Page 60 of The Forgotten Life of Ella Moon
Aurora smiled; an odd excitement filled her.Thedoor opened without so much as a turn of the knob.Everythingslowed, and yet everything happened so quickly.Oneminute she was at the foot of the stairs, the next she was at the top of them.
The heartbeats of the children who slept in the room to her left filled her ears.Theman she was looking for was in the room at the end of the hall.
The sound of furniture scraping on the wood floor raked across her sensitive ears.Auroratook a deep breath, closing her eyes.Mr.Tankenbury’ssoul sang to her, and how she would reap it was no longer a fear.
The door flung open, and the candles were snubbed out.Thefire in the fireplace flashed before smoldering out.Aurorasaw the room with her new sight.Theopulent furnishings glowed with the smudge ofDeath.Sodid the man sitting on the bed next to a woman crying.
“I need more time,” the man said.
Aurora shook her head.Hissoul glowed white, and the lifelines that held it in sparkled.Theshadows took the form of the beasts that lived inThane’scastle.Theirclawed hands thrashed out at the man.
“Please, you can take anything you would like.Ihave gold, diamonds, rubies.Anythingyou want.Please, just give me more time,”Mr.Tankenburypled.
Aurora opened her mouth; words she didn’t know formed. “Youhave given your soul for my lord to keep.Nowlie down to sleep, for your soul,Ishall reap.”Theglimmering cords that held in his life dimmed and darkened.Mr.Tankenburyclutched his chest.Theglow of his soul pushed against his skin.Hefell from the bed, crying out in pain, clawing at his nightshirt.
His soul moved up his throat and came out in one final breath.Thewoman on the bed flung herself on the floor, clutching her husband.Mr.Tankenbury’slips were red with blood as he collapsed onto the floor.
The soul sat inAurora’shand, and she could feel every one of his emotions.Hishopes and his fears.Hisfear and grief were the hardest to deal with.Theshadow ofMr.Tankenburystood next to her, waiting for her to do something.Auroratook a deep breath, inhaling the soul, andMr.Tankenbury’sshadow joined the others.
It was done.Thewoman was sobbing over her husband’s body.Thesurrounding shadows held tight to the man who tried to comfort her.Butevery time he tried to touch his wife, his hand turned to smoke.
She staggered down the hall.Herchest burned, as the man’s soul fought against her.Sheburst out the front door, falling to her knees.Herbody tried to expel the soul that didn’t belong.
“Breathe.”Cadelknelt by her side. “Inthrough your nose and out your mouth.”
The newly made widow’s cries filled the air.Thenthe children joined in.Thepain and suffering that filled the house and the space around it filledAurora.Aheart breaking, just not the right one.
“We need to leave.”Cadelpulled her to her feet and into the space of theBetween.
She wanted to go home and lie down.Theweight of one soul was heavy and made her tired.Buther body sang for the next one.Andso, they landed.Thistime in a city on the river that burned with lights and souls to be collected.
The soul of youngMs.Evawaited by the river.Theyoung woman sobbed into her handkerchief.Auroraapproached, hoping this one wouldn’t hurt as bad.
“What took you so long?”Evawhispered. “Ihave been waiting days for you.”
Aurora cocked her head. “You’renot afraid?”
Eva turned. “Ithought you would be horrible to look upon.Iwould not have thought death to be so beautiful.Andno,Iam not afraid.”
The girl’s sadness brushed againstAurora.Notbecause she was about to die. “Yourheart is broken.”Deathhad already broken her heart when he tookEva’slove.
Eva nodded, looking down at the tear-stained cloth in her hands. “Itraded my soul for time.Iwanted more time withJoshua.Deathgave me the time, not withJoshua.It’sbeen so long, andIstill miss him.Doyou think he will remember me?”
“Time is different in the underworld.Yearspass like hours.”Auroradidn’t have the heart to tell the girl it would be some time before she would see him again. “Areyou ready?”
Eva took a deep breath and nodded. “DoIlie down or something?”
“You can.Itmatters not to me.”Thissoul was different.Therewas no fear, only hope and love.Thegirl lay down, crossing her hands over her chest and her eyes.Aurorastood over her like a priest giving final rites. “Youhave given your soul for my lord to keep.Nowlie down to sleep, for your soul,Ishall reap.”
Eva let out one final breath before her lifelines dimmed and her soul slipped from her body.Aurorainhaled it just as she did the other.Herhead throbbed, and her chest pushed against her ribs.Shestaggered under the weight of both souls.
Cadel guided her away from the river andEva’sbody. “Onemore.”
Aurora looked at the sky.Thedawn was just on the horizon.Cadelreminded her she must be back inManerebefore the sun rose or time would catch up with her. “Wemust hurry.”
CHAPTER29
AURORA
