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

Sinclair says, grinning proudly down at his son.

my baby’s

the world will ever

for about…five more months,” Roger

his chest with a smirk.

letting it pass.

I ask, moving again to

so,” she says, giving me a nod and

five of us begin to walk towards the

dove- colored robes comes

moment, going still

saw themBut I feel Sinclair behind me, his hand warm against my back, and

comes down the bond and

stay at Cora’s side.

not the

priestess we meet is going to try to take

of them, surely, actually

bowing a little and

– you are

right on time.”

and then look back to the

smiles warmly at me but

“Can’t you feel her?”

then, as I

here already – I bite

I cannot feel her. I used up’ our bond

so that I could save my child, and Cora, and my

making a startled “o” of concern, but

head and work hard to give her

hand. “I’m glad you can feel her

and then

around at our whole

linger on the baby, admiring him. “Please,

inside.”

a group, we follow the priestess into my mother’s temple. And

everyone’s heart

different than the ones that

the desert temple was elegantly

impressive, this one is… cozy. The architecture

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

by the windows, at the well-loved books

the little worn stick broom tucked into

suddenly that this is my favorite temple of all – and that

in the middle of the large central room of

but instead

turns to us

asks, giving us a

hair behind her ears and Roger

serious. He is, after all, about

mother as such for the first time. I smile at both of

who Sinclair helps me unbuckle from the carrier.

Rafe quite close to me as we

grandmother. It

all ready – and Sinclair has placed

priestess who opens the

standing at the far end of the room, glowing with

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