Lupi 06 - Blood Magic

the rimless cups set in the tray, the small clay teapot and cha pan, the wooden teaspoon, the kettle. The rug was new, an inexpensive sisal. The rest were from Grandmother's store of treasures.
    Why were they here? Why was Li Qin here, and not Grandmother?
    For that matter, how was Li Qin going to make tea? Lily sat on a soft pink cushion; Rule lowered himself to the green one beside her. There was a kettle, yes, but no fire or heating element that Lily could see.
    "I hope you will excuse me," Li Qin said as she began measuring tea into the pot with the wooden spoon, "if I begin the story immediately rather than engaging in more traditional conversation while I prepare the tea. I feel you are somewhat pressed for time, yes?"
    "Yes," Lily murmured, relieved. To sticklers like Grandmother and Li Qin, this period would normally be spent in gentle inquiries into everyone's health and other such gripping topics. Innocuous conversation, in other words, that was supposed to relax people.
    Not that Li Qin needed help relaxing. Her voice and expression were entirely calm as she began. "Two days ago, your grandmother asked me to stay with Sam for my safety while she dealt with the arrival in this city of an old enemy." She set the teapot in the cha pan - a large bowl - and lifted the kettle. "If you would, please, Sam?" She smiled at Lily, then at Rule. "I act as hostess, but you are Sam's guests. He takes part in the preparation of the tea, also. Ah, is it ready? Thank you."
    Apparently Sam was the heating element. The water steamed as Li Qin poured it into the teapot, allowing it to overflow slightly. That's what the bowl was for - to contain water and tea intentionally spilled. Deftly she scooped out a few bits of debris and foam, then placed the lid on top and quickly poured the water into the cups. "This enemy is a Chimei. Do you know the word?"
    Lily shook her head.
    Having filled the cups, Li Qin emptied them. The first brewing was considered inferior and was used to warm and prepare the cups. "In China it is believed that many types of spirit creatures exist." She picked up the kettle, waiting for Sam to heat the water again. "Some are considered to be gui, which is that part of the soul that is separated from the higher soul upon death. Whether this is true of spirit beings I do not know, but it is not true of the Chimei. I am told the English word for such a being is demon, but it is a poor translation."
    " Demon is what everything gets called," Lily agreed. "But it is misleading, as you say. As far as we can tell, demons as we know them in the West - the ones from Dis - never hung out in China. Grandmother told me that a lot of the Chinese folktales about demons are based on out-realm beings of different sorts, not spirits."
    "That is so." Again she filled the teapot. This time, after replacing the lid, she continued to pour boiling water over the outside of the pot. "Dis does not connect well with China. Other realms do, however. Or used to. The Chimei is not from our realm."
    Lily shifted, not liking the direction this was going. "And this Chimei is Grandmother's enemy. Why?"
    "Many years ago, back in China, your grandmother killed the Chimei's lover." Li Qin held up a single finger, an expression of concentration on her face. Very swiftly she poured the tea.
    "She - " Lily took a calm-me-down breath. The tea was poured. She had to appreciate it, not ask about unimportant things involving murder or survival. To do otherwise would be a terrible insult, and she could not insult Li Qin.
    She gave Rule a look intended to convey this. He either caught her glance out of the corner of his eye, or he remembered her coaching from the time Grandmother invited him to take tea. He waited, as apparently unhurried as Li Qin.
    Must have been the corner-of-the-eye thing. The moment Lily reached for her cup, he reached for his. Lily forced herself to hold the gently steaming cup near her face and at least look like she was appreciating the aroma - which was pleasant, of course, but did Li Qin really think Lily could pay attention to a scent rather than the fact that some unknown demon enemy was threatening Grandmother?
    Apparently Rule could. "Entrancing," he murmured, his eyes half closed as if he were immersed in the experience. "How is it a scent can both stimulate and relax?"
    Li Qin's smile held pleasure and a hint of surprise. "That is what the tea ceremony is for. We surrender urgency and clamor and find ourselves awake,