Long Bright River Novels & Stories

"Doctor Harlow, your skill is known throughout the army. Why have you returned to the capital?" The physician gave a helpless laugh. "I am old now. My body can no longer bear the camps." Mother nodded. Thinking of Adrian's condition, she said, "Then I must trouble you to look at Undersecretary Voss. His health has worsened for years, and I don't know why he still hasn't recovered." Before she could finish, the gatekeeper hurried in, stumbling. Seeing Mother's expression, he bent quickly and spoke. "Your Highness, people from Duke Arden's estate have arrived. Her Grace the Duchess has brought the heir and is storming here to find Undersecretary Voss."

he whispered after a long silence, his voice quiet and flat against my neck. I lowered my eyes through the dim, yellow flare of the swinging lamp. The white cedar rails that had kept the northern mares secure were no longer standing; they had been smashed into floating splinters by a massive, six-foot surge of dark river water that was now pouring through the lower paddock entrance from the nursery ridge. But it wasn't just the water that was clearing the aisle. Through the white mist of the river spray, a tall, massive silhouette materialized at the far end of the stable row, holding a smoking pitch torch that cast long, blood-red streaks across the wet straw.

Lana’s POV The river ran beside us like a dark ribbon, cold and endless. The moon had sunk behind the ridge, leaving the world in shadow. The only light came from the faint glow of the mist and the water’s slow shimmer. We moved in silence, the sound of our boots splashing in the shallows the only proof we were still alive. The air was thick with damp and smoke. Behind us, the forest still burned somewhere far above, its firelight hidden but its scent clinging to the wind.

“We should stop before dark.” I nodded. “I was thinking the same.” After another mile we found a small clearing beside a narrow river. The water flowed quietly over smooth stones. Tall trees surrounded the clearing on every side. It was beautiful and at least it looked safe. I parked the car beneath the shade of an enormous oak. Everyone climbed out and Aria immediately stretched both arms above her head. “Oh, that feels so much better.” Nyra knelt beside the river testing the water with her fingers. “It’s clean.”

I didn’t think a gray hoodie and sweatpants would look so romantic, but in between the gorgeous lights that surrounded us and that breathtaking smile on his face, it was hard not to deny. For the past two weeks, River and I had gotten closer than I ever thought to be possible. He’s eaten breakfast with Neo and I every morning and he’s even helping design my own room because apparently, Neo is sick of my snoring–which I still don’t believe happens. “They said today was the brightest of the year,” River said as he stood next to me, hands in his pockets and eyes staring at the sky where the Northern Lights shined brightly. “Yeah, I think you’re right. It’s gorgeous. I almost forgot that it was

I stare up at one streetlight as I pass beneath it and see the same strange, swirling ether within that I noticed at Amanda’s house back in Granite Rise. “Where are we?” I ask Ryatt, who walks at a slow, but steady, pass behind me, only a few feet of distance between us. The rest of the group walks ahead. A shiver of understanding licks up my spine as I slowly turn to glance at him over my shoulder. His hood is up, his body cloaked in darkness. I can only see the outline of his sharp jaw as he replies, “Twin Rivers.” “Where’s the other river?” I ask with a laugh.

Trying to help get ready for the biggest party they have ever thrown at River Thorn Pack. Now that Malaki's pack and Gabriel's pack are combined, the pack has doubled in size. And tonight, they're hosting almost half of the Midnight Moon pack, along with a few vampires from the coven. Malaki watches Justin finish tying a bow around a flower, then reaches up and hangs them from a strand of little lights hanging over the lawn. "Oh, set those right there! We'll line them up right here where everyone walks to the tents." Malaki hears Justin as he pushes the windows open, loving this style of window.

The building's silhouettes suddenly became the dark night sky and the lights from their windows suddenly were twinkling. "Isn't that beautiful?" I asked when I saw a broken stoplight, the red light was blinking and the green and yellow once didn't seem to work. I thought it was aesthetically pleasing, under the gloom of the night, along the empty streets and silently passing cars. The slow blinking of that stop light seemed to harmonize with the quietness of the evening. I looked at Edgar and he was frowning at the stop light. "Pretty much could cause traffic, goodness, that should be fixed," he said and I rolled my eyes at him.

A snowy winter scenery replaces the darkness as I take his hand. The soft snow caresses my bare feet as I follow the being of light through the leafless trees—the dark skies threatening to unleash a snowstorm on us. As we stand by the frozen river, I recognize our location. We are by the Mistfalls river that leads to the waterfalls. I don't have time to ponder why this being has brought me here because I can hear voices arguing, getting closer and closer. -"Arlene, you don't have to do this. Mrs. Williams said it's not safe to cross the river just yet." The small girl tries to change her friend's mind.

A couple of days later, Shadow dragged Daud toward the sketchiest place that she managed to find at the earliest morning. The day had just barely begun and Daud was still pretty much sleepy. They sauntered into one of the dangerous forests called Darkest Woodland and they went deeper which was near the blue river. Blue river. Blue river referred to the plants that were located along the river. It didn't refer to the color of the river, nevertheless. The river was deemed to be the deadliest river not because of the water flow, but simply because of the plants near it.