The Seventh Bride

by T. Kingfisher

Maria moved the pot off the stove. “She helps him because she believes she is being punished,” she said. “It is all she has left.” Rhea frowned. “I don’t understand.” Maria sighed. “It is sometimes easier to be punished for something than it is to be a victim of random cruelty. As long as Ingeth can tell herself that her voice was taken from her because she committed some sin, then she has some control of it, you understand? Otherwise it was simply a terrible thing that happened. And if terrible things are allowed to happen to people that don’t deserve them, then the world is terrible and random and cruel. Which it is,” she added, pointing the spoon in Rhea’s direction, “but there’s not much comfort in that.”