that
you miss your mother. I would take care of you and show you the world for
real—we could make new memories together!” I pulled her close and looked into
her fearful eyes. “I love you,” I said softly. “I want to be with you for the
rest of my very long life.”
She didn’t say anything. She seemed to
be thinking over what I’d said. When she still looked uncertain, I felt a panic
come over me. She wasn’t agreeing right away like I thought she would. There
were no joyous exclamations, no hopping up and down. A pit formed in my stomach
as I leaned in and kissed her softly. “The decision is yours though,” I added
somewhat sorrowfully. “I want you to be happy, mortal or not.”
She still didn’t speak—I could see the
questions and the doubt in her expression, but the words wouldn’t leave her
mouth. She took a deep breath and finally spoke.
“This is a lot to ask me, Raith.” She
searched my eyes, a look of caution clouding her features. “Can I think about
it for a little while before deciding?”
“Of course you can,” I replied softly, somewhat
downhearted. “I never want to push you into something you’re not comfortable
with.” But I wanted her to say yes—I wanted her to jump at the opportunity. Her
indecision felt like a rejection. My face stung as if it had been slapped.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “Can we
just stay here and dance some more tonight?” she added. I nodded my consent.
The rest of the night seemed very long
and silent.
Two nights passed. I waited patiently
for Emilee to give me her answer—or even ask a question. I waited as patiently
as I could, anyway. I felt like I would explode if I didn’t know what she was
thinking—soon, so I finally brought it up again.
“Have you thought
about . . . what we talked about?” We were dancing in her
ballroom since she’d chosen not to go out into the world again. I could feel
her resistance to the idea of me controlling her. In fact, she seemed distant
ever since I asked her to join me. I worried I had pushed her too far with my
request.
“Yes,” she said hesitantly. “I'm
confused about how it would happen?” She glanced up at my eyes, the uncertainty
still present in hers.
“You would come with me, to The Glen,
and the Mother would make you Fae. You’d never have to return again.” She made
a face at my answer and I faltered. “Unless you want to, of course. You just
can’t stay.” Her facial expression made me regret even asking her to come with
me.
I brushed my thumb over her cheek and
smiled sadly. “You don't have to do it Emilee. I promise I will still be
here—every night—until there are no more nights to share anymore. You don’t
need to be immortal for me.” My chest hurt. I would give anything for her, even
my own happiness if it came to that. It didn’t make me feel any better though.
“It's not that,” she said
apologetically. “I just . . .” She turned and walked away from
me, folding her arms and looking at the floor. “I don't know if I can do it.”
She turned to look at me with tears in her eyes, and her voice shook as she
continued speaking. “I want to be with you forever—I really do—I just have my
life here . . . I know my mom is gone, but I have friends here
too. There are things I want to do with my life, things that won’t be possible
if I go through with this. I want to grow up and have a family—I want to look
like a grandma when I am one. I'm so sorry, Raith.” She sobbed then, her face
in her hands, and I felt my heart breaking—convinced I was the most selfish
being on the planet.
“I shouldn't have asked you to give up
so much,” I stated sorrowfully. “I was only thinking about me, not what was
best for you.” I reached out for her and she fell into my embrace, sobbing her
apologies over and over again.
“You don't have to be sorry,” I said, my
voice catching. “I understand. I won't ever leave you—we’ll still be
you miss your mother. I would take care of you and show you the world for
real—we could make new memories together!” I pulled her close and looked into
her fearful eyes. “I love you,” I said softly. “I want to be with you for the
rest of my very long life.”
She didn’t say anything. She seemed to
be thinking over what I’d said. When she still looked uncertain, I felt a panic
come over me. She wasn’t agreeing right away like I thought she would. There
were no joyous exclamations, no hopping up and down. A pit formed in my stomach
as I leaned in and kissed her softly. “The decision is yours though,” I added
somewhat sorrowfully. “I want you to be happy, mortal or not.”
She still didn’t speak—I could see the
questions and the doubt in her expression, but the words wouldn’t leave her
mouth. She took a deep breath and finally spoke.
“This is a lot to ask me, Raith.” She
searched my eyes, a look of caution clouding her features. “Can I think about
it for a little while before deciding?”
“Of course you can,” I replied softly, somewhat
downhearted. “I never want to push you into something you’re not comfortable
with.” But I wanted her to say yes—I wanted her to jump at the opportunity. Her
indecision felt like a rejection. My face stung as if it had been slapped.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “Can we
just stay here and dance some more tonight?” she added. I nodded my consent.
The rest of the night seemed very long
and silent.
Two nights passed. I waited patiently
for Emilee to give me her answer—or even ask a question. I waited as patiently
as I could, anyway. I felt like I would explode if I didn’t know what she was
thinking—soon, so I finally brought it up again.
“Have you thought
about . . . what we talked about?” We were dancing in her
ballroom since she’d chosen not to go out into the world again. I could feel
her resistance to the idea of me controlling her. In fact, she seemed distant
ever since I asked her to join me. I worried I had pushed her too far with my
request.
“Yes,” she said hesitantly. “I'm
confused about how it would happen?” She glanced up at my eyes, the uncertainty
still present in hers.
“You would come with me, to The Glen,
and the Mother would make you Fae. You’d never have to return again.” She made
a face at my answer and I faltered. “Unless you want to, of course. You just
can’t stay.” Her facial expression made me regret even asking her to come with
me.
I brushed my thumb over her cheek and
smiled sadly. “You don't have to do it Emilee. I promise I will still be
here—every night—until there are no more nights to share anymore. You don’t
need to be immortal for me.” My chest hurt. I would give anything for her, even
my own happiness if it came to that. It didn’t make me feel any better though.
“It's not that,” she said
apologetically. “I just . . .” She turned and walked away from
me, folding her arms and looking at the floor. “I don't know if I can do it.”
She turned to look at me with tears in her eyes, and her voice shook as she
continued speaking. “I want to be with you forever—I really do—I just have my
life here . . . I know my mom is gone, but I have friends here
too. There are things I want to do with my life, things that won’t be possible
if I go through with this. I want to grow up and have a family—I want to look
like a grandma when I am one. I'm so sorry, Raith.” She sobbed then, her face
in her hands, and I felt my heart breaking—convinced I was the most selfish
being on the planet.
“I shouldn't have asked you to give up
so much,” I stated sorrowfully. “I was only thinking about me, not what was
best for you.” I reached out for her and she fell into my embrace, sobbing her
apologies over and over again.
“You don't have to be sorry,” I said, my
voice catching. “I understand. I won't ever leave you—we’ll still be
Similar Books
