Accidental Surrogate

Chapter 390

Chapter 390:The Temple

Ella

It is, indeed, a long climb. Cora and I are panting by the time we get to the top,

and even though Sinclair took Rafe from me halfway through the hike I have to

take a moment to catch my break when we pull ourselves up to the final level.

Roger has the indecency to look a little smug about the fact that he barely looks

winded and Cora gives him a little shove on the shoulder as she works to take a

few deep breaths and wipe the sweat from her brow.

Even as I work to bring my heartrate back down, I absolutely marvel at the sight

before me.

The Goddess’ temple, like the one in the city, is built completely with white

marble. But unlike the one in the city, this one looks…ancient. Vines grow in

ropes all over it, looking almost as if the structure is part of the forest itself,

having grown up organically from it. The temple is tall and wide, the pillars in

front drawing my eyes upward to the slanted roof which curls into a dome. At the

very peak of the dome is a golden crescent moon, reaching up towards the sky,

glinting in the bright sunlight.

“Wow,” Cora says, standing straight next to me and likewise marveling at the

temple. “Mom has some… impressive property.”

“I know, right?” I mutter back, crossing my arms and shaking my head. If

someone had told me, when I was a little girl sleeping in my creaky little orphan

bed, that my mom lived here…

Well. I probably would have believed them.

But I was a very imaginative child.

“Um,” Roger says, looking anxiously at Cora. “Shall we?”

I smile at him, seeing that he’s eager to move on but also that he wants to give

her room to process this experience. It’s more intense for her than it is for him,

and I think that it’s very sweet that he realizes this. Roger really has come leaps

and bounds as a person from when I first met him.

Sinclair comes to stand next to me and I grin at him and then turn to my baby,

taking his hands and speaking to him quietly, asking him how he likes it here

and if he’s ready to meet his granny for real this time. Rafe claps and gurgles

like he really is excited.

I say quietly, smiling up at

says, grinning proudly down at his son. “He’s

I say, leaning closer to kiss my baby’s

world will ever

title for about…five more months,” Roger calls to

over his chest with a smirk. Sinclair just

letting it pass.

Cora?” I ask, moving

think so,” she says, giving me a nod and reaching for my hand. I give it,

the five of us begin to walk towards the

colored robes comes out of the

moment, going still

saw themBut I feel Sinclair behind me, his hand warm

of comfort comes down the bond and

stay at Cora’s side.

not

and not every priestess we meet is going to try to take

surely,

a little and giving us a deep

“Daughters of the Goddess – you are welcome here. And you

right on time.”

smile at each other and then look back to the woman. “Is she

The priestess smiles warmly at me but Cora

“Can’t you feel her?”

Cora for a second and then, as I

– I bite my lip, feeling a very deep

up’ our bond – used the

that I could

her mouth making a startled “o”

hard to

“I’m glad you can feel her for both

nods to me, sympathetic, and then we both turn back to the

says, smiling around at our whole party and taking

linger on the baby, admiring him.

inside.”

we follow the priestess into my mother’s temple. And as

heart is pounding as

temple, inside, is different than the ones that

temple was elegantly sparse, and the city temple

and impressive, this one is… cozy. The

you can tell that women live here and treat it as a

the padded benches by the windows, at the well-loved

into alcoves and the little worn stick broom

is my favorite temple of all –

pause in the middle of the large central room

the dome, but instead

opens it, she turns to us with a warm smile.

asks, giving us a moment.

hair behind her ears

his shoulders, his face very serious. He is, after all, about

mate’s mother as such for the first time.

I reach for the baby, who Sinclair

somehow I want Rafe quite close to me as we go to

grandmother. It

ready – and Sinclair has placed a warm hand

Cora nods to the priestess who opens the door and leads us

beautiful Goddess, standing at the far

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