The Devil's Broken Doll
For several breaths, she could not speak.
Wonder moved through her so suddenly and so cleanly that it almost hurt.
She had seen fire take shape. She had seen Hell’s palace, the pits, thrones, monsters, wings, impossible magic, nightmares with teeth and prophecies dressed as dreams. But beauty still had the power to ambush her. That was the part she never expected. Beauty still found places inside her that fear had not ruined, places that opened before she could stop them.
“Oh,” she whispered, and this time the sound carried gently through the cavern, touched the crystals, and returned to her softened.