Page 51 of The Forgotten Life of Ella Moon
Sorrow pouted before turning toAurora. “Sowhat is it you want?”
Aurora waited to hear the door close before speaking. “Ineed to speak with your husband.”
“Why?”Sorrowmotioned for drinks to be brought. “Iam out of moonbeam wine.Ihave dew if you’d like that.”
“I’m fine.”Aurorawaved off the offer.Thiswasn’t a social call.
“Oh please,Iwill not drink alone.Ifyou don’t like dew,Ihave lightning or”—Sorrowsquinted at the bottles on the table—“or the wretched whiskeyThanelikes to drink.Justtoday he… oh, what does it matter?”
“Whiskey is fine.”Itwas the safest bet.Lightningburned her throat and made her head feel too light too quickly.Anddew tasted like pine needles.
“Of course.”Sorrowmotioned for the whiskey to be brought over. “Whynot just askThaneto call upon his father?I’veheard you two are together again.Howlong will it be this time, pet?Oneday or ten?Youheavenly gods are never happy unless you are torturing my poor son.”
Aurora was pretty sure she was the only heavenly god that wastorturingThane.Andhe liked it most of the time. “It’sonly me doing the torturing, and he seems to enjoy it.Infact he comes back for it at least three, sometimes four times a night.”Theunderworld gods weren’t the only ones who could cut with their words.
Sorrow scoffed. “Sucha sharp tongue for a god who frolics with the stars.Itwill take me days to get rid of that stupid dust.”Sorrowlooked over at the chairThanemust have sat on.
“Yes,I’msure it will.”Justas it would takeThanea lifetime to get it out of his blood.Aurorajust smiled and played the god everyone saw her as.Prettyand sweet.Auroracould smell the thick electric scent of the lightning inSorrow’sgoblet.
Sorrow smiled. “Thanedoesn’t know you are here, does he?”
“No.AndIwould like to keep it that way.”
“You would ask me to lie to my only son?”Sorrowsulked, causing more tears to fall, which turned into more little white flowers as they slipped downSorrow’ssad face.
“I think we both know that is best.Deathis not always kind to his son.”Notthat her father showed much more affection.Butthey didn’t fight until she bled on his golden tiles, nor did he leave bruises on her skin.Hewas never cruel to her.Well, he did want to force her to marrySky, but he never was physically cruel to her.Deathdelighted in hurtingThane.
“I should wish for that.ThatDeathwould love his son.”Sorrowsniffed, the tears still falling.Thewhite flowers tumbled over each other.
“IfIcould,Iwould grant that wish.”Lovewas not something even gods could wish for.
“At least sit.”Sorrowmotioned to the chair across from her. “Andtell me why you desire to speak to my husband.Heis a very busy god.Andnot one to be summoned by a god of your making.”
Aurora sat, crushing a flower under her slipper. “Iwish to make a deal with him.”
“What kind of deal?”Sorrowbrushed the white flowers from her lap.
Aurora cocked her head, wondering ifThanehad not told his mother everything. “Iwant to breakThane’scurse.”
“What?”Sorrowasked. “Imean, how do you intend to do that?”Sherecovered her composure quickly.
Thane had not told her the reason why.Nowtwo gods would tellDeathshe was looking for him. “ByaskingDeath.Heis the only one who can break the curse.”
“How do you know this?”Sorrowraised a pale brow.
“The curse itself saystill death do his part.”Auroraleft out where she got this information.Sorrowwas just as likely asThaneto discredit the source.
“So who must die?You?Pleasesay it’s you.”Aslight smile crossedSorrow’spale lips.
“A mortal.”Sorrowhad no love for mortals.Deathwas always running to them and producing horrible offspring likeDeceptionandDread.
“He did not tell me that.”Sorrowpressed a pale hand to her neck. “Thisis all your fault.Ifhe had just marriedPain, he wouldn’t be cursed.Soyou should be the one to suffer the consequences, not him.”Sorrowtook a sip from her goblet.
Aurora could feel the white flowers pushing against her ankles.Shewanted to remindSorrowthatThanewas the one who brokePain’sheart, not her.AndthatSorrowshould have done more to protect him fromFate.AndThaneshould not have given his love away so freely. “Yes,Isupposed you would see it that way.Sowill you help me?”
“If you break the curse, then what?YouthinkIwill just let him marry you?Thaneneeds a wife who is an equal.Onewho understands the duty to his realm.”
Aurora rolled her eyes.Thiswas the same argument her father had used againstThane. “Andhow would being married to me stop that?”
