Never Shines the Sun is a short story written by Seanan McGuire, commissioned for the print edition of Chimes at Midnight. It is a print exclusive, and is not included with any other editions.
Here never shines the sun; here nothing breeds...
—William Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus
Author's Summary[]
In 1959, Faerie came for a little changeling girl named October Daye and presented her with the Choice that her mother had been struggling to prevent her from ever needing to make. But how did Faerie find her? Where did the channel of October's destiny diverge? To know the answer, you must look to the water, and to the woman who many refer to as "the sea witch."
It can be hard to deal with betrayal. Betrayal by family is so very much worse.
Plot[]
Seven years after the birth of her niece, Luidaeg has decided she's waited long enough to meet her youngest sister's daughter, a changeling - October. She watches from a distance while Amy spreads a picnic and October plays on the playground. When October runs over to introduce herself, Luidaeg introduces herself as "Annie." She realizes there is something terribly wrong as soon as she shakes October's hand.
Three days later, after Luidaeg learned that Amandine was actively shifting October's blood toward human and Sylvester Torquill offered her a long-overdue Changeling's Choice, Amandine arrives at Luidaeg's apartment. Amandine, furious beyond reasoning, attempted to explain that she was saving October from the role of the Dochas Sidhe. Luidaeg reminds her that no one can be saved from Faerie, and calls her attempt to shift October's blood as monstrous as something Eira Rosynhwyr might do. The sisters continue fighting, with Amy making a smug remark about the Luidaeg's loss and the latter threatening her not to endanger Toby anymore, and Amy leaves in a huff. She doesn't come back.
Throughout the story, Luidaeg reflects on an upcoming confrontation with Eira, the purpose of the Dochas Sidhe, Amy's bull-headedness as the youngest of the Firstborn, and her own failures to keep the remnants of her family both in check and safe. Her last thoughts are directed to October, hoping that she would survive.
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