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She reaches for him and he steps backward. “Don’t wear her face.”

My skin prickles.

The woman stops. Malakai’s expression hardens and Rhett removes his mask. His face is completely serious. “Ezra.”

“That isn’t her.”

The woman looks at Rhett. “Reaper.”

He flinches. Actually flinches.

She turns to Malakai. “Tiller.” Then me. “Bride.”

Ezra draws his knife. “Stop.”

The woman’s smile returns.

Wrong again. There. That’s not her. Whatever crawled out of the ground is using pieces of her.

Memories. Voice. Face. But it isn’t the woman they knew.

Malakai steps closer to me. “She isn’t here.”

The thing smiles. “I am everywhere.”

Roots shift beneath us.

Fuck.

Ezra points the knife at her. “What does the Sowing do?”

Her gaze moves to the blade. “You know.”

“I don’t.”

“You planted the first seed.”

Ezra’s expression empties.

Malakai whispers, “What?”

Rhett looks at him.

Ezra says nothing.

The dead Bride laughs. “Sower.”

“No.”

“The seed was yours.”

“No.”

My stomach drops.

I look at Ezra. “What is she talking about?”

“She lies.”