Page 236 of Lana Pecherczyk
“Oh my god.” Ada’s eyes widened. She flattened her palm against Jasper’s and then aligned their arms. She rolled hers around his. Everywhere they touched, from her fingertips to her elbow, the blue lines met perfectly, as though they were two puzzle pieces fitting. “I always thought these looked like the contour lines of a map.”
“Can you sense your mate, crow?” Clara brought River’s hand to Blake’s and laced their fingers together. “The Well has a hold on her. Use the map to find her, and then guide her home.”
“How?” His throat closed. “I can’t read that map. Can anyone?”
Blank faces.
Even Aeron shook his head.
“So then how?” he asked. “I already told her I loved her. And she said, ‘That’s nice.’” A manic, incredulous laugh burst out of him. “That’s nice.Ha ha. What the fuck?” Then softer, more quietly. “Maybe she doesn’t need me after all.”
“Bullshit,” Cloud growled. “Stop feeling sorry for yourself and sit the fuck down. Do the same thing you did for me when I needed it.”
“What!” He was desperate now. “Do what?”
“Just be you.”
“Right,” River muttered. “Just be me. Easy. That’s what I’ve been doing my whole life.” He climbed over the pile of molted feathers and climbed onto the narrow bed beside Blake. “Yeah, sure. It’s worked so far. It’s worked great.” He gathered her rapidly heating body against his. Her skin burned with fever again, but she was breathing. He laced his fingers through her hand again and kissed her knuckles.
Think.
Map.
Guide her home.
Okay.
He could do this.
He was born for this.
He was the river.
Right?
“I am the fucking river,” he mumbled against her knuckles. “I am.”
He was.
When chartered territory disappeared, he forged a new path. He jumped. No wings.Fuck.
Too many sets of eyes watched him. He needed a moment to think. To study the so-called map. That’s what Cloud would do.
River lifted his outer wing over Blake like a canopy. Pink membranes filtered the harsh healing lights into a gentle amber, blending with the blue from their arms. He left the other wing hanging behind him, uncaring how pitiful they looked on the outside. All he cared about was right here, beneath them on the inside.
He buried his face into Blake’s hair, kissed her neck, and then nuzzled toward her ear.
“I don’t understand how to read this map,” he whispered to her, “but I’ll find a way. I promise.”
She sighed.
Blake fucking breathed, and it was the most beautiful sound in the world. A sense of urgency filled him.
Read the map.
Read the fucking map.
Right.
