Attachments Rainbow Rowell Novels & Stories

He lifted the rope and let us pass without comment. Cold air hit like a slap. The parking lot was a bubble of night—sodium lamps humming, asphalt radiating the day’s stored heat, cicadas sawing the edges of the dark. Aurora tilted her face up to the sky and breathed like she meant to drink. Her heartbeat smoothed. Not calm. Just less wild. But the bond didn’t ease. It never did when she was close. “Better?” Rowan asked. She nodded. “I just… I don’t know what this is.”

If we ever made it back to Aurelia, I’d take him as my husband, because I’d be damned if the lottery system put me with a stranger. Amber released me the next morning from the on-site hospital, and I made my way back to the dorm suite I shared with Rowan. Everything hurt; I was sore, and even the simplest task, turning a doorknob, made me feel like I was crippled. Before the door was even pushed open halfway, it was flung open, and there stood Rowan. His eyes had black circles under them, his eyes were bloodshot as if he’d been crying, even though I knew he’d never admit to it, and the overall look was that of a completely distraught man.

From the shattered screen, a hand reached out. It wasn't a "Pixel" hand. It wasn't a "Shadow" hand. It was a hand made of **Light and Bone**. Rowan climbed out of the computer. He was taller than before, his eyes glowing like stars. He wasn't wearing the Knight’s armor anymore. He was wearing the clothes of the Developer—the hoodie and the jeans—but they were glowing with the golden ink of the Author. "Rowan!" I tried to say, the plastic brace in my mouth cracking under the pressure of my joy.

If this action of mine would help take that feeling away, then I'm in. That day, I walked up to Rowan and not from a place of pretence, I hugged him genuinely and cried on his shoulders. From that day, everything became different. We grew closer and the pack thought we were dating, and there was something lighter and different about him. He became happy and bubbly. ~~||~~||~~ The well Nyelle showed me was still on my mind and I could only ponder on the power of the jade ring and why it was given to me. Could this even be a sign from Eliza, I had to know.

"I heard that. I heard nuzzling." "He's very... affectionate." "Uh huh." Rowan's voice was dry. "Continue. I want all the details." Fao's hand settled on my thigh, warm and possessive, and stayed there for the rest of the call. Rowan was silent through most of it, which was terrifying. Rowan was never silent. "So," she finally said. "It is erotic." "Rowan." "I'm just saying! Wolf dick. Knotting. This is like... monster romance shit. This is the stuff people write books about."

Not here. Not like this. Rowan’s grip never loosened And somewhere beyond the pain Beyond the fracture The bond fought back. ---

Patrick called, asking me to attend, but I told him I was getting married too and had been busy with wedding preparations. He was surprised, asking who the guy was. I didn't tell him and just invited him to the wedding instead. Right after hanging up, I received a call from another friend. This friend had been helping me look for the amulet I had lost. "It's with Rowan," he said. "I went to ask for it today, but he told me to have you come get it yourself." Hearing that, I was confused. Rowan had given me the card and told me never to return. Why was he now asking me to come back to get the amulet?

This empire. The underworld. I ran my thumb over the Abraha insignia. A golden emblazoned crow in mid-flight and twisted the ring so it lay against my palm. I hated the sight of it. The weight. The feel of it was even worse. Suddenly, a thought crossed my head at the resemblance of the black seal and my ring. A symbol that I failed to recognize but hazily suspected. The eerie eyes of an owl. Of course, she chose that over anything else. Sabrina, you cunning piece of shit.

And was beautiful. Two days later, in the evening, Sanvika saw Shardul sitting on the beach writing something on his small book. She walked to him and peeked from behind casually to know what he is writing. He saw her and hid the page. “What?” She asked. “Can’t I see?” “It’s not that good.” Shardul closed the book. The dried flower flew out. Sanvika ran after it and grabbed it from the air and came back to give it to Shardul.

I just reached up and cupped his face, my thumb brushing over the bruise his father had left. ​"I know," I murmured. I pulled him down, burying his face in my shoulder, and for once, he didn't fight me. He collapsed against me, his fingers clutching my shirt so hard I thought he might tear the fabric. ​The storm raged outside, but I couldn’t register any of it. All I could register were the sound of Elliot’s sobs as he finally allowed himself to feel and express his grief, the feel of his body as he trembled against me from not just the cold, the smell of his wet clothes and the faint trace of his cologne.