Ashes and Starlight

Morning broke pale and slow.The storm had passed, but the snow still clung to the trees in heavy drifts, bending branches low under winter’s weight. The sea below was calm, dark as slate, its surface barely moving except for a slow pulse of tide against the rocks. Inside the cottage, the fire had burned to embers—thin red threads winding through black ash like veins of fading light.Rowan woke to silence. Not stillness. Silence—intentional and listening.For a moment she thought she was still dreaming. The glow of the night before shimmered faintly in her mind—the mistletoe crystallizing, the silver snow rising like stars, the warmth of Lucien’s lips against hers. It felt unreal, sacred. Fragile.Then she saw him.Lucien sat by the hearth, shoulders bowed, his hands pressed to his temples as if holding himself together. His breath came slow and uneven.“Lucien?”He looked up.The mark on his wrist blazed faintly blue—too bright, too cold. It pulsed like the moon itself was beating in

Huling Na-update : 2025-11-20

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Yule Tides Rise

Christmas morning broke clear and bright over Mystic.The cliffs glittered beneath a new layer of snow, the sunlight making every drift shine like powdered diamonds. The sea below looked almost still—like glass catching and holding the early light. Smoke curled from cottage chimneys in thin silver ribbons. Somewhere in the harbor, a bell chimed, soft and steady.Inside the cottage, the air smelled of pine, orange, and woodsmoke. A deep, comforting warmth that made Rowan’s heart ache. It was the first Christmas she had celebrated since her grandmother’s death. For years she had skipped the day entirely—closing the curtains, working through the hours, letting grief turn the season hollow.But this morning felt different—alive, waiting.Windy nudged her awake, tail sweeping the quilt like a small broom. Rowan laughed softly, rubbing her eyes. “All right, all right. I’m up.”Lucien stood by the window, already dressed. Frost grayed the glass, but the pale sun lit a soft glow around him. H

Huling Na-update : 2025-11-20

Magbasa pa

Lahat ng Kabanata ng Salt and Starlight: Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 22

Ashes and Starlight

Yule Tides Rise