Ankyra Sound know that you shall die like whores

She'd returned from her sojourn and known she'd need to face Erzulie eventually.  She hadn't wanted to until she understood what it was that she needed from such an exchange.  But it was becoming swiftly clearer that understanding wasn't coming anytime soon.  She couldn't even sort out what she wanted from herself.

She hadn't realized how much anger she held until it had all come to a head.  Firefly had been right about everything he called her on.  She'd torn apart (literally) the only one who had actually backed her up, alienated the only one she'd ever called home, and now had never felt so alone.  She had no friends here save Raleska, and who knew where that lay?

And Vaati.  She bore the marks on her neck, but what brought the fear and shame to burn in her was the memory of that pain.  Yes, Firefly was right.  She had no right to call herself a mother.

She found Erzulie on the beach and approached near the water's edge.  They made a pair, she thought as she stood silently, both of them swelling with pregnancy.  She felt the ache of her middle and her throat closed.  Suddenly she couldn't.  No words would come.