But it was not Balam who destroyed Tova. It was her. Naranpa crumpled to the ground, her hair singed, the skin on her hands peeled away, charred bones showing through. “Iktan,” she whispered, tongue blackened to a rotten thing. “Show me a way back.” But xe could not. Xe had died. It is only a dream. Kupshu was right. Gods were greedy things, and now Naranpa’s god claimed her and everything that had been hers. It is only a dream. But Naranpa did not believe in dreams, not anymore.
