Page 43 of The Forgotten Life of Ella Moon
“Those are not for you.Nowstop dallying.Youhave already wasted too much time.”
Aurora stepped into the small cottage.Itwas too warm and smelled of too many dried herbs.Aurorapressed the back of her hand to her nose.
“Ack.Iforget how sensitive you gods are,” the witch complained before opening the small window above a wooden workbench.
A cool breeze brought with it the sounds of the day settling in and preparing for night.ForThane. “Thankyou,”Aurorasaid, careful not to touch anything.Herprints left stardust on everything.Eventhe smallest amount in mortal hands could be dangerous. “Iam told you can break curses.”
“I assume you speak of the curseFateput on your beloved.Thatboy was warned to be more careful.Youyoung gods are such a pain in the arse.Youthink because you are immortal that you can do whatever you wish.Buteven gods have consequences to their actions.Evenone as handsome asDarkness.”Theold woman moved around the cottage with ease.Agehad not found its way into her joints.
“I did not come here for a lecture.Especiallynot from a mortal.”Aurorahad heard it all before.Hermother ranted about how carelessThanehad been.Herfather hoped the curse would force her to move on.Neitherof them seemed to care how much it hurt her to not be with him.Thateach time he broke her heart, she felt like a piece of her was dying. “Ifyou don’t know how to break the?—”
“Oh,Iknow how, child,” the old woman cut in as she put a soot-covered pot on the hook above the fire. “Butare you willing to do it?”
Aurora’s heart raced with what would need to be done. “Iwill not kill him.”
The old woman snorted. “Youthink that is what was meant by death do his part?”
“What else would it mean?”Auroradidn’t hide her annoyance.HowdidThanedeal with these insolent creatures on a daily basis?
“Not his death.Hisfather,Death.”Thewitch rolled her eyes. “Younggods.”
Aurora cocked her head. “Death?Deathdid not make the curse.”
“No, butDeathis one of the keys to breaking it.”
Aurora searched the words of the full curse. “‘Aheart you have broken, now the consequences you shall reap.Abroken heart you shall have till death do his part.’ButIthought that meant…”
“What?ThatDarknesshas to die?Youare immortal.Godscannot die, you twit.”Thewitch clicked her tongue and shook her head. “Beauty, you have.Brains, you do not.Howwould a god die?”
IfAurorawere a spiteful god, she would smite this woman with warts or whatever spiteful gods do. “Idon’t know, hence the curse.It’snot supposed to be easy to break.”Aurorahated that this woman had been able to outsmart her. “Andgods can die,” she snapped. “Mortalscan wish us into nonexistence.”
“Nonexistence is not the same as death, pet.It’sfar more painful.Andyou andDarknessare two gods that will outlive all others.You, a promise of a new day.Andyour beloved, a quiet end to a restless one.ButasDarknesslearned, there are consequences for breaking a heart.Andto break the curse, you will have to break another’s heart.Willyou do it?”
What was one more heartbreak in a life as long as hers andThane’s? “Yes.”Shesaid it before she could change her mind.Beforeshe could think of all the reasons to say no.
“Then let us see whatFatehas in store for you.”Thewitch whispered a few words before she threw a handful of herbs into the fire.Theysparked and smoked, filling the air with the scent of rose and dried moss.
Aurora turned away from the smoke, stepping closer to the door.Whythe woman had askedDeathto give her the power of foresight only after she burnt things was beyondAurora.Whenthe smoke cleared, the old woman stared into the nothingness between her andAurora. “Tellme what you see, witch.”
“It’s a mortal you seek.Onewhose heart you must break.”Thewoman’s voice had changed, and her blue eyes were dark with the powerDeathhad given her. “Butthis cannot be just any broken heart.Itmust be one that only death can cause.”
“Done.”Auroragripped the back of the chair, not caring. “Tellme who, andIwill.”
The old woman laughed. “Soeager to end the life of one of your father’s creations.It’sa mortal who has dreamt of love.Dreamsthat are not his to have.Dreamsof a girl with hair like sunlight and eyes the color of a sea before a storm.”
Aurora pulled back.Thatwas very specific.Howin gods’ names could she find that? “Andwhere willIfind this mortal?”
“Death will know.”
Death was not an easy god to deal with.Hewould not just give up the name.Godsnever did anything without a price. “AndDeathwill want something from me.”Itwas not a question, more a statement. “Whycan’t you tell me where he is?Whatgood are your visions?”
The witch cocked her head, seeing thingsAuroracould not.Asharp smile crossed the old woman’s thin mouth. “Oh, dear child, you are in for much pain.Achoice will need to be made and the price paid.Butto untie the threads thatFatehas woven, one heart will be filled with hate.Andanother will lose her mate.”
“Tell me where he is.Tellme whose heartImust break!”Aurorashouted.Herhead pounded from the smells and noises that were amplified in the small space.Withgods nothing was ever as it seemed, and yet it was.Aparadigm of truths and contradictions.
“By a river swollen with wishes from a god who shouldn’t have spoken them.”Thewitch rocked back and forth, her words tumbling out of her cracked lips.
“What?Ariver swollen with wishes.Dammit, witch, enough with the riddles and rhymes.”
