“Aye,” he replied, understanding. “You first found me when you were fairly young.” He shook his head. “Then never slept with one of your kind afterward.”
“How could I?” she whispered. “When I only wanted you?”
So alas, they finally lay together in the woodland, and it had been perfect.
Coming together beneath the shelter of an old oak, their love translated into passion neither could have imagined. The grass beneath them sparkled like her eyes as did the tree overhead. Despite no wind, sparkling leaves danced about, as if applauding their union. It almost felt like the tree had watched them over the centuries, waiting for them to come together at last. She was a creature of the forest, though, and all trees were interconnected, so it probably had.
Yet as forewarned after they came together, there were consequences.
What they did not know, perhaps nobody did, was how dire those would be.
But then, she only knew what they said about faeries touching a human, not a wizard, never mind an arch-wizard. And she certainly didn’t know what further consequences there might be for lying with one.
It had never been done and likely never would be again.
For as they held each other under the tree after making love, those consequences began to unravel. As foretold, she lost her immortality, her features changing from that of a faery into a human. Not surprisingly, one who didn’t look all that different than how she appeared now. While they rejoiced in her humanity, looking forward to a normal life together, they soon discovered how very short that would be.
“At last,” her former self had said, cuddling against him. “We finally get...”
She trailed off, alarmed when he went too still. When ice filled his veins, and he became cold to the touch. He could not speak nor feel his lips.
Then he could no longer breathe.
“Aidan,” she cried, trying to rouse him only to go very still when sunlight cut through the branches overhead, and the forest went silent.
Caught betwixt the land of the dead and living, he saw a glorious woman appear over them, part of the sunlight itself.
Goddess Étaín.
Though Chloe spoke to the goddess, he couldn’t hear what was said. He could, however, see the heart-wrenching emotions on his lass’s face. See the love in her teary eyes when her gaze returned to him.
“I love you,” she whispered. Her crimson highlights were afire in the setting sun. “I will always love you.”
She touched his cheek, and the world grew dimmer and dimmer until everything faded away. When he awoke, alive and well, she was gone.
As was all memory of her.
“Dire consequences indeed,” he whispered, returning to the present.
He met Chloe’s eyes, so in love with her, it hurt. “’Twas as you said along our journey. Lives were sacrificed. We just didnae know to what extent until now.” He cupped the side of her neck, emotional, understanding what she had done. “You lost your immortality, and I was supposed to have lost my life, but you wouldnae allow it.”
“Never,” she whispered. “I gave my human life for yours then exchanged the chance Étaín gave me to return to the Fae for you having a life of love like you deserved.” She pressed her lips together, just as emotional. “It could no longer be me, so it became Maeve.”
Moments later, it sounded like Cray figured out the same thing.
