Page 48 of The Forgotten Life of Ella Moon
“Silver, ack.”Thewoman shook her head, ambling back to the baskets, trays, and trunks that had taken overThane’sroom. “Goldwill look better with your coloring.”
Aurora looked at her gold-tipped fingers.Goldwas the color of the heavens and made for wishing. “Idon’t like gold.”
“It’s the color of the gods.Allgods.Thoseof the underworld are always hungry for more.”Theseamstress started packing up the samples. “Anythingelse, miss?”
Aurora looked at the pile of fabric and the sketches.Shehad ordered four lightweight day dresses, two formal gowns, and a riding habit.Mostof it would go unworn if she didn’t break the curse. “No, that will be it for now.Howlong?”
“Not long.Ifthere is nothing else,Ishall be on my way.”
“No, nothing else.Andsilver thread.”Auroradismissed the woman.
The old woman clicked her tongue as she snapped her fingers, and the room emptied of all her things. “Asyou wish.”Shebowed before another snap of her fingers, and then she vanished.
Aurora finished dressing in her least heavenly-looking gown.Ablack gossamer over a dark gray silk.Itwas still soft and feminine-looking, but at least it wasn’t pink.Sheleft her hair down after the womanThanehad sent to help her get ready had complained she was not a lady’s maid.Thewoman sulked in the corner afterAurorathreatened to wish her into a frog.Alarge cat would have done a better job at combingAurora’shair than the dead woman. “Youare dismissed,”Aurorasaid to the reflection.
The dead woman huffed as she strutted out of the room.Othershadows scurried around the doorway, whispering and hissing.Manerewould be a beautiful place if it weren’t for all the dead that sulked around.
Manere was where souls who made a deal withDeathserved out their time.Therewas a price for the giftsDeathbestowed on the mortals.Theirsoul.Unlikethe underworld, where the dead could live an entire life, here they lived a life of servitude.ItwasThane’sduty to collect those debts when the time came.Nowonder he pouted so much.Shetook one last look at herself before heading off to her morning meal.Hopefullythat had improved since the last time she was here.
She walked down the halls that were missing walls and were open to the vast field of lavender that surrounded most of the palace.Shepaused at the largest of the openings, watching the sky turn from lilac to a dark indigo as the moon rose.Thesky never got brighter than a washed-out lavender.
In the dining room, a table had been set up.Thisone room was for more intimate dinners, if one considered seventy-five people intimate.NotthatThaneever entertained.Thisroom, one of few, had a nearly finished roof and beautiful stained-glass windows.Butlike everything else, the ceiling was a half-painted body of water.Whenthe moon hit it just right, it seemed to shimmer.Thefloor was a patchwork of stone and an unfinished mosaic.Blackand silver tiles were supposed to make up the night sky, but only a few constellations had been finished.Therest was uneven stone.
She sat down, looking at the unappealing, sickly-looking meal that had been laid out for her.Eventhe tea was a pale gray.Theother setting was not forThane.Hehad left their bed just as the sun set in the mortal world.Theyhadn’t spoken any more about the curse or about asking his father to make a deal with her.She’dhave to do it herself.
Thane would leaveCadelto watch over her and make sure she didn’t do something as stupid as to try to summonDeathherself.Whichshe couldn’t do, because she had tried.Death, like her father, could not just be summoned on a whim.Andsince she couldn’t die, she’d have to give him a reason to come to her.
“Well,Iknow why ourRoyalHighnesswas in such a foul mood this evening.”Cadelwalked into the dining room.
“How nice it is to see you too,Cadel.”Thedead man had been withThanefor as long asAuroracould remember.Hehad been the first soulThanehad reaped.Shewondered whatCadelhad traded his soul for that equaled an eternity inThane’sservitude.Mostsouls did their time, then passed on to the underworld.Thatwas the only place the dead went.Notto her father’s realm, like mortals believed.
“Is it?”Thedead man sat down at the table, frowning at the food.
“Does he really make you call him that?”Aurorapushed the jar of pale spread towards him.Ithad the consistency of jelly but tasted almost like butter. “Iwould’ve thoughtThanewould have reaped the soul of a better cook by now.”
“If you don’t like the food,Ihear it’s much better in the heavens.”Cadelsniffed the jar. “Andonly when he’s pissy.”
“The food is better.”Sheshrugged.SheandCadelhad formed a careful friendship.Hedidn’t trust her, and she didn’t like mortals. “Wouldyou like me to bring you some?”
Cadel smiled. “Yes, please.Itis good to see you,YourHighness.”
“I’m not as vain asThane.Youcan call mePrincess,” she teased.Mortalsloved titles. “Andwhy wasThanein such a foul mood?Iwould have thought him too tired to bepissyabout anything.”
“That’s why.”Cadelsat back in his chair. “NotthatI’mnot happy to see you,Princess.Butwe both know how this will end.”
Aurora pushed her plate away.Cadelalso had to deal with the consequences of the curse. “Iknow.That’swhyIhave come to ask a favor.”
“A god asking a mere mortal for a favor.Hasthe world come to an end?”Cadelreached for the pot of tea in the center of the table.
“Not yet.”Auroraheld her cup for him to pour her more. “IthinkIfound a way to break the curse.”
Cadel poured himself a cup of tea before sitting back down. “Really?IsThane’sfather involved?”
“Why would you ask that?”Auroraplayed with the flatware on the table.Manerewas so different than her father’s kingdom.Thane’sstaff was made up of the souls of dead mortals.Theirsad faces watched from the shadows.Therewere no dead mortals in her father’s staff.Therewere lesser gods, some whose names had been forgotten.Andstars.Theyglimmered and sparkled in the bright warm light.Thestars were there because they wanted to be.Theywere the lovers of her father or one of the other gods that made the heavens their homes.Thane’sservants were there because they made a deal withDeath.
“Thane warned me,”Cadelsaid, sipping his tea. “Andeven ifIwanted to,Icannot summonDeath.”
“Yes,Iknow.”Auroralifted her cup. “Butyou know where he is, correct?”
