Page 17

CHAPTER 17

ELLA

E lla left William at the split in the road. They had both agreed not to tell anyone about their plans until he could get a ring and ask Mrs . A for her hand in marriage. They’d plan a small wedding, since neither of them had means for anything more. He would take a job as Darby’s carriage driver until he found something better. She’d work for Lillian at least until the summer. They’d live in the servants’ quarters until they could afford a place of their own. It wasn’t the most promising future, but it was theirs.

She walked along the road, enjoying the peacefulness of the night. The shadows raced ahead of her, leaping from spot to spot, dancing outside the bright moonbeams. The sweet scent of dusk surrounded her. It reminded her of someone. Someone who wasn’t meant for her. Thane .

The dark outline of the inn came into view. A light mist filled the air as she made it to the circular drive. Ella was about to cut through the back when she saw a man sitting on the front steps. Had Mrs . A forgotten a late check-in? As she got closer, she recognized the man. It was Thane . She should turn away and leave him. But she never claimed to be the smartest.

“Why are you sitting in the dark?”

“’Cause.” Thane closed one eye and looked up at her. “ Why are you walking in the dark? And can you stop moving? You’re making it hard to focus.”

Ella tried to hide her smile. “ Are you drunk?”

Thane held up one finger, taking a drink from a flask. “ If I say no, will you trust me? I mean, trust me if I say no. Ah , fuck it. What does it matter? I lost.”

She had never seen him so informal. His jacket lay in a heap at his feet. His shirt was unbuttoned a little too far. His hair was too dark. His mouth, too perfect. That was the problem; he was too perfect for her and her simple life. Thane would’ve grown tired of her if not this year, then one of the following. Everything had worked out as it should. “ Come on, let’s get you to bed.”

“Really?” A lazy smile crossed Thane’s mouth. He took another drink. “ Come here. I want to ask you something.”

She would probably regret this, but she did. She sat closer than she wanted to. He smelled like the night and whiskey.

“How rude of me. Here .” He handed her the flask.

Hel’s teeth and all the gods above and below. He looked dangerous sitting in the moonlit night. His hair was a mess. His shirt clung to his lean frame, and his eyes were bright with whiskey. She’d drink dirty dishwater if he asked her. She took a swig, coughing as it burned her throat. “ Shit , how do you drink that?” She coughed again.

“In large quantities?” Thane took the flask, taking another drink. “ She’s my sister. Misery .”

“Your sister?” This changed nothing. She and William would marry.

“Half. She’s my mother’s bastard. See , my mother slept with a man to get back at my father for having my brother.” Thane hiccupped. “ I have another sister named Suffering . They are horrible women. Stay away from them.”

Ella doubted that his sister’s name was Suffering . But she had learned to never argue with a drunk. “ Wow , sounds like a great family.” Ella hadn’t realized she was leaning against his shoulder. “ You’re not going to puke, are you?”

“Maybe. This has never happened to me before. Being drunk in this world, that is.” Thane lifted the flask to his mouth. “ Is it normal for my face to go numb?”

“I think you’ve had enough.” Ella took the flask and stood. “ Come on, let’s go.” She reached for Thane’s hand.

“Why did you leave me?”

His voice, raw with pain, cut her to the bone. “ I had to.”

“I was stupid. I don’t want to wish you away. Every day I wake without you, I feel like… like I’m dying. I miss you so much. Please , just come back. There can be no light without you.”

Ella fought the disappointment she felt. He wasn’t seeing her. He saw the woman who left him. She would forever be in his life. “ Come on, you need to sleep this off.”

“Only if you swear you’ll come back.” Thane stood, swaying a bit. “ I’ll get on my knees and beg if that’s what it takes. I’ll give it all up for you. I need you like the air I breathe. Please , dove, come back.”

Ella let his words skip by, not letting them sink in. As beautiful as his words were, they were spoken in the accent of whiskey. Drunk men would claim anything to get a woman into their bed. Once , a guest told her he was death. Thane was no different, as much as she wanted him to be. He was drunk, and he’d just called his sister Suffering . “ Thane .”

“Aurora.”

Ella recoiled. The name wouldn’t sink in. It floated on top of the water like oil. “ What did you say?”

“Aurora. That’s your name. You are what I have been searching for.”

She shook her head. The whiskey must have affected her more than she thought. Why couldn’t she hold on to the name or words he spoke? They slipped through her fingers like sand. “ I can’t understand what you are saying.” She watched Thane falter, almost as if she had hit him.

“I know.” He hung his head. “ Gods below, I am so fucking sorry.”

She had never wished to be someone else more than right now. “ Come on. It’s late, and you’re drunk.” Ella stepped down. His pain left a bitter taste in her mouth. It felt like her own. “ And I forgive you.”

“You do?” His face lit up with relief, washing away the bitter taste.

“Yes.” She smiled up at him. Her heart raced when he cupped her face. Gods above, he was going to kiss her. And she would let him. She’d let herself believe it was her he was kissing, not the girl whose name she couldn’t remember. He wouldn’t remember it, and she would put it where her memories should be.

Thane lifted his head. “ I think I’m going to be sick.”

Ella jumped back as Thane stumbled away and clung to a tree. She looked up at the stars, cursing them and whoever made whiskey. She heard him stumble back. He looked pale, and his eyes were bright silver.

“I don’t feel good.”

“I suppose not. That will happen when you drink that much. Let’s get you to bed.” She put her arm around his narrow waist and led him into the inn. Thane was not an easy man to maneuver through a dark room. He kicked over a chair. “ Shh .” The last thing she needed was Mrs . A waking up.

“Sorry. But who puts a chair and table here?”

“It’s a dining room,” Ella hissed.

“Oh. Are you sure you’re not…” Thane hiccupped. “ Gods below, why is the room spinning?”

“Because you drank all the whiskey.” Ella grunted under Thane’s weight as she led him to the stairs. She laughed when he missed the first step twice. At this rate, it would be morning before he got to bed. They made it halfway up the stairs before Thane needed a minute to talk himself out of puking again.

“Ella?” Ailith hissed from the bottom of the stairs. “ What in all the gods’ names are you doing?”

“Mr. Tenebris drank too much. I couldn’t leave him passed out on the porch.”

“I suppose not. But be quiet. And don’t you dare let him talk you into staying the night. I do not run that type of establishment.”

Ella rolled her eyes. Like Thane would be able to do anything other than drool on her. “ Don’t worry, Mrs . A . Let’s go, Mr . Tenebris .” Ella took another step. They made it up the stairs, Thane bouncing off the walls in the hallway. She got him into the room and to his bed. Thane fell face-first, groaning. Ella slipped his shoes off and covered him with a blanket. He looked so different lying in the bed. His features seemed softer, innocent almost.

A faded memory pushed against her thoughts. It was like an unfinished painting. The backdrop existed: a bed and a star-filled room. Yet the bed's occupant remained unpainted. But somehow, she knew it to be Thane .

Ella pressed her hands to her brow. Now she knew she was drunk. She hadn’t known Thane before these past three weeks. He mumbled in his sleep, something about the girl. Whatever was happening was just her mind trying to fill in the holes with whatever it could. Thane wasn’t hers to have memories about. He loved a girl whose name Ella couldn’t remember.

And she was such a lucky girl.