Her hand went under her chin as she eyed me. “Why do you call it a monster, little one?” I opened my mouth, then stopped. Could she not see it? “Because that is what it is?” I turned it back to her and pointed at the shapes I had crafted. “See the teeth and claws?” “I see it.” She reached inside the woven basket, pulling out a single flower. It was yellow with black dots lining the petals. “And what do you think of this?” I shrugged. “It is a flower.” “Yes, but do you think it’s pretty?” “Yes.” “Do you know that a single petal can be toxic? It can even make a god sick if enough of it is
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