Page 62 of The Immortal's One
A happy ending for everyone?
Talk about a great story.
A thought pops into my head. “Did you know about Thane before you were married? The immortality thing, I mean?”
She shakes her head. “No. I didn’t learn the truth until we were already married.”
I frown. “So you didn’t have a choice?”
“Of course I did.” She meets my eyes with a serious expression. “Marriage was not what triggered my change in mortality. Thane told me everything shortly after the wedding, and he gave me the choice about whether or not I wanted to become Immortal.”
She had a choice?
I press for more information. “And how did that go?”
Bella pauses, biting her lip. “It wasn’t easy,” she confesses. “I was raised in the Catholic Church and only believed in one higher power. I thought Thane, Des, and Lome might be demons.”
She laughs, finding her old thoughts funny. But I think they’re reasonable. If I’d been raised in a religious household, I probably would’ve thought they were demons, too.
“What convinced you they weren’t?”
“I lived with the brothers for a few months as Thane’s mortal wife,” she says. “In that time, I witnessed their true character. They are fiercely loyal to one another, and the other Immortals respect them.
“And I realized I loved Thane more than anything else,” she adds with a wistful sigh. “More than my mortal life. I couldn’t imagine not wanting to spend the rest of time by his side. It was an easy decision to make after that.”
In terms of what could influence someone to make such a drastic choice, love is the one motivator that makes the most sense.
“I know Des hasn’t found hisOne,” I say. Bella’s expression tightens just a little. I keep going, not giving her a chance to interrupt, “But what about Lome?”
Bella purses her lips. “Lome is bonded with Eshe.”
I blink, caught off guard.Eshe?That’s the last person I would have guessed. They don’t act like a couple,not even close. If I had to describe their dynamic, I’d call it icy.
“Eshe and Lome are married?”
“Yes.”
My brows furrow. “Not to be nosy… but they don’t seem like a happy couple.”
She sighs. “Lome and Eshe have an understanding. They respect each other… but they are not in love.”
That… sucks.
“So, sheishis soulmate?” I’m unable to stifle my curiosity. “She has the second half of his power?”
“She does.” Bella leans forward and sets her cup next to mine on the table. “Eshe was the firstOnefound. She has lived with the brothers for over a thousand years, much longer than I have. But…” She trails off, shaking her head. “I don’t know the full story of what happened between them, and I don’t ask. It’s not something that’s talked about.”
My mind spins. A thousand years? How does someone agree to a bond like that without love?
Maybe immortality itself is the draw. Itisa pretty irresistible offer, but that makes me feel bad for Lome. He doesn’t strike me as the type who would settle for a cold, distant partner.
“Wait.” I lift my head. My spine straightens. “Did you just say athousandyears?”
“Yes. Lome and Eshe met outside of Alexandria—around the 400s, I believe.”
My breath catches.Ancient Egypt?
Dad would lose his mind if he were here. Ancient civilizations and myths are his passions. He’s always been fascinatedby how different cultures, with no contact between them, shared similar stories about gods, myths, and legends. The existence of Immortals would blow his mind.
