Page 45 of The Forgotten Life of Ella Moon
“Too high for who?Youor me?”Shepushed.Shefelt his unspoken words.
“For you,”Thanespat out. “Doyou know what my father will do to you?”
“Yes, he will give me the name of the mortalIneed to…”Shestopped herself from saying the rest.Aheartbreak only death can cause.
“You will need to what?”Thanedemanded.
Aurora bit her bottom lip. “It’sone mortal,Thane.”Shelooked to the large doors that opened to hisMidnightGarden.Thesweet fragrance of the night jasmine blew in. “Tobreak the curse, one heart must be broken.”
“Then why involve my father?Mortalsfall in love with gods all the time.I’llpick one, a male, make him fall in love with me, then break his heart.Simple.”
Aurora said nothing.IfThanewas busy seducing a mortal, he wouldn’t notice that she had slipped off. “Right.”Itwasn’t a lie to agree with him.
Thane turned to her, his eyes bright. “Exceptit’s not that easy, is it?Aurora, how must that heart be broken?”
She looked at him. “Death.”
“No,”Thaneyelled, causingAurorato jump. “Iwill not let you do this.Deathof a mortal will weigh too heavily on you.Youwere not made to bear that weight.”
“ButImust endure the weight of marriage?” she yelled back.Thishad gone on too long.Shegrew tired of playing the games created by the gods.Hel’steeth, she was a god.Sheshouldn’t be losing at games she created, and not because of a simple mortal. “Doyou think that is a weightIwant to bear?”
Thane turned back to the whiskey and filled the glass.Thetension radiated off his back. “Iknow of the proposal.Yourmother told me it would be a good match.”
“Then let my mother marry him.Sheseems so enamored with him.”Whydid everyone seem to think they knew what was best for her?
“Could you not learn to love him?Toforget me?”Thanelooked over his shoulder at her.
“Is that what you want?”Hewas turned away from her, but he could not hide the fear that tumbled from him and landed at her feet.Ittwisted and tangled with her own.
“Yes.Iwant you to be happy.”
His words didn’t match the emotions that hit her.Hispain raced up her legs and into her chest.Itfelt as if her heart were being ripped out. “Youdon’t mean that.”
“Yes,Ido.”
“Then why the pain?Ican feel it as it splinters my ribs.Itsits like poison on my tongue.”
“You misread it.Thepain is from knowing what must be done.Whatwe must do.”Thaneturned to face her. “Ican’t keep doing this.Notto you.Notto me.Yourheartbreak sits heavy on me.It’sworse than any pain my father can inflict.Yourheartache makes my whiskey sour and my food bitter.”
“Oh, how dreadful for you.Itis not my curse, and yetIsuffer the same consequence as you.”Hervision swam with tears.Shedid not want to cry for him.Again.Thecurse was not her fault.Hehad been the one careless with his love, not her.Shehadn’t given her love to anyone beforeThane.Buthe had let another believe he loved her.
“It would be a good match.”
“Take it back,”Aurorawhispered.
“No.”
“Thane.Takeit back,”Aurorathreatened.
“No!” he shouted at her. “It’sbeen too long,Aurora.Igrow tired of waiting for you to forgive.Igrow tired of all of this.”
“And of me?Haveyou grown tired of me?”Auroracould feel the tears burning.
He turned away from her. “Yes.”
“Look at me and say that,” she cried.Theroom still,Manereseemed to hold its breath waiting for him to answer. “Ohgods, it’s happening.”Theheartbreak.Normallythey’d have a respite from the curse.Atime to repair themselves. “Whyso soon?”Theywere already trying to wound each other.Shewished there would be some sort of warning when the curse was at work, something to show her this was not them.
Thane groaned, rushing to her. “Dove, forgive me.”Thanecupped her face between his hands. “Godsbelow, forgive me.”Hepressed his forehead to hers. “Icould never grow tired of you.”
