The Wish-Eater by Claire Luana

The Wish-Eater by Claire Luana

Author:Claire Luana [Luana, Claire]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Live Edge Publishing


Chapter 21

Rochester

Sebastian was sorry to see the town of Rochester spring up in the distance, the white spire with its infamous clock tower piercing the blue sky. Of all the places he distributed cider, this one was his favorite. Yet the closer Feu plodded to the town’s old arching gate, the sooner it brought them to the end of this day. An entire day with Elodie. And he wasn’t ready to let it go.

After their turn with a slate of unpleasant topics and Elodie’s tearful confession, they’d settled into easy conversation. They’d spoken of apple blossoms and fireflies, favorite pastries and favorite poems. Whether happy or sad, to him, Elodie was like fresh air and sunshine—he wanted to close his eyes and turn his face toward her. Or perhaps she was just his sun.

In truth, he shouldn’t be here at all, sitting beside her with such familiarity. It was improper and foolish. Dangerous even, to give his heart hope, even a faint hope. He should stay as far from her as possible. But could he help it if the All-father had brought her to him in her time of need? And that he happened to be the one person with the information she needed? True, he had sought the information out, but did that make it any less serendipitous?

Elodie clearly needed someone in her corner. Someone without an agenda. And even though he wanted her more than anything on the All-father’s green earth, he wouldn’t act on it. Never ask her for it. He would love her the way she needed right now. As a friend. It was why he’d stopped himself from voicing the words that wanted to burst from his lips—that if she and Willum ended, there would be someone to love her, and care for her, and create whatever kind of family the Daughter saw fit to gift them. Why he’d stopped himself from leaning in and claiming her lips when she’d laid her hand on his cheek. But it was clear Elodie was torn in two, struggling with what to do about Willum’s abuse. Professing his love certainly wouldn’t make the situation any clearer and could drive her away when she needed him most. He couldn’t risk it.

But that didn’t stop him from spending the quiet moments of the ride imagining what life would be like if she was his—if they were husband and wife. He could almost taste her lips, feel the warm velvet of her tongue. See the fair landscape of her naked body stretched out before him, limned in firelight. The image was glorious. And gut-twistingly painful, for he knew it was so desperately unlikely to ever come to be. That was Elodie. The best, and worst, thing in his life.

Rochester was a fine town, its long, winding lanes filled with bright half-timbered buildings and even brighter flower boxes. Sebastian smiled as Elodie craned her neck to take in buildings stretching above them, the tangle of shops and cafés lining the street. “First time?”

She smiled ruefully.



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