Accidental Surrogate

Cora

“It’s all right,” Roger says, his eyes going wide as he takes in my pale face, my scared expression and realizes that he’s freaked me out for the third or fourth time today. “It’s not – it’s not bad, I was just kind of a dick – it was a misunderstanding –”

“What?” I ask, more confused now than ever.

–

“Listen,” he says, leaning in towards me. “Just let me tell you, all right? II was going to tell you at some point, definitely not like this but…” he sighs, looking into my face and then down at my stomach, and then back up into my eyes. “I think that… if we’re going to start on this new part

–

–

of our lives – this parent thing – well,” he says, giving me a charming little half–smile and a

shrug. “We should be on the same page, right?”

I nod, agreeing, but looking at him a little askance. “Did you not think that we should…go into our mating? On the same page?”

He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “It’s a little different, Cora – because it didn’t matter – I didn’t think we could have kids

་་

I frown at him – not mad or angry, but confused…

“Listen, let me just tell it,” he says, leaning forward and looking at me with pleading eyes.

“Okay,” I say, quite simply, taking his hands and leaning even closer to press a kiss to his mouthr letting him know that I’m listening with an open heart.

“Okay,” Roger says again, taking a deep breath before he begins. “Do you remember… when you and Ella went into the desert with her mother, Regina?”

“Reina,” I correct softly, and he laughs.

“Right,” he says, shaking his head. “Those names are so easy to mix up. Anyway – you three were out on your girls trip, and my choice was either to hang out with those priests in the temple, or go back on to the ship all alone.”

Ismirk at him, knowing precisely which one he chose. He sees my smile and laughs a little.

“Yeah,” he says, grinning at me. “I chose solitude. Or at least…I thought I did.”

someone on the

he replies. “I was standing at the bow looking out at the desert – honestly, a little pissed off at being left behind. Sinclair sent me to protect Ella, and there’s frankly nowhere I wanted to be except at your

smile when I hear this, but I don’t

first I thought that I was just crazy or drunk I mean, the captain gave

focus, and he looks at me

says, his voice faltering a little, looking down at our joined hands, “she was

little breathless, but some part

startled by the experience. “Your mother, Cora.

steady but honestly…some part of me is a little jealous. We all met the goddess that night in the temple with Ella – Roger met her, and me, but she had only spoken to Ella beyond a brief introduction that Ella insisted on giving us. And at the time it had made sense – Ella was

Now that I know that she’s my mother too? And that she only spoke to Ella in the temple, and then went to Roger later that night for a little

disappointed. Why does she want to talk to everyone but

and brushing my cheek with his thumb. “It’s half of why I didn’t want to tell you, Cora,” he continues, his

she do?” I ask, pushing past my jealousy

form,” he says, “like she did in the temple. Instead, it was

it’s okay. That he can tell me.

my future was not in war and politics, as my brother’s was – and you have to realize, that that was devastating to

nod, understanding, concentrating on nothing else

to know how to phrase it – because it wasn’t precisely words – but that for the future of

-on finding my mate, and having children, and being a dad, and raising my kids well

surprise. And then I lean forward, finally getting it. “Oh, so you stopped calling me

think we could have kids, Cora…” he whispers, clutching my hands tightly. “And it fucking broke my heart to do it because I loved you I was obsessed

при

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before she said anything to me I didn’t even care about

–

always Dominic who was dying to be a dad,

say again, my eyes going wide.

not just because the goddess told me to be. I want –” He pauses He pauses his confused language for a moment and steadies himself, choosing his next words carefully to make sure that I

he tells me, pausing to ensure that I hear him, “and I can’t wait to build

–

I really get it. Honestly, I’m kind of in the same boat – I was likewise unsure if I wanted kids. But the moment

else I wanted in

stopped calling me,” I whisper, “because

–

he again runs his hand through his hair. “I was totally freaked out I didn’t want to, but when a goddess tells you to do something you feel compelled to do it – and I thought she was telling me to run from you, when she probably was telling me to run to you to take you directly to my stupid tiny