Page 72 of The Forgotten Life of Ella Moon
“Your love is known even here.Isit not written in the stars?”Theking nodded to the crude painting on the ceiling. “WhatshallIcall you?”
She breathed into the cold night air.Sleeppulled her deeper and deeper. “Youmay call meAurora.”
“Aurora.”Nievesaid the name like he was calling to a lover. “Tellme about him and your love for him.Ishe perfect like you?”
Aurora snorted and rolled over on her back.Shefelt almost drunk she was so tired. “No, he’s not.He’sfar from perfect.He’sbroody.Anass.Hewill not wear anything other than black.Hishair looks like he just stepped from bed.SometimesIwant to strangle him.”Aurorasmiled at the memory ofThaneand that stupid mouth of his. “Buteven with all that,Imiss him so much my bones ache.Idon’t want to stay here.Pleasetell me how to leave.”Auroralooked atNieve.
“And you promise you love him?”Nievesmiled.
“More than the airIbreathe.”
KingNievemoved closer. “Doyou want to hear a story?”
“Yes.”Relieffilled her.Finally, the reason for the curse.
The king moved closer; his forehead almost pressed againstAurora’s. “Oncethere was a handsome prince who fell in love with a beautiful girl.Shewas perfect in every way except she was not a princess, which meant they could never marry.Butthat did not stop the prince, who was selfish and didn’t want to give the girl up, so he lied to her.Hestole her kisses and anything else she’d give to him; he promised they’d be together until his last breath.Butas the dawn chased the darkness away, the prince married another, breaking the girl’s heart.”
Aurora heard the echo of her own life in the story thatNievewhispered into the darkness. “Whathappened to the girl?”
“She became queen of an empty kingdom.Butthat is a story for a different time.Nowclose your eyes for a moment.”Nievepulled the blanket up overAurora’sface.
“But you saidIcouldn’t sleep.”Auroradidn’t fight it anymore.
“You must if the darkness is ever to leave.IpromiseI’llkeep you safe.”
“It’s okay.I’mfine.”Shesnuggled closer to the warm body next to her. “Tellme another story.Butmake this one happy.”Shefought the urge to close her eyes as his voice lulled the ache from her bones.Atsome point sleep pulled her deep in the darkness.Nievewould whisper her name, and she’d have to claw her way back from the heaviness.Butthen moments later, she’d be swallowed by the darkness again.
There her dreams were plagued with icy fingers that pulled at her, with stars that laughed as she tried to catch pieces of nothing that scattered in the snow.
CHAPTER35
AURORA
Aurora woke alone in a cold room.Shepanicked for a moment, remembering she wasn’t supposed to fall asleep.Butshe was still alive.Thethrobbing in her head and the ache in her ribs reminded her of that.Sherubbed her face.Thenight’s events played out in blurry memories.Nieve’svoice always brought her back from the edge of permanent darkness.Inthose cold hours before the dawn,Aurorarealized what she needed to break the curse.Love.Nievewould need to love the queen.
She sat up, startled by the silentGracestanding at the end of the bed.
“Gods above, you frightened me.”Auroragroaned as the rest of her aches caught up with her. “WhereisNieve?”Aurorashivered, pulling the blankets up tighter around her neck.
Grace shrugged her shoulders, pointing to a tray of tea before she pulled back the heavy curtains that covered the windows.Theweak gray light tried to push past the frost that still covered the windows.Aurora, still dressed in wool trousers and a tunic, took her tea to stand by the small fire.Theroom was old and faded.Therugs, once bright colors, had faded to muted grays.Thewallpaper was curled and sagging.Eventhe curtains that surrounded the bed had not been spared from time’s brutal touch.
“Thank you for the tea,”Aurorasaid.Eventhough it was watered down, the warmth spread through her. “Whereis the que—”Aurorastopped. “Nevermind.”Auroraturned away fromGrace, yawning.Whatlittle sleep she had gotten last night had not been restful.Betweenbad dreams, the freezing temperatures, and the king waking her up every so often, she was lucky if she got a couple of hours.
Grace tappedAuroraon the shoulder and pointed to a black dress that had been laid out.
“I don’t want to wear that.”Aurorashook her head.Itwas a black ball gown with lace and beading.
Grace shook her head and pointed to the dress, then to a painting above the fireplace.
The painting portrayed the queen of sleep.Shewore all white and was holding a rabbit.Alush green background had been painted.Itshowed a fairy-tale queen in a fairy-tale kingdom.Buta closer look showed the truth.Thepainting was cracked with time, and the queen’s white dress had turned yellow.Itwas like everything in the castle.Atfirst blush it looked fine, but the closer one got, the more cracks one could see.
“Fine.Let’sget it over with.”AuroraletGracehelp her dress.Theblack gown, with its tight beaded bodice and voluptuous skirts, had gone out of style years ago.Butthe fabric was still crisp and beautiful.Itwas so black it seemed to suck what little color filtered into the gray room.Gracequickly brushed and pinned upAurora’shair.Whenthe older woman was done,Auroralooked like she was ready for a fairy-tale ball, minus the bruises and cut on her lip.Atleast the black thread matched the gown.
As they stepped into the cold hallway, the thin silk sleeves of the dress did little to protect against the cold.GraceledAuroradown the faded hallway.Inthe dim light, the muted colors of the walls and floor mirrored the blustering white mess of snow and ice outside.IfAuroradid somehow break the curse, she’d still need to survive the weather.Andthe guards.
Grace paused outside a large room.Itswarm light slipped out into the hallway.Aurorastepped into a lavish dining hall.Goldtouched every surface, from the chandelier that hung from the gilded ceiling to the cushions on the elaborate chairs.Nothinghad been spared to make this room look and feel decadent.Eventhe queen was dressed in gold.
The queen squealed in excitement asAuroraentered the room. “Iknew it would fit.Itlooks amazing on you.Ithought since you somehow survived the night, we should celebrate with a meal fit for a queen.”QueenSoverushed forward, claspingAurora’shands. “Iso rarely have guests.Come.”
