Page 86 of The Forgotten Life of Ella Moon
And sometimes one another.
So that was how she would handle this.Justa god doing what a god does.Thesewere mortals, flesh and bone, who would die at some point.Shewas actually saving them from suffering.
Aurora nodded to herself, satisfied she had cleared her conscience.
But by the time the carriage pulled up to the inn, that resolution started to waiver.Thecarriage driver opened the door for her. “Waithere.”
The inn was quiet, andAurorawondered how much time had passed.Aurorawandered back to the garden, where she foundSissybent over the vegetables.
“Hello?”Auroracalled.
“Ella!”Sissystood rushing over to her. “Youcame back.”
Relief floodedAuroraasSissyneared.Therewas no need pushing againstAurora’sfingers to snatchSissy’ssoul.
“Where is everyone?”Auroraopened the gate and stepped through it.
“Oh, look at you.”Sissystopped and tookAurorain.
Aurora looked down at the blue dress she had chosen, the oneEllahad picked up. “Yes, look at me.I, um… well,Iguess…”Aurorahadn’t rehearsed this part.Howdid she say goodbye?
“You don’t need to say it.I’mjust glad you came back.Godscan be so cruel.”Sissyturned, picking up the basket she had left on the ground. “Youjust missedClara.She’smet someone.Aboy from theMoonFestival.”
“What boy?”Therewas no wayDeathwould do that.Tryand seduceClarainto giving up her soul.Aurorapaused.Shewould like to see that.ClaraandDeath.Clarawould makeDeathwork for her soul.No!Aurorashouted at herself.ShefollowedSissydown the rows of corn that had started to turn yellow.
“Just a boy.They’vebeen getting close.”
“Close?”Aurorapushed. “Howclose can two people get in a day?”
“A day?”Sissysmiled, looking over her shoulder. “You’vebeen gone for almost two weeks,”Sissysaid as she carried the basket to the water pump. “Theboy is fromGreendale.Hebought her a wish.Youshould see her.”Sissysmiled brightly. “She’sall soft and glowing with the blush of first love.He’san odd boy, two different-colored eyes.Butthey seem happy.”
“Two weeks.Ijust left,”Aurorasaid more to herself thanSissy.Deathcould have convinced the whole village ofRivertonto sell their souls to him.
Sissy pumped some water into the bucket, smiling. “Ourworld moves much faster than yours.Ormaybe yours moves faster than ours.”
“We will get back to that.Butfirst…”Auroraheld up a hand. “DidClarasay that she had to trade anything for that love?”Auroratried to hint.
Sissy cocked her head. “No, that’s not how love works for mortals.”
“You seem to thinkIam something that?—”
“You are not?”Sissyteased as she scrubbed the vegetables she had just picked. “Iknew what you were the momentMrs.Abrought you home.Youreyes gave it away.Sodid your beauty, even if dulled for the mortal eye.Ididn’t figure out which god you were untilMr.Tenebrisshowed up.TenebrisisLatinfor darkness.ThenIknew.YouwereDawn, he,Darkness, and he must’ve broken your heart again,”Sissysaid as if she were tellingAuroraanother one of her stories.
“If you knew then why didn’t you tell me?”
Sissy shrugged. “Itried.Whydo you thinkItold you all those silly stories?”
There wasn’t time to rehash that.Shestill had the issue of why she was really here.
“Lots of things have happened since you left,”Sissysaid, going back to cleaning the vegetables. “BesidesClarafinally finding love, and not with a rich man.Mrs.Ahas found a way to save the inn.”
“How?”AurorawatchedSissy.
“Apparently she had a rich aunt who died and left all her money toMrs.A.”Sissyshrugged. “Wasthat your doing?”
“What?No!Whywould you say that?”Aurorablinked back the tears that burned her eyes.
“It happened the second day of theMoonFestival.ClaraandIthought maybe the money came from you andMr.Tenebris.”
