He slowly reached up and ran a finger along the hem of my sleeve. 'You are a mortal'

'And I see little advantage in it.'

His gaze met mine. 'You are beautiful.'

I felt very strange. The world seemed to turn sideways. Now it was I who could not speak.

'We have been friends so long,' he went on. 'Surely our fates are now entwined and we will meet again.'

'Perhaps so,' I said at last. 'But you are immortal. You need not leave your life to see me in a new one.'

'I am a tengu,' he sighed. 'Only a tengu. We do not...mortals and we can't...I can only be your friend.'

'You have been a very good friend.'

'I want to marry you

Auteur: Kara Dalkey