Page 11 of The Forgotten Life of Ella Moon
CHAPTER6
ELLA
Ella carried the tray up the dimly lit stairs.Thenarrow hall smelled of tallow candles and stale bodies.Thethreadbare rug desperately needed a good airing out.ButLillianhad said it wasn’t worth the time it took to wrestle the large runner down the stairs.Especiallysince the inn would be closed in a few months.Downthe hallEllacould hearClaraandMr.Crawfordarguing over the soiled bedding and a bottle of wine.
The door to room six was closed.Shestood there, not sure if she should knock or just leave the tray.Shewas about to set the tray down when the door opened.
“Ms.Moon.”Thanesmiled.
Ella paused, taking in the sight of him.Hisdark hair, damp and curled at the base of his neck.Hissilk shirt hung open, revealing thatThaneTenebriswas not soft around the middle.Andthat familiar scent surrounded both of them.Avision flashed before her.
A room with walls the color of gold.Aceiling painted like a sunrise.Awoman with silver hair who sat at a table.Sherealized the room was the one she had described toWilliam.Ellaheld her breath, afraid if she moved, she’d lose the thought.Butas quickly as it came, it left. “Dammit.”
“Ella.”Thanetook the tray and set it down. “What’swrong?”
She swallowed down the sadness that filled her. “Myapologies.”Shelooked at him, wishing whatever it was about him would reveal itself. “I… um…I’msorry.Ineed a moment.”Thevision had left her breathless and exhausted.
“Come here.”Thanereached for her.Whenhis hand grabbed hers, the vision was back.Shecould almost feel the warmth of the room, hear the faceless woman with silver hair speaking to her.
“Wait.”Shegrabbed his wrist, trying desperately to hold on to the thin thread of gold that connected her to the memory.Thiswas where she belonged.Sheknew it.Theold life she so desperately wanted to catch. “Ijust need a little more.”
“Ella, please.”Thanetook her hand.
But the vision faded.Shelooked up atThane, searching his pale eyes and the sharp cut of his cheeks for anything that seemed familiar.Anythingthat would make this make sense.Butevery time she came close to an answer, her mind slammed the door, leaving her in the dark.
“Are you sureIdon’t know you?”Sheprayed to whatever god was listening that he would say yes.Butas he pulled away and pity marred his handsome face, she knew the truth. “Ofcourse you don’t.Thatwas silly of me.”Shetook a deep breath, hoping to clear her already frayed nerves.
“You really remember nothing?”Thaneasked, his voice nothing more than a whisper.
“No.”Once, she believed her dreams meant something.Butdreams could be twisted and changed by something as simple as a bad piece of meat. “AndI’mstarting to doubtIever will.”
“How long has it been?”
“It will be a year at theMoonFestival.”Ellaput some space between her andThane.
“That long?”Thanewalked over to the window, then pulled back the curtains, letting the last rays of the setting sun filter in. “Whatis it like not remembering anything?Notremembering your name, the people who loved you?”
If his voice weren’t laced with sadness, she’d think he was mocking her. “It’slike walking into a room and knowing what everything is but not remembering ever sitting at a table or eating with a fork.Youknow how to braid your hair but not who taught you.Youknow things without understanding why.Ithink that is the most frustrating part.It’slike someone has cut my strings and now my tapestry is unraveling faster thanIcan repair it.”Shelaughed at herself.Nowshe sounded likeSissy.
“That’sFate’sfault.”Thaneuncorked the whiskey.
“What?”
“Fate.Isn’the the god that weaves our lives?”
“Yes,Isuppose so.”Asthe sun sank behind the mountain,EllaknewWilliamwould be done with work at the mill.Hehad wanted her to join him and his parents for dinner.Hewanted to show her how good their life could be.ButEllawasn’t in the mood to see her future play out in a simple meal of rabbit stew and watered-down wine.Soshe had sent word with the stable boy that she was too tired.
“For what it’s worth,Ican understand what you are feeling.Iunderstand what it feels like to be on the other side.”Thaneturned to face her. “Constantlysearching the faces of everyone around you, hoping to find the one you lost.Prayingto whatever god will listen that she’ll come back.”Thanetook a sip of his whiskey.
“How long have you been looking for her?”
“Not long.Butlong enough.Ifear that…”Thanesighed, looking into his drink. “Thatshe has forgotten that she loves me.”
“Love cannot be forgotten.”Ellaflinched at her words. “Thatwas silly of me to say.Iobviously have.”
“You’veforgotten love?”Thaneseemed surprised by her words.
She thought for a moment. “No,Iremember love and how it felt but not who loved me.Idon’t know whyIcan’t remember him.Buthe must have loved me.Right?”
