Tuesday Tales 2022-1-4 Hard

During our recent Winter Birthday Beach Bash, my family spent several days in a cabin on the Atlantic side of Florida. We were right on the beach. No hotels or street lights, just the crashing sea and rising full moon. It was rejuvenating and heavenly and gave me good writing vibes to finish editing the story of Torsten and Lana.

I take this moment to wish you love, joy, good health, and prosperity for 2022. May the blessings of heaven be yours. Happy New Year!

Now it’s time for Tuesday Tales, with authors writing excerpts based on word or picture prompts. The word prompt this week is hard. The snippet is from a Highlander Romance, the story of Tor and Lana. Visit all the talented authors of Tuesday Tales.

Far off thunder rumbled, kindling the horizon. Below them, the sea crashed and roared. He tasted the salty spray once again, as familiar to him as breathing. Even in the dim light Lana’s features seemed to glow. Was she real or a vision he had dreamed? Sometimes he wondered how he had been granted the gift of knowing her.

Her face crumbled. “I can’t leave you.” Words tumbled out through heaving sobs. Tears streaked the roses of her cheeks. She had never looked more beautiful to him as she did now in this moment of honesty and despair.

He gazed deep into her jeweled eyes, steeling himself to help her. “Ye must, Lana.” He cradled her face between his big hands, using his thumbs to wipe her tears.

“You want me to go?” The words tore out of her as if cut with a dirk.

“Nay. Misery bleeds within me like poison. I want you to stay. I want you here with me forever. But ‘tis duty that commands now. ’Tis as you said when you first spoke truth to me of the time and place whence you came. Remember? Before our journey to the Hill of Stanes? You said you had to do it “come hell or high water.” Repair the damaged thread and return it to your own time and place, else death to Clan Gunn and our allies.”

Her eyes were wild. “I could be wrong. It may be less important than Gran said.”

He shook his head gently, nudging her into the truth. “What were her words?”

She sniffled violently. “Sh-she said—a broken thread ne’er to be mended, dreams ne’er to reach the stars, eternal death to Clan Gunn. But I repaired the thread. Maybe the rest isn’t necessary.”

“What did the Guardian of the Stanes tell you? I know she spoke to you that day.”

“Th-that the circle must be complete.” She threw herself against him, clutching violently at his cloak. “Oh, my God, Tor. I have to go back. I don’t want to. I don’t want to. It’s too hard.” Raining kisses against his throat, she urged him to love her.

He covered her lips with his own, making clear his own need. “My soul is with you, Lana. No matter the time or place. Forever are we are bound.” He drew her into the shelter of the cave and onto the cushion of rushes where they had first whispered soft words.

I hope you enjoyed the snippet based on the word prompt hard. Thanks for stopping by. Check out the other authors at Tuesday Tales.

Cheers & Happy Reading!

Flossie Benton Rogers, Conjuring the Magic with Spirited Stories

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