Accidental Surrogate

Cora

I’m a little out of breath when I finally catch up with Roger and Rafe, having had to work hard to keep up with his long wolf stride.

“Rude,” I say when I finally come to a stop next to them. “You couldn’t have waited for me?”

“I’m being rude?” Roger says, raising his eyebrows at me in disbelief. “Cora, you’ve been nothing but unpleasant since the moment we stepped into the forest –”

–

I open my mouth with a little squeak of protest but Roger just rolls his eyes and ignores me, going on anyway. “This is supposed to be a sacred experience for Rafe and for us and you’ve done nothing but moan and complain. So yeah, forgive me if I wanted to get away for a moment and concentrate on the magic of this place

“Oh whatever,” I mumble, reaching out my arms so that he can hand me the baby.

“No

from you

way,” Roger retorts, holding the baby closer to his chest and turning a little away from me. “You don’t get to hold the baby now that we’re at the pool

“Yes I do!” I cry, “the priestess gave him to me!”

“I’m his godparent just as much as you are

—

“(

open. I don’t know how I know it but…well, somehow, I get the sense that the pool – or whatever magic is in it – is irritated with us.

embarrassed. Honestly, it never occurred to me that my behavior

a little freaked out, suddenly. We’re both very aware that there’s magic in the world, but sometimes when

take a deep breath, then, nodding to him, and start to say that words that the priestess taught us as part of the

surface of the silver pool. “We bring to you, tonight, this child,

him your light, and in doing so, let you see him and bring him into the spirit of your grace,” Roger continues, his own resonant voice

moon itself, beaming brilliantly down on us from above. Hey,

moment. Because she is here, now,

around. I know that he can’t really see anything – his vision hasn’t developed well enough yet – but he’s certainly curious. I put my hands out for him and this time Roger does hand him to me, letting me take the baby and unwrap his swaddling blanket. Then, when he’s free of it, Roger and I slowly walk

down onto the baby, growing brighter as the moments pass. My heart fills to see Rafe looking up into the sky, to see the light surrounding him as it falls from the moon above and reflects upwards from the mirrored surface of

Ella and Dominic, have asked us to bring him here to dedicate him to you. We do so in

within it. I open my mouth to say something, to tell Roger that I’m sorry, and that I’m glad I’m here with him to do this,

Roger brings a quick hand to my waist, steadying

he says, peering into the white light of the moon, likewise trying to make it out. “If

arms trembling a little, and watch the story form in the air.

projected into smoke in the air. Instead, it’s…felt as much as it is seen, communicated to our hearts and minds as much as our eyes. But

again – older, but still young.- running across a battlefield, fear on his face but courage in every line of his limbs as he pushes himself to do what

–

which he slowly lifts to place on the girl’s head as well. She smiles up at him with such love in her eyes and then the door to the room bursts open, his family spilling in

–

a light–haired boy I don’t know, just about Rafe’s age- and more children, so

–