The Color of Sand

Exiled from town, Fairday is forced to raise her son, Catch, among the talking sand cats in the dunes and survive by selling the beautiful but mysterious stones that sometimes wash up on the beach. When Catch accidentally swallows one—and magically quadruples in size—Fairday must face her past to restore her son and rebuild her family in a way she never anticipated.

Reprinted in UNDER STARS and THE RAMSHEAD ALGORITHM AND OTHER STORIES.