Thornhedge

by T. Kingfisher

Surrounded by child-eating swamp spirits, Toadling felt intensely loved.

She left the greenteeth knowing everything worth knowing about her world and came to the fairy court to find that she knew nothing at all.

And then he went out and shut the door behind him, and the first lesson that Toadling learned, in that strange place, was loneliness.

“It has been five days, in the mortal world, since you were taken.” He smiled faintly. “And so I have another few years to teach you what I can, and then I will send you back to the mortal world so that you may arrive on the seventh day, to stand as godmother to the child left in your place.”

No. I have many mothers. If I am hideous, then we are hideous together. And that made it easier, because in her heart of hearts, she could not believe that her mothers were anything but beautiful.

She was theirs; they were hers. The love of monsters was uncomplicated.

It never occurred to her to doubt her welcome. Such was the gift of a child raised with love.