Chapter 274 – Bonded

Ella

My head feels…so heavy. I groan, trying to move my hands up so I can press them against my temples, but I can’t move them.

“Easy,” I hear him say beside me and instinctually I turn towards his voice. Where –

“Easy, Ella,” he murmurs, his words thick with emotion. “It’s all right…”

I peel my eyelids apart, then, confused at the effort. It’s like I haven’t opened my eyes for weeks…

My vision comes back to me slowly, the room around me coming into focus with effort. I blink rapidly, looking around at Sinclair, and Cora, and Roger all standing around me, peering at me with worried faces. I feel very suddenly like Dorothy, when she wakes up from her trip to Oz.

“What?” I murmur, my voice thick and my throat scratchy. Suddenly anxious, I try to sit up, pushing at the bed beneath me but –

What the hell were all these wires, tied to my arms?

“Easy, trouble,” Sinclair whispers, pressing his hand to my shoulder, keeping me down. My body responds to his command, relaxing backwards as I look up at him. But…

“Where am I?” I ask, staring at him, and then I press my eyes closed. It’s all just too much.

“You’re in the hospital,” I hear my sister explain. “After the gift, at the temple…”

But her voice fades, almost as if I can’t hear it. I feel my heart start to pound, my breath ratchet up as my memories start to come back to me. Of being on the temple steps of Cora there, and what we learned about each other of Sinclair’s warm arms around me –

And then, nothing – and then clouds – and Sinclair again, and my baby –

Oh my god, where was my baby?

“Rafe?” I gasp, spinning towards Sinclair as my eyes fly open, desperate. “Where is Rafe?” Then I start to look all around me, searching for him – he’s here, he has to be, I remember him, my little baby, wrapped in white swaddling, holding him in my arms

dream,” Sinclair says hurriedly, “it was a dream, Ella

the swell of my stomach then, drawing my attention to it, reminding me that he’s here – of course he’s here, I haven’t given

moving my own hands so that they rest on either side of my baby. Then I close my eyes,

I can feel him, my ties to him. My bond with my baby. I reach out to him, sending all the love I have in my heart down our bond, and feeling

relax. I open my eyes again, feeling a rush of sudden and unexpected joy. I look up to Sinclair and nod. “Okay. Yes.

huge rush of air, grasping one of my hands and lowering his head so

We stay like that for a long minute

in just a few minutes. To come flying back to reality after such a hard few weeks, after days of struggling in the dream state to get

where else I’d want

doctor,” I hear Roger murmur, and then his footsteps move to the door, heading

room.

for her. Sinclair straightens at my side, letting us

right,” she huffs, laughing through the tears that are falling

body. “Um, I think so?” I feel so weak but there is also…a warmth, a stillness in

and running her hand through her hair. “Yeah? I gave you back mom’s the Goddess’s – the

then, working to sit up straighter in my bed. “Cora!” I scold. “Why?!

“you’re being ridiculous – you were dying – of course

mad now. “It’s a gift from a Goddess – from our mom – I worked so hard to get it here, the

as I feel suddenly guilty and a little childish, arguing with my sister like this in front of him, especially when I’m clearly so sick. I look up at him, my eyes apologetic, and I see his face instantly soften. “Please, Ella,” he begs.” You’re so weak – and she saved you with it – it can’t possibly

whisper, nodding up at him and then turning to Cora. “Okay,” I repeat, raising a

the tears off of her cheeks. “Whatever you

at my sister, holding my mate’s hand tight in my own, when the Doctor comes in, Rafe hot on his heels. It’s a man I

“I have to say, I’m shocked to see you awake –” He quickly grasps my wrist, feeling for a

up at Sinclair. “Not precisely

stoically beside me, still holding my hand. “An intervention from the Goddess, if you will,” he observes, a little humor in his voice. The doctor’s face screws up further with confusion but then he simply exhales quickly and shakes his

the monitors. “Whatever it was it is a…remarkable

and wincing as a sharp pain spikes through my back. Sinclair starts at my grimace, leaning closer to me, scenting me, clearly working

mumbles, almost to himself. “Better, if anything, than he was the last time I was in here.” “Good,” I say, almost under my breath, pleased to

me and frowning. “You’re still incredibly weak. You have

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