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I had read this story once before, in the collection [b:Worlds Seen in Passing: Ten Years of Tor.com Short Fiction|37534910|Worlds Seen in Passing Ten Years of Tor.com Short Fiction|Irene Gallo|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516729337l/37534910._SY75_.jpg|59136283] (which is a magnificent anthology that I highly recommend to anyone looking for an impressive fill of SFF and horror tales), but when my friend Mark reminded me of its existence today, I knew I was overdue a re-read. This was one of my favorite stories in that collection, and I loved it even more upon re-visiting it.

When it comes to wicked step-mothers, sometimes there's more than meets the eye.