Page 50

Chapter Fifty

C lover placed the plate of shortbread cookies on the dining room table in front of Lina.

“I didn’t put chocolate on them, so they shouldn’t be too sweet.”

The older woman smiled. “It’s kind of you to remember.”

Clover shook her head. “It’s nothing.”

Clover had invited her new friend to visit the week before, but she wasn’t feeling in a very social mood. She wasn’t as upset with Whit as she’d been before talking to Orion, but she still didn’t know what to do about the situation.

It was clear to her that unless she avoided her husband, her desire for him would resurface at some point. What was she supposed to do about it? Denying it would only make her frustrated and resentful.

Orion was right in that she should probably talk to Whit about it, but she still felt too raw and vulnerable from his rejection to bring it up.

She also needed to talk to her family. She’d told Ari she would. But she’d never gone such a long time without checking in with them, and the longer she waited, the harder it felt.

“Something on your mind?” Lina asked gently.

Clover jumped at the question, realizing she’d long since stirred sugar into her tea but just kept going. She glanced up and met Lina’s dark eyes.

The woman had a calm assurance about her. A presence that said she’d seen some things and come out the other side with an understanding few had.

Clover tightened her grip on her teacup. Maybe this stuff with Whit has more to do with us being from different factions than I thought. Lina is a winter witch, and she’s a third-party observer. Maybe she can help.

“Can I ask your advice about something?” Clover inquired softly. “I need an uninvolved perspective.”

Lina sat up straighter in her chair, then dipped her head slowly. “I’ll try my best.”

Clover quirked a smile, but she didn’t feel the emotion. “The truth is”—she dropped her gaze into her tea—“I’m a summer witch.”

She peeked up at Lina through her eyelashes to see her reaction. The woman sat with the same openly listening expression as she had a moment ago.

“I know,” she said. Then she tilted her head. “Did you need a perspective on being a summer witch? Because, as a winter witch, I can’t really help you with that.”

Clover blinked rapidly. “You…don’t mind? How did you know?”

“I wouldn’t be here if it was a problem for me,” she divulged.

Clover nodded. “Right. That makes sense. Well, the problem is…that my husband is a winter sorcerer.”

Lina frowned. “Why is that a problem?”

“Oh, it’s not in and of itself. I don’t mind. But…well, the thing is, we got married without knowing much about each other. That didn’t really bother me because I thought we would get to know each other as we went along. And we have…sort of. But sometimes, I can’t understand him.”

“That’s often the case with married people even if they aren’t from different factions. What don’t you understand?”

Clover pursed her lips. “My husband won’t have sex with me, and I don’t know why.”

Lina’s face flushed. She cleared her throat uncomfortably. “Well, um…you said you don’t know each other well yet, right?”

Clover nodded.

Lina adjusted her shoulders and squirmed a little in her seat. “Winter sorcerers aren’t usually as…free with their intimacy as summer witches are. Perhaps he doesn’t feel close enough to you yet?”

Clover frowned. Could that be it? I thought it might be that first night, but then I thought we’d gotten closer since then. It seemed like he wanted me… Clover’s stomach soured. Was I forcing myself on him the other night, then?

“If you’re worried about it, why not just ask him?” Lina suggested.

Clover nodded slowly. “Yeah, I know I should. I just…feel hurt and embarrassed.”

Lina cleared her throat softly and took a sip of tea.

Clover’s swirling emotions made her unaware of the silence that settled between them.

“And your family?” Lina queried, her tone steadier with the change of topic. “How are they taking your marriage to a winter sorcerer?”

Clover puffed her cheeks as she blew out a breath. “They were surprised for sure. I didn’t tell them I was getting married beforehand because I thought they would try to stop me.”

“Are they so against the winter faction?”

Clover quirked her mouth. “I don’t know. I didn’t think so. I mean, my brother’s anger wasn’t a surprise. He’s always causing trouble. But”—she shook her head—“I was really shocked by how bad my parents took it. My sister told me they just need time, and my friend said I should reach out to them. I just…a lot has changed in such a short amount of time. I don’t regret my decision to marry my husband, but it hasn’t been as easy as I initially thought. If he’s the answer to my prayers—like I believe he is— why is it so hard?”

Lina smiled a knowing smile. “I don’t know about the summer gods, but the winter gods often answer our prayers with challenge and hardship. It may not seem like it now, but when you look back, it will make sense.”

Clover thought about her words, then chuckled. “Wouldn’t that be something? What if the blessing I asked for was answered by a winter god instead of a summer god?”

Lina’s eyes warmed. “Could be. Or perhaps—rather than your husband being the answer to your prayers—you were the answer to his.”

Clover snorted a laugh. It was a nice thought, but she doubted it very much. Whit had been taken aback by her reasons for saying yes to him. If he’d asked the gods for someone like her, he wouldn’t have been so surprised.

As she reached for a shortbread cookie, she thanked her new friend for her advice. She felt much more at ease after talking to her. Asking a winter witch for advice about her winter sorcerer husband had given her an answer she could live with. And the fact that Lina had easily accepted her identity as a summer witch made her feel like everything would work out all right somehow.