Page 43

CHAPTER 43

AURORA

T he carriage stopped outside the mill. Mr . Garvey came out of the wooden building, drying his hands on a rag. “ If yer lookin’ for Will , he left. Said you’d know where to find him.” Mr . Garvey looked at the carriage. “ That’s a mighty fine carriage, Ms . Ella .”

Aurora could feel Mr . Garvey’s anger and resentment. “ Yes , it is. I am leaving town, Mr . Garvey . I wanted to wish you and your wife a happy life.” It was a small wish but one they deserved.

Mr. Garvey shook his head. “ He never had a chance, did he? You were just looking for a ticket out of here, weren’t ya?”

Aurora fought the tears. “ I wasn’t made for this town or your son. I would have broken his heart.”

Mr. Garvey turned and walked back into the low building. “ Too late.”

“To the river, please,” Aurora called to the driver.

Even if Thane had never come looking for her, at some point the pull of who she was would have torn at the seams of her and William’s marriage. He would have wanted to settle into a life that would have strangled her. He would’ve aged, and she would’ve been forever youthful. Then one night while he slept, she would’ve slipped into the darkness, never to be seen again.

“Please, wait,” Aurora called to the driver. As she walked down the muddy path, she thought about what she would say to William . What would make her version of the truth more palatable for him? The branches reached out to her, plucking at her skirts and hair as if trying to stop her.

She hesitated at the end of the path, uncertain if this served William's best interests or if she only aimed to ease her conscience. There wasn’t really anything she could say to him that would lessen the blow of what was about to happen. But she feared if she didn’t give him some closure, his anger would fester and eat him from the inside out.

William sat by the river. “ I wondered if you would come.”

Aurora rubbed her arms. The hurt in his voice was raw. This would be harder than she thought. Because Ella had loved him, or at least the best she knew how to at that moment in her life. “ I wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye.”

“So it’s true. You’re leaving with the very rich Mr . Tenebris .”

Anger radiated off of him. There was something else. Regret . “ I’m sorry, but there are things you don’t know about me?—”

“And he does?” William stood, tossing a rock in the river.

This was not going as she hoped. For some stupid reason, she had hoped he would understand. “ Yes . I don’t expect you to understand but?—”

“But what? You didn’t want to be the wife of a miller? God’s teeth, Ella . I thought you were different. If I had known you were so shallow, I would?—”

“You would’ve what?” she yelled at him. “ I warned you one day I may wake up and remember who I am. What did you think would happen when that day came? That I would let go of my past for a future that doesn’t belong to me?”

William shook his head, skipping another stone. “ You want me to believe that the very rich Mr . Tenebris is from your past? I did some checking into him. Do you know what I found?”

Aurora pinched the bridge of her nose. Mortals were exhausting. William would find nothing. But it didn’t matter. “ No , what did you find?”

“Aurora,” Thane called.

“Thane?” Aurora was struck by his fear. “ What’s wrong?”

“We have to leave now.” Thane looked over her shoulder, pulling Aurora away from William .

Aurora tried to step away. His eyes were bright silver and filled with fear. “ Thane , what’s going on? Are you hurt?”

“Please, just trust me.” Thane tugged her away. “ Gods above, I tried. I really did. But he wouldn’t listen.”

“You better run off, Aurora , or whatever name he chose for you,” William spat.

Aurora pulled away from Thane . She turned to tell William her name was Aurora when she felt it. The pull. “ No ,” she cried, backing into Thane . “ No .” This could not be happening. Not William . “ What have you done?” The ground shifted. Thane caught her before she fell. “ William , what have you done?” His soul called to her, demanding she take it.

“Me?” William turned to face her, his lifeline bright, his soul ready to be plucked from his chest.

“Yes,” Aurora cried. “ Did you make a deal with the old woman at the fair?” The tears fell fast, blurring the bright glow of William’s chest. It was her heart that must break. But why? Had she not suffered enough?

“Yes! She promised me you would come back. And look, you’re back. With him.” William pointed at Thane . “ Do you know what kind of monster he is? She warned me. She said he would try to steal you. And that only I could protect you.”

“She lied. You fool!” Aurora screamed. The pull was stronger now, the words forming. “ I told you to stay away from her. She can’t give you what you want.”

William stepped closer to Aurora . “ I did it for us.”

“No. You did it for yourself.” She shoved William away from her, afraid of what she’d do to him. “ I was never yours to have.” She didn’t want to say the words. Words that tried to push over her tongue and out.

“And you are his?” William pointed at Thane . “ Ella , he is a nightmare. He is in the business of taking and breaking people’s lives. He will hurt you. The witch showed me your heartache. She told me that’s why you were here. Because of him. He takes what is not his to have.”

“And so do I !” Aurora reached for Thane . The need to rip William’s soul from his body was so intense, she wanted to pluck her eyes out so she couldn’t see it. Shove river rocks in her ears so she couldn’t hear its call. Cut out her own tongue so she couldn’t say the words that filled her mouth. “ Thane , please make it stop.” Aurora pressed her face into his chest, covering her ears.

Thane pulled Aurora into his embrace. “ How could you be so careless? You made a deal with Death for the one thing he cannot give you. Her love.” Thane shook his head, sweeping Aurora up into the darkness.

Aurora tried to shut out the call of William’s soul. How could he have been so stupid? So careless with something so precious.

There are consequences for breaking a heart.