Water, Circle, Moon by Sally McBride

Author:Sally McBride [McBride, Sally]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fantasy, novel
ISBN: 9781607015000
Publisher: Masque Books
Published: 2013-06-23T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

After a while she sat up and wiped her eyes. She looked at Arren, who had said nothing more, just let her get the anger and fear out of her system. They were a sorry pair, cold, soggy, bashed up and bruised. “Thanks,” she said. You saved my life.

Above his head the moon floated, shivering gently like an ice princess, casting a ghostly halo around his gently moving hair.

“Think nothing of it.”

“No, really. I’m very impressed.”

“Quite all right.”

“Didn’t know you could be so nasty.”

“A talent I have. Comes in handy now and then.”

She was the first to snicker, and in a second they were clinging to each other, gasping with laughter. It was all so insane.

But, she thought, sobering, what if Innis had succeeded? What would she be right now? And what of Arren?

“You know,” she managed at last, “when I was in the water, stuck like a stupid barnacle to Innis, I had this weird feeling of, I don’t know . . . unity. With the river, and all the other rivers and streams and ditches that link with that river . . . on and on. All the way to the sea.”

“Oh, it’s real. The network lies mostly underground.”

His arms were around her, and he was dropping kisses on the top of her head.

“It was as if it flowed in my blood.” She cricked her neck and looked up at him. “You felt it too?”

“Oh, yes.” He kissed her on the mouth then. “I feel it all the time.”

She didn’t want the kiss to stop. But she had to know. “Do you want it? That change . . . it’s seductive.”

“Yes, it is.” He paused. “I honestly don’t know. I hate it, and yet . . . ”

“I saw Innis kick you. Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. You know, we should get farther away from the river.”

It’s now or never. “How about . . . we go to my room?”

He held perfectly still, just for a moment. The hum of electricity between them skipped, then revved up again, stronger than before. “Laine. You don’t know what you’re asking.”

“I think I’m being pretty clear.”

He held her eyes with his. He looked as though someone had just informed him he had two hours to live. And had to spend it doing his tax returns. “I can’t. I . . . I won’t.”

He got to his feet, drawing her up with him, only to let go and step back. She knew, despite his miserable expression, that letting go was the last thing he wanted to do.

“Arren, I’m a big girl. I don’t care what you think you are, I don’t care what I might become. It’s too late for that.” She shivered, her clothes clammy against her burning skin. She wanted to strip them off and dare him not to touch her naked body. Did he imagine she was afraid of him? “It’s too late to pretend I’m innocent.”

“No. It isn’t too late.” His voice had gone harsh. “Laine, I can’t risk it.

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