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over the witch s face. She didn t need any more confirmation that Melonia had had a
hand in the events of last night. But Wren didn t blame her. Whatever she d done, she d
only helped push them into a situation that they had both been more than eager to take
advantage of. There was no way that she could regret that one night of passion or the
new life that grew inside her, it was the one beautiful thing she had to look forward to.
 You are throwing away more than you understand, Melonia cautioned.  I ve
lived even longer than you have yourself. I ve seen soul mates search for each other
through the ages, each soul miserable and forlorn until they finally find one another.
You ve found Austin. Are you willing to let him go, knowing that it might be centuries
before you will hold him in your arms again?
 We ll be together again? Wren asked, a small spark of hope hiccupping in her
chest.
 Soul mates always find one another, eventually. But do you want to wait another
century, maybe two, three or four, before you know what it s like to experience the bliss
of true love again? Melonia asked, her eyes tearing up a bit.
Well, damn, the witch cared, she really did. The compassion in her expression was
unmistakable, and her conviction was enough to make Wren a little optimistic.
 At least I know that I ll find him again, she said.  That will have to be enough.
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Anna J. Evans
 Oh, Wren, Melonia said, coming to embrace her. Wren sighed and submitted to
the arms around her, reminded for a brief moment of her mother, the woman who had
harbored such great hopes for her so many years ago.
 I ll be all right, Wren said, feeling the words to be true.  I m going to be a mom,
I ll have to be all right. My baby needs me. I m just going to try to make the most of this
life and the next and however many more I m going to get.
 Without love.
 I believe I ll find Austin again. And next time, you can be damned sure I won t
ever let him go.
 Bless you, Melonia whispered into her hair.  May all the good energy of the
universe bless you and your babe and speed you into your lover s arms.
A little too poetic for Wren s tastes& but it still made her tear up.
 So you ll leave now? Wren pulled away from the embrace with a laugh, feeling
strangely sad to let go of the woman who had played such a momentous role in her life.
 For now, Melonia said.  But I will visit you if you ll allow it. I would like to check
in on you from time to time. And I have a soft spot for beautiful little babies. I will bring
a birthday gift when the time comes.
 That would be nice, Wren said with a smile.
 I m glad you ve changed your mind, Melonia said, returning her smile and
running a soothing hand over her hair.  I would be honored to be considered a friend
to the most resilient princess I have ever known.
 Thanks, Wren said, nearly losing the battle against breaking down.  I don t feel
all that resilient, I feel like I m going to shatter into a thousand pieces.
 I know, but you won t, Melonia said with a strange smile.
 No, I won t, Wren agreed, nodding goodbye as she picked up her suitcase. She
locked the door behind her and walked down the curving steps for the last time,
leaving her old life behind.
The cab ride across the George Washington Bridge was the longest of her life, every
tick of the meter a reminder that she was moving further and further away from the
man she loved. What the hell was she going to do with herself? For that matter, where
the hell was she going?
The airport, I m going to the airport and I ll figure it out from there. She closed her eyes
and let her head fall back against the seat, completely exhausted and not at all up to
thinking too far into the future.
All she wanted right now was to disappear into another city s streets, to forget that
she had ever been the woman she was in New York, to forget that she had ever found a
love that would haunt her for the rest of her life. She would find a good job, something
that she and her son could be proud of, and she would do her best to give him the kind [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]