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Chapter 31 – Shadows of the Past
Last Updated:
2025-04-12 16:57:15
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Love's Healing Touch Chapter 32 – The Pursuit Beneath Moonlight
The shadows wrapped around them like a cloak as Adrian and Elara fled from the narrow street of the village, hearts pounding and lungs aflame. The moon far above in the sky cast silver light upon the trees, turning every branch and leaf into something otherworldly.Adrian's grip around Elara's wrist was fierce, his body heat holding her in place as fear seemed to try and take root. Behind them, the soft footsteps echoed through the air, whoever had been following behind didn't want to be noticed but weren't novice. "Don't turn around," Adrian was barely audible. "Back away.".Elara did not need to be persuaded. She had managed to catch the danger still lingering near in the air, like threads of smoke clinging to flesh. Whoever the darkness was, it had not arrived with mercy.They ran until lungs burned on a hacking gasp of air and quivering legs buckled, until curving, twisted slate roofs of the village vanished behind trees and enfolding stillness of the forest spread out before the
Last Updated : 2025-04-12Love's Healing Touch Chapter 33 – A Gentle Storm
The sky was a dull grey when Adrian and Elara returned through the forest. Rain had not yet started to fall, but the wind was full of its scent—fresh, heavy, and unavoidable. There wasn't much to say on the way back. There wasn't any need for words. There was this growing sense of understanding between them, growing with every step they shared.Adrian walked a little closer now, not as guarded. His hand would occasionally brush against Elara's as they picked their way along the narrow trail between trees and roots. Every touch sent a shiver racing up her spine, but she said nothing, not wanting to break the spell of silence.It was raining by the time they reached the edge of Elara's cottage.“I’ll start a fire,” she said, pushing open the wooden door with her shoulder.Adrian hesitated for a second before stepping inside. Each time he entered this little home, it felt more like a place that belonged to him too. Not just her refuge—but theirs.Elara's pets woke up in the background, t
Last Updated : 2025-04-12Love's Healing Touch Chapter 34 – The Space Between Heartbeats
The next day dawned dark and quiet, the rain falling to a wispy mist that clung to cottage windows like a shroud. Elara was the first to awaken, waking to a squint through gray light as embers of the fire still flickered in the hearth. She strained to rise from the couch, the frayed blanket slithering down off of her shoulders, and gazed down at Adrian—out cold on the mat at her feet, his hand wedged under his head. She rose and regarded him for a very, very long time.He had slept younger. His angles softer. The peaks of his mourning, that he had worn hard, now softened themselves down to almost gentleness. Eyelashes on his cheekbones made a dark haven, and there was the rumpled tangled clump of black hair in this pillow on which his head lay last night.Elara moved quietly, not to wake him, when she moved quietly into the alcove kitchen and poured water from the kettle. The old stove creaked and spat with a patch of fire flame when Elara lit it. Raindrop and bird sang floated on bra
Last Updated : 2025-04-13Love's Healing Touch Chapter 35 – The Unraveling
The following morning broke with a different radiance that neither Adrian nor Elara expected. The sky, washed bright by the rains of the previous days, burst into a stunning boundless expanse of pure blue. The light poured over fields and rooftops, turning raindrops left on branches into little stars. The forest sparkled like a phoenix.Elara leaned against the railing of her tiny garden, arms crossed over her chest, blowing back behind her on the wind. Adrian stood on the porch, watching as the sun fell over her hair and the rise and fall of her shoulders with each slow breath."Do you ever wonder what comes next?" he burst out suddenly, stepping off onto grass.Elara turned, eyebrows raised a little. "After what,Quiet. This place. Us."The word us fell between them, as gentle as dew. Elara waited before she said anything."I thought there was nothing after that. That this was all. All that was left. And then. now you appeared. And now I do not know. I think that is better."Adrian
Last Updated : 2025-04-13Love's Healing Touch Chapter 36 – Tangled in Quiet Things
The sun came up in the morning, rising quietly into the cottage, pushing softly between the curtains as a quiet guest. Its warmth brushed softly in gold upon the wood floorboards and rested upon the two forms that were curled up on the couch—Adrian's arm around Elara's shoulder, her head resting lightly upon his chest. The fire had died down by evening, but the heat between them was an unspoken promise that neither of them was yet courageous enough to voice.Adrian went first. He blinked up at the ceiling, stunned at the quiet emptiness in his chest. The familiar pull of fear, of regret, was somehow absent. All that lingered was the soft sound of Elara's breathing, and the faint scent of herbs and old books that clung to her like a second cloak.His arm locked around her a bit involuntarily, and Elara moved, her eyelashes flicking up as she looked up at him."Morning," she answered, voice still husky from sleep."Morning," he answered, his deep voice a bit gritty.They didn't budge.E
Last Updated : 2025-04-13Love's Healing Touch Chapter 37 – Whispers Beneath the Willow
Morning broke in songbird trill—soft and entrancing, as if the woods themselves sang a living cradle song full of spring. Adrian slowly awakened, caught in the heat of Elara's blankets and the gentle cadence of her breathing against him. The light streamed through the lacy curtains, illuminating golden filigree on wooden walls. He didn't recall falling asleep. Only the stillness of her arms. The weight of her hand upon his heart.He rotated slowly, not wanting to disturb her. Elara was on her side, hair a matted halo around the pillow. Her face was serene, lips parted slightly, a tiny crease between her brows as though dreaming of something difficult.Adrian paused, then leaned in to smooth that crease out with his thumb. Her eyes flew wide at the touch. She blinked once, slowly, and smiled in a small, intimate manner."Morning," she whispered."Hey," he whispered. "You okay?"She nodded, stretching up like a cat. "Mmm. Just. a little sore."Adrian flushed, moving over to the window.
Last Updated : 2025-04-13Love's Healing Touch Chapter 38 – The Road Home
The morning air was fresh with the scent of dew and wildflowers that clung to Elara's cloak as she emerged to saddle the old mare. Adrian stood in the doorway, his gaze scanning the horizon where the ridges of the mountains blended into the road that led off far out into the village.Years since he'd been in the city. Years since he'd drawn its air, walked its crowded streets, or spoken aloud the name of his family. But now, the thought of returning didn't make his stomach turn to acid. It made his heart beat faster—but not out of fear.With resolve.Elara shifted, brushing hair from her forehead. "She's ready."Adrian descended, shaking his coat around himself. "You are?"A faint smile quivered on her lips. "Only if you are."They mounted the horse and rode together, side by side, the little cottage they'd, over years, made something more than home. It was home—a haven. Beyond them, the wood became less dense, showing wider paths, open fields, and the muffled rumble of encroaching ci
Last Updated : 2025-04-14Love's Healing Touch Chapter 39 – A Place Between Two Worlds
Sunlight streamed through the Lancaster house velvet curtains, golden-filtered, tempering the cold beauty chill that pervaded the atmosphere. Elara awakened first, slowly opening lids as senses grappled with sheer newness—the light linen sheeting over her, the polish and lavender scent, the quiet which wasn't quite that country quiet but was so much more sophisticated.She propped herself up, shifting slowly so she would not wake Adrian. The air was warm, and the room was too clean, far too clean. There was no songbird scratching on a window sill there to be heard; no groan of old wood above. It was lovely—it was irrefutable as that—but it was not home.Other than her, Adrian shifted. His heavy lashes brushed over pale cheeks, and his eyes opening created a moment of disorientation in their depths. She touched him with a light kiss on the temple."You're safe," she whispered.His lips curled into a parched smile. "I know. But somehow it still feels as though I'm dreaming I was trying
Last Updated : 2025-04-14
Latest chapter
Love's Healing Touch Chapter 40 – Threads of the Familiar
The return trip to the village was in silence, not quiet, but in the peaceful way that it wrapped around you like a blanket. The thud of horse hooves on the earth road, the trill of birds out of sight flying over the cover above, and the wind's howl blowing through the leaves—everything mixed in a soothing symphony, showing the peace they both yearned for so desperately.Elara sat beside Adrian in the carriage, hands loosely locked in his. The city proper was now nothing more than a fantasied dream—the glittering corridors and aching memories enfolding them like a haze. What was left was the fleeting warmth of facing the past and clinging to the future.Adrian had spoken little since walking through the gates. He didn't need to. His silence wasn't choking, not anymore, when he'd walked in fear of being abandoned behind. His silence was more akin to thinking now. Gratitude. Healing.Elara's hold on his hand eased somewhat. "What do you think about?He stood in front of her, the corners
Love's Healing Touch Chapter 39 – A Place Between Two Worlds
Sunlight streamed through the Lancaster house velvet curtains, golden-filtered, tempering the cold beauty chill that pervaded the atmosphere. Elara awakened first, slowly opening lids as senses grappled with sheer newness—the light linen sheeting over her, the polish and lavender scent, the quiet which wasn't quite that country quiet but was so much more sophisticated.She propped herself up, shifting slowly so she would not wake Adrian. The air was warm, and the room was too clean, far too clean. There was no songbird scratching on a window sill there to be heard; no groan of old wood above. It was lovely—it was irrefutable as that—but it was not home.Other than her, Adrian shifted. His heavy lashes brushed over pale cheeks, and his eyes opening created a moment of disorientation in their depths. She touched him with a light kiss on the temple."You're safe," she whispered.His lips curled into a parched smile. "I know. But somehow it still feels as though I'm dreaming I was trying
Love's Healing Touch Chapter 38 – The Road Home
The morning air was fresh with the scent of dew and wildflowers that clung to Elara's cloak as she emerged to saddle the old mare. Adrian stood in the doorway, his gaze scanning the horizon where the ridges of the mountains blended into the road that led off far out into the village.Years since he'd been in the city. Years since he'd drawn its air, walked its crowded streets, or spoken aloud the name of his family. But now, the thought of returning didn't make his stomach turn to acid. It made his heart beat faster—but not out of fear.With resolve.Elara shifted, brushing hair from her forehead. "She's ready."Adrian descended, shaking his coat around himself. "You are?"A faint smile quivered on her lips. "Only if you are."They mounted the horse and rode together, side by side, the little cottage they'd, over years, made something more than home. It was home—a haven. Beyond them, the wood became less dense, showing wider paths, open fields, and the muffled rumble of encroaching ci
Love's Healing Touch Chapter 37 – Whispers Beneath the Willow
Morning broke in songbird trill—soft and entrancing, as if the woods themselves sang a living cradle song full of spring. Adrian slowly awakened, caught in the heat of Elara's blankets and the gentle cadence of her breathing against him. The light streamed through the lacy curtains, illuminating golden filigree on wooden walls. He didn't recall falling asleep. Only the stillness of her arms. The weight of her hand upon his heart.He rotated slowly, not wanting to disturb her. Elara was on her side, hair a matted halo around the pillow. Her face was serene, lips parted slightly, a tiny crease between her brows as though dreaming of something difficult.Adrian paused, then leaned in to smooth that crease out with his thumb. Her eyes flew wide at the touch. She blinked once, slowly, and smiled in a small, intimate manner."Morning," she whispered."Hey," he whispered. "You okay?"She nodded, stretching up like a cat. "Mmm. Just. a little sore."Adrian flushed, moving over to the window.
Love's Healing Touch Chapter 36 – Tangled in Quiet Things
The sun came up in the morning, rising quietly into the cottage, pushing softly between the curtains as a quiet guest. Its warmth brushed softly in gold upon the wood floorboards and rested upon the two forms that were curled up on the couch—Adrian's arm around Elara's shoulder, her head resting lightly upon his chest. The fire had died down by evening, but the heat between them was an unspoken promise that neither of them was yet courageous enough to voice.Adrian went first. He blinked up at the ceiling, stunned at the quiet emptiness in his chest. The familiar pull of fear, of regret, was somehow absent. All that lingered was the soft sound of Elara's breathing, and the faint scent of herbs and old books that clung to her like a second cloak.His arm locked around her a bit involuntarily, and Elara moved, her eyelashes flicking up as she looked up at him."Morning," she answered, voice still husky from sleep."Morning," he answered, his deep voice a bit gritty.They didn't budge.E
Love's Healing Touch Chapter 35 – The Unraveling
The following morning broke with a different radiance that neither Adrian nor Elara expected. The sky, washed bright by the rains of the previous days, burst into a stunning boundless expanse of pure blue. The light poured over fields and rooftops, turning raindrops left on branches into little stars. The forest sparkled like a phoenix.Elara leaned against the railing of her tiny garden, arms crossed over her chest, blowing back behind her on the wind. Adrian stood on the porch, watching as the sun fell over her hair and the rise and fall of her shoulders with each slow breath."Do you ever wonder what comes next?" he burst out suddenly, stepping off onto grass.Elara turned, eyebrows raised a little. "After what,Quiet. This place. Us."The word us fell between them, as gentle as dew. Elara waited before she said anything."I thought there was nothing after that. That this was all. All that was left. And then. now you appeared. And now I do not know. I think that is better."Adrian
Love's Healing Touch Chapter 34 – The Space Between Heartbeats
The next day dawned dark and quiet, the rain falling to a wispy mist that clung to cottage windows like a shroud. Elara was the first to awaken, waking to a squint through gray light as embers of the fire still flickered in the hearth. She strained to rise from the couch, the frayed blanket slithering down off of her shoulders, and gazed down at Adrian—out cold on the mat at her feet, his hand wedged under his head. She rose and regarded him for a very, very long time.He had slept younger. His angles softer. The peaks of his mourning, that he had worn hard, now softened themselves down to almost gentleness. Eyelashes on his cheekbones made a dark haven, and there was the rumpled tangled clump of black hair in this pillow on which his head lay last night.Elara moved quietly, not to wake him, when she moved quietly into the alcove kitchen and poured water from the kettle. The old stove creaked and spat with a patch of fire flame when Elara lit it. Raindrop and bird sang floated on bra
Love's Healing Touch Chapter 33 – A Gentle Storm
The sky was a dull grey when Adrian and Elara returned through the forest. Rain had not yet started to fall, but the wind was full of its scent—fresh, heavy, and unavoidable. There wasn't much to say on the way back. There wasn't any need for words. There was this growing sense of understanding between them, growing with every step they shared.Adrian walked a little closer now, not as guarded. His hand would occasionally brush against Elara's as they picked their way along the narrow trail between trees and roots. Every touch sent a shiver racing up her spine, but she said nothing, not wanting to break the spell of silence.It was raining by the time they reached the edge of Elara's cottage.“I’ll start a fire,” she said, pushing open the wooden door with her shoulder.Adrian hesitated for a second before stepping inside. Each time he entered this little home, it felt more like a place that belonged to him too. Not just her refuge—but theirs.Elara's pets woke up in the background, t
Love's Healing Touch Chapter 32 – The Pursuit Beneath Moonlight
The shadows wrapped around them like a cloak as Adrian and Elara fled from the narrow street of the village, hearts pounding and lungs aflame. The moon far above in the sky cast silver light upon the trees, turning every branch and leaf into something otherworldly.Adrian's grip around Elara's wrist was fierce, his body heat holding her in place as fear seemed to try and take root. Behind them, the soft footsteps echoed through the air, whoever had been following behind didn't want to be noticed but weren't novice. "Don't turn around," Adrian was barely audible. "Back away.".Elara did not need to be persuaded. She had managed to catch the danger still lingering near in the air, like threads of smoke clinging to flesh. Whoever the darkness was, it had not arrived with mercy.They ran until lungs burned on a hacking gasp of air and quivering legs buckled, until curving, twisted slate roofs of the village vanished behind trees and enfolding stillness of the forest spread out before the
