Accidental Surrogate

#Chapter 274 – Bonded

Ella

My head feels…so heavy. I groan, trying to move my hands up so I can press them against my temples, but I can’t move them.

“Easy,” I hear him say beside me and instinctually I turn towards his voice. Where –

“Easy, Ella,” he murmurs, his words thick with emotion. “It’s all right…”

I peel my eyelids apart, then, confused at the effort. It’s like I haven’t opened my eyes for weeks…

My vision comes back to me slowly, the room around me coming into focus with effort. I blink rapidly, looking around at Sinclair, and Cora, and Roger all standing around me, peering at me with worried faces. I feel very suddenly like Dorothy, when she wakes up from her trip to Oz.

“What?” I murmur, my voice thick and my throat scratchy. Suddenly anxious, I try to sit up, pushing at the bed beneath me but –

What the hell were all these wires, tied to my arms?

“Easy, trouble,” Sinclair whispers, pressing his hand to my shoulder, keeping me down. My body responds to his command, relaxing backwards as I look up at him. But…

“Where am I?” I ask, staring at him, and then I press my eyes closed. It’s all just too much.

“You’re in the hospital,” I hear my sister explain. “After the gift, at the temple…”

But her voice fades, almost as if I can’t hear it. I feel my heart start to pound, my breath ratchet up as my memories start to come back to me. Of being on the temple steps of Cora there, and what we learned about each other of Sinclair’s warm arms around me –

–

–

–

And then, nothing – and then clouds – and Sinclair again, and my baby –

Oh my god, where was my baby?

Rafe?” Then I start to look all around me, searching for him – he’s here,

“it was a dream, Ella –

on the swell of my stomach then, drawing my attention to it, reminding me

that they rest on either side of my baby. Then I close my eyes, resting my head back on the pillow, and search for him. And it’s

there. I can feel him, my ties to him. My bond with my baby. I reach out to him, sending all the love I have in my heart down our bond, and feeling a little pulse back. He hears me. He tells

my whole body relax. I open my eyes again, feeling a rush of sudden and unexpected joy. I look

grasping one of my hands and lowering his head

long minute as

To come flying back to reality after such a hard few weeks, after days of struggling in the dream state

no where else I’d want

and then his footsteps move to the door, heading out the

room.

call, opening my eyes and reaching my other hand for her. Sinclair straightens at my side, letting us have our moment as I take her

all right,” she huffs, laughing through the tears that are falling down her own cheeks. “Are

body. “Um, I think so?” I feel so weak but there is also…a warmth, a stillness in me that feels… I frown, looking up at her. “Did

the Goddess’s – the gift, I gave it back to you,” she stumbles, not really

gasp then, working to sit up straighter in my bed. “Cora!”

”

–

–

of course I gave it back to

a Goddess – from our mom – I worked

”

suddenly guilty and a little childish, arguing with my sister like this in front of him, especially when I’m clearly so sick. I look up at him, my eyes apologetic, and I see

then turning to Cora. “Okay,” I repeat, raising a finger to point at her. “But as soon as

the tears off

—

the Doctor comes in, Rafe hot on his heels. It’s a man I haven’t seen before

“I have to say, I’m shocked to see you awake –” He quickly grasps my wrist, feeling for a pulse and turning towards the monitors behind them, scanning them for new information. “It shouldn’t be possible…” he mutters, his brows drawn together. “Earlier today…”

say, hesitating, looking up at

confused, and I just shrug. Sinclair stands stoically beside me, still holding my hand. “An intervention from the Goddess, if you will,” he observes, a little humor in his voice. The doctor’s face screws up further with confusion but

monitors. “Whatever it was

to sit up further and wincing as a sharp pain spikes through my back. Sinclair starts at my grimace, leaning closer to me, scenting me, clearly working to figure out what’s wrong and

“Better, if anything, than he was the last time I was in here.” “Good,” I say, almost under my breath, pleased to have my suspicions confirmed. My baby and I… we are going to make it. “Can I go home?” I ask quickly, hoping to heap more good news on top of the pile.

the doctor scolds, turning towards me and frowning. “You’re still incredibly weak. You have days yet in this hospital – tests,

too, letting me know he agrees with the doctor. “I want you home as well, baby,” he murmurs, “both of you. But he’s been good,” Sinclair says, glancing at the doctor. “We go when he says we can, and not a moment sooner.”