Someone You Can Build a Nest In

Homily removes the crossbow bolt that is lodged in Shesheshen and tends to her wounds. She feeds Shesheshen several bowls of soup, but this is insufficient to satisfy Shesheshen’s hunger, and she ends up devouring Epigram’s corpse. When Homily discovers her mid-feed, she is disturbed but attempts to make peace with it, realizing that this is in Shesheshen’s nature.

Homily reveals that the Baroness is claiming that Shesheshen is the monster and that she must be killed on sight; however, Homily refuses to believe it. When Homily recalls Epigram’s warning that Shesheshen intended to use her as a nest, Shesheshen’s egg sac reacts violently within her body. Shesheshen physically restrains the volatile organ, assuring Homily of her safety. She explains that the deer-skull creature is her offspring that she created without requiring eggs. Homily listens and accepts Shesheshen completely, prompting Shesheshen to reveal her oldest name—Shesheshen—in return, as a gesture of trust and intimacy.

Homily steps outside the tent, and Shesheshen continues consuming Epigram’s corpse. She then uses the biological materials to construct a perfect physical disguise of Homily’s deceased sister. She carefully dons Epigram’s armor, strategically using the breastplate to cage her volatile egg sac and complete the transformation.