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"Doma! That’s an Efean superstition!"

Mother seems not to hear Cook’s remonstration "She has turned Her back on us because we turned our backs on Her My poor children All dead"

I look past her and see a liure sprawled at the foot of the bier How anyone can sleep through such a crisis I cannot understand Then I realize it is Ale not to cry out Oh, terrible, terrible!

I cannot see for tears stinging my eyes Why did I mock her when she was fated to suffer this horrible end?

Stricken, I stand there for the longest time I don’t knohat to say, or how to say it

"Here it comes," says Cook With another contraction, the red veinyhands The babydown a sob of relief

Just as the flaers I see an unlit la that lamp over here"

The last spark froht flares so powerfully after the sour yello of the taper that h the flame several times and hand it to Cook, who cuts and ties the cord

"Give me the baby," I say, for everyone is as silent as if we are already dead and only waiting for the dust to cover us "Coriander, hold the light"

The oracle isup the blood Mother’s eyes close; she is still breathing but I fear she has passed out froth of Mother’s rumpled shroud and dry off the baby, then swaddle her in the last bit of clean cloth

She has a flat cap of black hair and it is likely her eyes will resemble Father’s more than Mother’s Beyond that it is i about her except that loith love for this frail little spark Her lips are perfect Her cheeks are puffy Her eyes are open and they fix onthat can never be taken froainst my side to make sure I am solid Her voice is so shaky it terrifieswhen I first saw you but it’s really you"

I crush her hand in mine "Yes, it’s me What happened?"