Breaking out of the Purgatorian's Fate - Folly or Madness

"You did what?" I choked on a sip of water.  Cairn and I had spent another night beneath the stars.  I think that we needed to get back indoors so that we could really focus on StormRider and the apocalyptic storm that was brewing and threatening to destroy our new world together.  Though we wouldn't have wanted to forego our lazy but refreshing swim beneath the milky way at 3:00 AM earlier that morning.

"I broke it off with NightShade." Lila managed again.  And I felt her heart crumble with every stilted syllable that she spoke.

"And that would be why?"

"He'll die when I tell him that I love him.  As a Purgatorian when he gets his heart's desire, he dies."

"You think that you can circumvent his supernatural destiny by pretending not to love him?  The fates are a little more savvy than that."

"Yes but it hasn't been spoken.  I could still change my mind."

"How's that working out for you?" I asked.  I felt Cairn's warm hand play across my shoulders and wished that we could dive into water and cleanse ourselves of all the complications. I regretted what I'd said for Lila was sobbing.

"Honey, there must be a way to find redemption or to break the contract. But you do love him. Pretending that you don't just won't fool the fates.  He's realized his heart's desire.  NightShade has loved again and that love is returned."

"What do I do then?  Make love to him one last time and hold him while he dies?"

"I'll do some research on Purgatorians, their history and when they were first documented.  Have you done some research?"

"They're not exactly Google friendly, you know?  I haven't done research in a library in ages."

We needed an expert and then I thought of Sofie. Surely a journalist would have access to resources, information.

"Let me call a friend of mine.  I need to speak with her anyway.  Just sit tight and don't do anything else like convince him that you hate him or something brilliant like that."

"I'm scared." Lila said.

"I know, honey," and I looked at Cairn and thought about how I feared losing him.  Storm was out there waiting for his chance to destroy him, us.  I was scared as well.  Love like this was well, supernatural.  And once you've tasted its intensity, its delights, you were doomed without it.