“There is a story I once told a girl,” a voice said. It was a familiar voice and also—not. “Of a man who garlanded a tree until it came alive and married him.” One deep breath. Another. She could not turn. Her heart would break if she turned and found nothing behind her. “I know that story,” Malini whispered. A faint sound. Half a laugh, half a sob, so human, and it made tears come to Malini’s own eyes. “It’s hard, you know? Wrestling a god into sleep. You helped me to do it. I saw the light of you and I followed it and it saved me. It helped me fight her. But even then, I couldn’t remember
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