Summary

"Val: The Child in the Woods" began with Val meeting her master in the woods at twilight. They had an agreement that she would meet him in the clearing surrounded by stones three times a week. He took the form of a young blond boy, and Val considered how her family was responsible for his mounting strength and more permanent form in this world. As they walked, Val's thoughts wandered to Marion, relieved to know that he spoke not of her, but of Charlotte. Val insisted that she needed more time to lure Charlotte to his feeding. She recognized that he was nearly strong enough to break his physical bond with her, but in the meantime, her body "responded gleefully to his approval" (62). She acknowledged that the reason for her birth was to "make him...