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“Co a bit of brine over her chest “Seeet on the boat, child I’ve no taste for blubbering send-offs”

But Snow, her pale hair catching the last light of the sun, stepped backwards into Sigrid’s ar,” she said uncertainly “Muireann is notfor me there If the captain will take me, I will call this shipI ake up and ain” She s lantern

“Of course we’ll take you,” the Saint said “Tommy bade us never turn away a recruit—we are a family of monsters, and the birth of new beasts is a cause for joy There is so ain”

The planks were unlashed and the ships separated like tithin theirwith light Grog and Eyvind re east, away froyr looked after the bear, who stood on the foredeck, staring after the red srief

“Coely tender suddenly, “I’ll take you home”

“Muireann is not h, it seerain in the boards, unco

“Then I’ll take you north, Evvy,” she said brightly, her voice like buttered ruht, and rest with your own people? That’s so on the glaciers, like a thousand candles?”

Eyvind turned his ursine head towards her “I do,” he admitted

“Then I steer north, old bear And when you’ve felt the snow beneath your paws again, the world won’t seeuess Who can tell with your lot?” Grog ran a hand through her green hair

The white bear walked gingerly over the decks to her tub and settled his bulk down next to it He laid his head on the wooden rim, and, as the last ribbons of day unwound from the sky, slept

In the Garden

DAWN STOLE THROUGH THE VIOLET CURTAINS, STAINING THEM RED AS calf’s blood The girl sat on the da up at the boy as he sat in his , shaded frorew, like a fat child

“That was a wonderful story!” he cried, a little too loudly The girl hushed hier over his lips He thrilled at her touch, like dry wood touched by a spark They looked at each other for ato s him until he saw the sun no more, only those twin moons, shadowed and secret

She took her hand fro lion “Yes, and I shall tell you another even e and wonderful toht, and to me…”

She turned and ran back up the cypress path, past the stable, and into the rows of dew-strung apple trees, her gray skirts trailing behind her