House of Salt and Sorrows

When Annaleigh arrives to help Morella, Camille is in tears. As Annaleigh expected, the birth was too soon, and Camille lays their stillborn brother (the first of the delivered twins) in her arms. Annaleigh tells Camille that the birth could be an illusion from Kosamaras, and Camille starts to believe her. She then goes to Morella, and Ortun carries his stillborn son out of the room. As Morella wails about how she can’t have another stillborn, Annaleigh and Camille rub lavender on her, asking if it reminds her of the flowers near her home. In her tired state, she admits she was born near mountains with red healing flowers. She’s of the People of Bones, Viscardi’s followers. Annaleigh picks up on this, and since Morella thinks she’s going to die, she reveals the truth.

Morella was one of the many midwives for the sisters’ mother, Cecilia, when Verity was born. She desired Ortun and thought he felt the same, so she gave Cecilia poisonous hemlock to kill her; Camille hits her with a fire prod in anger. After Cecilia died, Ortun sought Morella’s company but remained in mourning. To speed up their courtship, Morella made a deal with Viscardi to force Ortun to fall in love with her and ensure she bears a son.