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SecretRivers AnneReynolds
AnneReynolds
Drawnearandhearthetale ofEffratheQueenofSnowIsland, borninthestormsoffFalconEdge
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intheyearoftheghostlyoctopus. Belovedbyallherpeople,shedanced withtheseven-prongedstarfishandbathed intheicywatersofBeverleyBrook. Oneblackdaythehotspringsopenedup spewingboilingplumesfromthecentre oftheearthintotheAntarcticsky condensingintoiciclefireworks beforeswallowingEffra intothelostworldofBlackDitch.
TheevilLordVidinhadonlytolookonce onherchilledloveliness toknowthatshemustbehisforalltime. UndertheLondonstreetsthesecretriversflowed throughStamfordBrook,Parr’sDitchandWalbrook. Vidin’sgalleonpoweredbythebeating ofathousandbutterflywings en route forWestbourne. ‘Whatnowmylove,doyouweeptearsofjoy?’ hecriedastheynearedthemuffledbells
ofWandleChurchwheretheywouldbewed beforetheclockstruckNoon. HewrappedsweetEffrainhisarms andheldhercloseasshedissolved intheheatofhispassion dropbydrop,intoRavensbourne untiltherewasnothingleftofheratall.
Then,fromtherushingicywaters ofthelongestnight anicebergflowedupFleetandPeck thatfatefuldayandVidinwatched asitapproachedanddivedbelow
androsetransformedintoanicythrone whereEffrasatinregalchill crownedwithseaanemones. ‘Mylovedon’tgo,Icannotlivewithoutyou’ hescreamedabovethefrozenwinds. Sheturnedtolookhimintheeyes ‘butIdieifIstaywithyou’ herfrozenlipsreplied. Thenlookingneitherleftnorright Shefledtoherfrost-boundhome
tothebarnacles,clamsandthekrill. DownCounter’sCreekhesteered stonefacedpastNeckringerCove headingsouthatTyburninpursuit ofhisdiamond-eyedmaiden. Nowtravellerstalkofaghostlyship stuckfastindeepicedrifts ofbutterflywingsthatlieuntouched ofastrangerwhodiedforlove. Sheheardthetalesandfoundhimthere
inclinedagainstthemast thencurledintohischilledembrace andcoveredhisface withathousandbrittlekisses.
