As with a cloudburst, the sky opened. “She had only to look at me, and it was as if she ripped free every terrible memory I ever had. There was one time I was not more than six or seven, and Uncle Girish wasn’t more than thirteen, and he sat down beside me in the garden and started stroking my hair in a way that made me feel dirty. When I tried to get up he dragged me back by the wrist to sit beside him. Then Father came out into the garden, and he beat Girish until his nose bled and one of his teeth cracked, and told him that if he ever touched any of the household children again that he would kill him. Afterward when Grandmother saw Uncle Girish’s bruises she went crazy yelling and screaming at everyone because she never liked Father even though he was her eldest. He was Grandfather Mei’s favorite so she hated him because she hated Grandfather Mei, and anything Grandfather Mei liked, she hated. It was an arranged marriage, but the matchmakers weren’t careful enough, and it poisoned her. So because Grandfather Mei thought Girish was too fussy and spiteful, she loved Girish best even though it spoiled him until he fermented. Well, she loved Hari, too, but everyone loved Hari. And then after Grandmother’s tantrums, Girish tried to lord it over Father, and Father made all of us little children come into his office and then he choked Girish until he blacked out, and then he said to us, if he ever touches one of you, tell me. So Girish left us alone except to say ugly things to us, but of course now I see he must have gone elsewhere where folk weren’t so particular about what he did to children. Cornflower poisoned him, and then tried to poison herself, but the poison didn’t kill her. Mother and Aunt wanted to sell her, and Grandmother was delirious with grief, but the men refused to sell her away. They couldn’t let her alone. In a household like that if there is one female who gets special attention from all the men, then usually the other women are jealous of her, but no one hated her. They wanted to be rid of her—which is how she got sent with Shai—but they didn’t envy her. Maybe they were grateful to her for killing Girish.” She was in a sweat, mouth dry. “Merciful One! I’m babbling.”

“No, you’re making a good deal of sense.” Still, he did not approach her. “She is a demon, Mai. That you resisted her testifies to your strength. Chief Tuvi says you saved O’eki’s life, when everyone else was helpless. Let us hope she has taken her revenge and will leave us alone.”

The knot that weighted her heart unraveled in a scalding explosion of tears. “B-b-but she’s going north to kill Shai! Because of what I said.”

She sobbed so hard she was only vaguely aware of Anji drawing her down to the bed, sitting with arms around her, holding her close as she wept. As the storm faded, he wiped her running nose with a cloth, pressed a cup of juice to her lips. She sipped, and hiccoughed. He wiped her eyes with a finger, kissed her, explored the curve of belly with a tentative touch.