

“What if someone comes here and already has talent?”

“They’d still have to wait. Everyone waits.” Toshi’s eyes were far away. “I’ve never heard of anyone being chosen by the Hive who was fresh off the boat, no matter how much talent they had. If the Hive wants you, Sisters go and get you. If not, you wait.”

As they wove through the streets, Ava saw people from every ethnicity and every culture she could name in just a few short blocks. Toshi led Ava off the main thoroughfare and down a series of alleys. They arrived at the back door of a shop of some kind, and Toshi let himself in as if he belonged there.

“Toshi!” a woman’s voice called out as he pushed his way in. Ava felt Toshi take her hand and bring her forward.

“And who is this?” asked an old Japanese man. His back was stooped and his hands were knobby. Ava could see arthritic inflammation, pulsing hot and painful, just under his skin.

“Dad, this is Ava,” Toshi said, while the old man tipped forward in a bow. Ava looked from the old man to Toshi’s young face, momentarily thrown, before she remembered Toshi’s true age.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Ava said politely. She bent forward, awkwardly attempting to bow back, but it didn’t come naturally to her. A middle-aged woman came forward and bowed from a place just behind Toshi’s father. There were Workers on both the old man’s and the woman’s throats.

“You honor us, Lady Witch,” the woman said.

“My sister, Hana,” Toshi said.

“Toshi?” an old voice called out from another room. “Is that Toshi?”

“Yes, Mother,” Toshi called back to her. He smiled at Ava. “Just give me a moment. I’ll be right back, okay?” Toshi left Ava to go to his mother.

Two kids came tumbling into the room like nipping puppies. The boy was about six and the girl was younger, probably only five or so. Ava couldn’t tell if they were arguing or playing, but they both stopped when they saw her, their mouths falling open as they stared at her willstone. Ava noticed Workers at their throats as well. Anger began to rise in her, which she had to quickly tamp down when she felt the Worker on her throat flutter its wings.

Hana pulled the children against her legs and shut their mouths for them with a snap. They went scampering out of the room in a flurry of excitement and delicious terror before Ava could even say hello to them.

“My grandchildren don’t see many true witches,” Hana said, blushing. She smiled broadly and stood aside for Ava to precede her. “But come in and sit. I’ve made tea.”

“They’re your grandchildren?” Ava repeated, still getting her head around the idea that Toshi’s sibling, and probably Toshi himself, was old enough to be a grandparent.

“Yes. My daughter is working in the city. I watch them during the day. They help around the shop.” Hana made a face to show that “help” was not really what they did.

Ava smiled and looked around her. She couldn’t read any of the Japanese calligraphy, but the walls were lined with row after row of box-like drawers, each with its own label, and she could smell the different herbs and roots inside.

“An apothecary shop?” she guessed.

“Just so,” Hana replied. “And we even have a few crucibles who come from the city to shop here,” she said with pride. “Our herbs are the most potent in the restricted zone. That’s why they allowed my daughter to have more than one child. That, and because of Toshi’s talent.”

Ava didn’t know if she’d heard right. “Allowed you to have more than one child?”

Hana frowned. “Yes. It’s the law,” she said uncertainly. “One child per couple unless there is proof that there is talent in one of the families. Then you may have two.”

“Ava’s not from Bower City,” Toshi said from the doorway as he rejoined them.

Toshi’s father made a surprised sound in the back of his throat. They looked with confusion at Ava’s willstone.

“Ava’s from Salem,” Toshi explained. “She and her coven were traveling west when they were chosen by the Hive.”

They couldn’t have looked more surprised if Toshi had said she was from the moon, but they were too well mannered to show it. Hana made herself busy pouring the tea.

“We’d heard an outsider had been brought to the city,” Toshi’s father said. “We didn’t really believe it, though.”

A tense silence followed. Ava thought they might ask her questions about the east, but they didn’t. She didn’t know if they were frightened to ask because of the Hive, or if it was simply considered rude in their culture. As she tried to decide if they were waiting for her to offer information about the east or if she should keep her mouth shut, Ava watched the old man grip his bowl of green tea with swollen fingers. Even that small movement was agony for him.

“Let me,” she said, taking his hand. The rose willstone still stashed in her bodice flared, and she heard Toshi gasp.

“No, Ava!” he said, jumping forward to pull her away from his father.

Ava felt a prick at her throat. She waited to feel the whole sting, but the Worker stayed where she was, waiting to see what Ava did next.

“Easy,” Toshi said, struggling to keep his voice calm. “Just put your hands at your sides and relax.”

Ava did as she was told and she felt the Worker remove her stinger from the top layer of skin on Ava’s throat. Toshi slowly released his grip on her as the Worker stood down. Ava’s skin itched under the Worker’s barbed feet as she repositioned herself, but she didn’t dare scratch.

Toshi let out a long-held breath. “You can’t use magic in the restricted zone. I should have been more clear.”