Ella
I go rigid at the idea of this dark god giving my daughter anything.
“No,” I gasp, attempting to push myself away from him – but I struggle to move
“Fear not, moon daughter,” he says, the corner of his lip tilting up. “I do not give curses to those who are my chosen ones – only gifts.”
And with that shadows begin to swirl in his hand. My eyes go wide as they build and build into an orb of smoke and shade.
“No!” I protest again, my voice a little breathless this time.
“Careful, girl,” he growls, taking a step closer, bending over me now. “If you anger me, I will not be so eager to bestow my gift. You would not to incur my ire for your life, instead of a blessing for hers, would you?”
I cringe away from him, not knowing what to do – not knowing which will be worse-
The God of Darkness stretches out his hand over me and the shadows begin to spill down from his fingers, surrounding me.
“A blessing,” he murmurs, “for the first granddaughter of the moon from her benefactor. Long may she live, dwelling in darkness as well as light.”
The shadows, when they touch me, are soft – gentler than I imagined they’d be, like velvet or mist. When I breathe, they flow into me through my nose and my mouth. I gasp, worried – but the smoke, it tastes faintly of…of mint, and cool mornings, and it soothes my aching throat…
I look up at the God in wonder, tilting my head at him.
“See?” he says softly. “Not all that dwells in darkness is wicked.”
And then he smiles at me – a wayward, vicious thing – and gives another short bow before
Before he disappears.
–
says, abruptly in front of me now,
gasps at my side as I blink rapidly, trying to clear my thoughts. “Are you – “he spins his head to Cora,
– um I’m
her flashlight and taking my face in her hands, studying me with horror
back of my mouth. As I exhale I run my hands over my stomach and check on my bond with my
still there. She’s just as strong – just as uncomfortable, ready
for a moment, torn between wanting to explain and the feeling of the next contraction coming steadily on. “It was it was really
doctor mode, moving down on the bed to position herself between my knees, nodding. “All right, Ella,” she says, pulling me a little lower so that I’m flatter on my back now. “When you’re
shut, passing all of my emotions down our bond – my fear, and my shock, but alongside it my conviction that…that
sits up and puts his hands my shoulders. “Let’s
mate behind me, and my sister ready to welcome my little girl, I push with
our little
my baby, reaching out a finger to stroke her teeny tiny fingers, her perfect little nose.
close behind me, peering at our
really is,” I say between gasping breaths. “Oh god, she’s so cute –
head. We’re quiet
murmurs, her voice almost reverent. “And I love her, and I’m going to be her favorite
aunt,” Sinclair murmurs, his voice
forward, kissing me on the cheek. “I’ll give you two a
at me and turns to the door,
thanks out after them, all I can
lean back against Sinclair as I study her face and
like you, Ella,” he
honestly a little shocked.
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