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?

as my eyes fly open, desperate. “Where is Rafe?” Then I start to look all around me, searching for him

says hurriedly, “it was a dream, Ella – we met him in

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

my own hands so that they rest on either side of my baby. Then I close my eyes, resting my head back on the pillow, and search for

the love I have in my heart down our bond, and feeling a little pulse back. He hears me. He tells me he knows.

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

grasping one of my hands and lowering his head so that

minute as tears start to slide down my

reality after such a hard

else I’d want

I hear Roger murmur, and then his footsteps move to the door, heading

room.

my eyes and reaching my other hand for her. Sinclair straightens at my side, letting us have

laughing through the tears that are falling down her own cheeks. “Are you?”

so?” I feel so

she says, laughing a little and running her hand through her hair. “Yeah? I gave you back mom’s the

then, working to sit up straighter in my bed. “Cora!” I scold. “Why?! I gave it to you – it’s

”

–

–

of course I gave it back to you

Goddess – from our mom – I worked so hard to get

”

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 his face instantly soften. “Please, Ella,” he begs.” You’re so weak – and she saved you with

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

agreeing to these terms, wiping the tears off of her cheeks. “Whatever you say,

—

hot on his heels. It’s a man I haven’t seen before certainly not one of my normal doctors

“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.

up at Sinclair. “Not

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 then

turning back to the monitors. “Whatever it

all right?” I ask quickly, working to sit up further and wincing as a sharp pain spikes through my back. Sinclair starts at my grimace, leaning closer

larger ones. “He’s fine,” he mumbles, almost to himself. “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

“You’re still incredibly weak.

if I want it enough, he’ll pick me up and carry me bodily out of this hospital right now. But he slowly shakes his head too, letting me know he agrees with the doctor. “I want you home as well, baby,” he murmurs, “both of you. But