Page 147 of Lucky In Love

“What is the favor?” Spritz folded his muscular arms across his chest.

“I want you to take away Angela’s curse. She’s been punished for over three hundred years.” Byron shook his upheld palms, indicating he was not done when it appeared Amber was about to interject. “Set her free. Curse me instead.”

Angela gasped loudly. “No! He doesn’t understand what he’s saying.”

Only then did Byron turn around to her, gripping her upper arms. “I know time for you to be alive again. To venture into the world, not hang on some building guarding it from evil spirits. Let me take your burden and set you free,” he looked into her amber eyes, pleading silently.

“No,” she repeated. “You can’t.”

“Yes. Yesterday, I went to the bank and my lawyer. My house and bank account are in your name. It’s yours. I want you to live in the world. Taste the foods we didn’t get to try together. Do the things you’ve seen but could never do.” Byron squeezed her arms tighter.

“That’s very generous,” Gem was impressed.

“What about you?” Angela breathed shallowly.

“There is nothing for me except you, and we can’t be together, as you said. So, I’d rather live with you having your freedom than to stare at you in your stone form, alone.” Byron ran his hands up and down her arms.

“I don’t think you realize what you are asking,” Ruune tried to reason. “Your curse wouldn’t end, and you’d be condemned to be a stone statue. It’s not an easy way to become immortal.”

“I’m not doing it for immortality. I’m doing it because I want Angela to be free,” Byron dropped Angela’s arms and turned back to Ruune. “What has Angela done that she’s been cursed? She prayed to you, and asked you for help, not for herself but for her family,” Byron’s voice continued to rise. “I’m not doing this for a chance to live longer than a human. I’m doing this for her, to give her a chance at a full life cut short long ago.” His voice softened. “In these past few days, I’ve been excited about her seeing, doing and eating everything this world offers. I can’t take that away from her now. Nothing in my life is worth as much to me as giving her this chance.” Byron sighed, lowering his hands to an open pleading gesture. “Please. Grant me this favor and let this be my act of kindness.”

Ruune rubbed his chin in contemplation. “Done.”

Angela almost crumbled at his feet. “Why would you do this?”

Her wings evaporated and appeared on Byron.

“You are released from your curse, Angela Murray, of the sea settlement. Your burden goes to Byron James of the new world.”

Angela closed the distance between Byron and herself. “No? Why would you do this for me?” Tears began to stream down her face.

Byron didn’t answer her question. Instead, he turned back to Ruune. “Thank you.”

“We have instilled everything you need in your mind. It will be like second nature to you,” Ruune stepped back, and all four fairies were gone.

Byron realized they were back outside the fairy ring. He also felt a tingling go through his body. “The sun is about to rise. It is time I took you home.”

She was shattered, collapsing against him, crying on his shoulder.

He wrapped his new-found wings around her and whisked her to his home. He held on to her as she cried.

“Why? Why would you do this for me?” she kept repeating in a hushed, broken tone of voice.

Pushing her back, he looked down at her, then gently kissed her lips. “Because, Angela, I want you to be happy.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to give you a chance at life.”

“Why?” Her voice was now a whisper.

“Because. I love you.” She looked up in surprise, but he was no longer there. Instead, he was a brown stone gargoyle at her feet.

Chapter Fourteen

Angela wasn’t sure what to do. She had learned a lot of things during their time when she was able to visit. Byron made her a part of the world. He cooked for her and ordered pizza, allowing her to try food that was so foreign to her. He showed her innovations she’d only heard whispered about from her lofty existence.

Now, she was truly in the world, and she had no guidance. She wanted to be here with him. Instead, he was the masonry statue.

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