What The River Knows: A Novel Novels & Stories

His promises to me were as fragile as bubbles, vanishing into thin air. When I was ten, the River family adopted me. My father and Rowan's dad, Patrick River, had been good friends. When my father was diagnosed with cancer, he entrusted me to Patrick before he passed. When I first arrived at the Rivers household, everyone except Patrick was cold to me. Since I was adopted, the maids and even Rowan's mother thought it was unnecessary to show me any respect. I had to tiptoe around, just trying to survive in that house.

"The dead are gone, Your Highness. You must take care of yourself. Though the prince consort and the young lord have passed, this great residence still needs you to hold it together." Mother's eyes lost focus. She smiled bitterly. "What residence? Gideon and Eli are gone. What use do I have for such a large estate alone?" Her face turned ashen. She clutched her head, drowning in guilt and collapse. Only when the physician began packing his things did Mother's gaze land on the bloodstains on the floor. Her voice came out hoarse. "Doctor Harlow, your skill is known throughout the army. Why have you returned to the capital?"

’ Not to mention that Allen was not feeling very sleepy right now and that he could see some strange light in the night. ‘It is beautiful’ is all he could say about that. It was in the lands, in the skies, and it was flowing from one end to another. That was not a regular phenomenon. He hurriedly searched for it but ended up with no result. He took a picture to ask about it, but the camera… was not showing anything of that sort. ‘This will not be good’ Allen thought, being both worried and amazed at seeing this river of light flow.

“Still pretending he’s king when he’s nothing but a caged wolf now. No Moon, no crown, no pack.” Theron said nothing. Silence was its own blade, and he let it cut. The path twisted downward, roots tangling like black veins beneath their boots, until at last the river came into view. The River of Fernwood. It stretched wide and dark, its waters moving sluggishly under the moonlight. Mist curled above its surface, whispering with voices that seemed almost human, low, mournful, endless. The sound clawed at the mind, as though the river itself remembered every soul it had swallowed.

Em asked… holding her breath. “Ummm… shit … hold on I can’t ever remember it. It’s on his desk too. It’s a weird ass name …..” River was thinking. “Is it….” She blew out a breath …. Hoping with everything inside her she was wrong. “Is it Dank?” “Yeah!” River exclaimed, snapping. “Fuck I can’t ever remember that it’s such a weird ass name. So you do know him?” She felt like she couldn’t breathe … she needed out of there .. now. What the actual fuck??

Only then did I finally realize what that banquet actually was. It was Yoana’s engagement party. Her fiancé was not Elias. I stared at the man beside me in shock. As if he sensed my gaze, he lowered his head slightly to look at me. “What is wrong?” I suppressed the confusion swirling inside me and shook my head. “Nothing.” The floating comments exploded. They were clearly just as confused as I was. [Where the heck did the plot suddenly go?] [Why was the female lead suddenly getting engaged to a random side character who had never appeared before? Could someone explain that to me?]

Ordinary people could not watch, or misfortune would befall them. The icy river water rose past my shoulders, yet my body temperature did not drop. Instead, it climbed higher, and moisture gathered between my legs, mingling with the river. I soaked in the water for some time before the river god finally entered the cage. Though I was blindfolded and my hands were bound so I could not see his face or touch him, I could clearly hear his rapid, heavy breathing. The river god circled around me slowly, then lifted the hem of my skirt. Something smooth and slippery began crawling up from my ankle.