I walk into the dark bathroom and turn on the shower. I hop under the hot water in shock and allow


    myself to weep.


    I sit on the bench seat in the early morning fog. The sun is justing up over the trees and I face the


    water as I watch the ducks and birds. Therge trees hang over the grassed clearing, creating a canopy.


    Ashford Castle is a magical ce and I have no doubt that I have sat in this exact position whilst thinking


    before.  I  feel  like  every  thought  is  an  awakening,  every  memory  a  trigger  to  another.  Knowledge  is


    simmering under the surface. I only have to scratch to reveal it.


    I’ve been here before. I can feel it so deep within my soul.


    I haven’t slept but I’m not tired. I’m focused on the job at hand. I just have to get through today.


    I feel him before I see him and I look toward the hovering fog beneath the trees as hees into sight.


    I smile softly as my heart flutters because he is just so…


    Stop it.


    His eyes search mine and I know that he knows.


    “Hello.”


    His deep husky ent makes me smile. “Hello, Twinkle.”


    He  stands  next  to  the  seat  as  if  sensing  my  inner  turmoil.  I  pat  the  chair  next  to  me  and  he  sits  in


    silence, picking up my hand to take it in his.


    I swallow the roughness in my throat because I honestly don’t know if I can make the words leave my


    lips. I can already feel the tears forming but I have to stop. I have to get through this.


    I turn to him and kiss his hand that is in mine. “What a brave beautiful man you are.” I smile.


    He raises a brow in question. “Are you okay, my love?” he asks.


    I nod and my eyes hold his. “I can’t marry you today, Twinkle.”


    His eyes stay fixed on mine. “Why?”


    “I know about the curse,” I whisper as the pain starts to close over my throat


    He frowns. “How?”


    “I found a letter yesterday in the library that you wrote to me after myst death.”


    “What letter? I didn’t write a letter.”


    I smile softly. “Its okay, you may not remember writing it. But it is what it is.”


    He frowns as he thinks.


    I kiss the back of his hand. “You know how much I love you?”Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    He shakes his head. “Don’t,” he whispers.


    “I can’t let you go through this again.” I smile through tears.


    “Emmaline,” his voice croaks in panic. “What are you talking about?”


    “You  lose  me  in  every  life  and  yet  you  still  find  me.”  Pain nces  my  chest  as  the  reality  of  the


    situation hits home. “Why?” I whisper.


    “I would search for you forever for even one day of your love.”


    I screw up my face as the tears form. “I can’t do this to you, baby,” I whisper.


    He pulls my face into his and we kiss gently through my tears.


    “I can’t let you go through every life in fear,” I whisper. “I’m not doing this to you again.”


    He starts to shake his head frantically. “No, no, no, Em.”


    “We can break this curse, star.” My eyes search his. His nostrils re as he tries desperately to


    hold in his tears. “No, I can’t do it. I can’t let you go.”


    I want to howl to the moon and he pulls our heads together so our foreheads touch.


    “The n that you had was for us to spend a life apart to try and break this curse?” I ask.


    His eyes drop to the floor and he nods once.


    “We are going to do it,” I whisper. “We have to try.” I shake my head. “I am leaving to go back to


    Australia this afternoon.”