Till We Have Faces

The common people of Glome return to the palace gates a few days later, this time, demanding food. They blame the King for the bad harvests, with one man shouting that “barren king makes barren land” (16).The King has the man killed, turning the people against him even more.

Redival tells Orual that she has seen Psyche walking in the town by herself, and Orual is further distressed by new rumors that Psyche caused, rather than cured, the fever. When Psyche returns that evening she tells Orual that people have started calling her “the accursed” (17) and that a boy spat at her and men threw stones while accusing her of making herself a goddess.

Orual wants to report this to the King, but Psyche stops her. She tells Orual that she looks just like their father when she’s angry, and Orual is hurt. The present day Orual then tells us that the only things the gods haven’t taken from her are her memories of Psyche.

Despite the fact that the sickness seems to be coming to an end, the situation in Glome is deteriorating. The Priest of Ungit has contracted the fever twice and recovered from it both times.