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.

understands sometimes,” I say quietly, smiling up at

grinning proudly down

say, leaning closer to kiss my baby’s

world will

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

over his chest with a smirk. Sinclair just laughs and shakes his

letting it pass.

you ready, Cora?” I ask, moving

giving me a nod

the five of us begin to walk towards the

a woman in dove- colored robes comes

going still at

feel Sinclair behind me, his hand warm against my back,

bond and

stay at Cora’s side.

is not the same situation

priestess we meet

them, surely, actually

little and

you are

right on time.”

at each other and then look back to the woman.

smiles warmly at me

“Can’t you feel her?”

and then, as I realize what she means that

here already – I bite my lip, feeling a

I cannot feel her. I used up’ our bond – used the

so that I could save my child, and

making a startled “o”

hard to

squeezing her hand. “I’m glad you can feel her for both of

me, sympathetic, and then

priestess says, smiling around at our whole party and taking

linger on the baby, admiring

inside.”

a group, we follow the priestess into

everyone’s heart is pounding as much as

inside, is different than the

desert temple was elegantly sparse, and the

and impressive, this one is… cozy. The architecture

but you can tell that women live here

by the windows, at the

stick

this is my favorite temple of all – and that

priestess does not pause in the middle

space beneath the dome, but instead

turns

she asks, giving us a moment.

her hair behind her ears and Roger comes

very serious. He is, after all,

mate’s mother as such for the first time. I smile at

for the baby, who Sinclair helps me

it, but somehow I want Rafe quite close to me as we

grandmother. It feels

ready – and Sinclair has placed a warm hand

nods to the priestess who opens the door and leads us

beautiful Goddess, standing at the far end

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