“It’s real,” Lena said, stepping forward. Her feet were free. “You want light? This is the other side of it. The shadow. The price. You can’t have the birthday cake without the empty chair the next year. Now swallow that .”
“Give him back,” Lena whispered, her anger crystallizing into something sharp and clear. “It’s real,” Lena said, stepping forward
The hum laughed, a gravelly cascade of stones. “He is here. He is... comfortable. He asked for a story, and I am a patient teller.” ” Lena said