Page 75 of The Cursed Chalice

I shake my head. “Talia, I love you.”

“She must die.”

“She has to die.” She stands and pulls me to the edge of the painting. Darkness swirls around me.

“Talia, I will fix this.” I feel desperate.

Talia steps away from me and stands on the edge of darkness.

“If she doesn’t die, then I guess I will have to.” With that, she throws herself down into the darkness.

“Talia, no!” With arms outstretched, I dive into the darkness.

SORAYA

I am awakened by Ares murmuring in a language that I can’t understand. I roll over to touch his shoulder.

He sits up, screaming, “Talia!”

I lean over to my side and switch the light on. Ares’s chest is heaving. He looks around the room, trying to find his bearings.

“Ares.” I touch his shoulder lightly. He pulls away and walks into the bathroom.

For a while, I sit at the side of the bed, trying my best not to make assumptions. I mean, hearing the man you’re about to marry scream another woman’s name on the day of your wedding is not for the weak. I am not going to jump to conclusions, and I can’t be hurt. We are not getting married for love; it’s more for my protection.

I rub my forehead.Then why do I feel so…sad?

The bathroom opens, and Ares walks out, sits beside me on the bed.

“You okay?” I want to touch him again, but…

He takes my hand in his. “Yes, I just had a nightmare.”

Don’t ask who Talia is, don’t ask…“Who’s Talia?”

Ares looks down at my hand and folds his lips, like he is debating whether to tell me. “Someone I loved years ago, and she died.”

My heart drops. “I am so sorry.”

“Yeah, I am too.”

Was she his first love? Where did they meet? How did she die? As I sit looking at Ares, I realize I am about to marry a man that I know nothing about.

What does he do for a living? Where are his parents from? What are their names? Does he have siblings?

My face must have looked startled because he asked, “What?”

I swallow, wondering how to approach this. Because the truth is shining in my face. This is not a love match. We like having sex together…but love?

“Where are you from? What’s your favorite color? Who was the last person you had sex with?”

He looks at me and smiles. “Why the sudden interest?”

“Because in a few hours, I am about to walk down the aisle, and I would like to know more about you.”

I wait for him to huff and shout; that’s what Elias would’ve done, especially if he didn’t want to answer.

He takes my legs and places them on his lap. “Let’s see. Greece, black, Cherry, siblings…two and some other children my dad had outside.”