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.

like he understands sometimes,” I say quietly, smiling

down at his

my baby’s

world will

keep that title for about…five more months,” Roger

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

letting it pass.

you ready, Cora?” I ask, moving

says, giving me a nod and

deep breath, the five of us begin to walk

woman in dove- colored robes

a moment, going still at the sight of those

behind me, his hand warm

of comfort comes down the bond and I exhale, skipping forward a

stay at Cora’s side.

is not the same

we meet is going to

surely, actually serve

bowing a little and giving us

of the Goddess – you are welcome here. And

right on time.”

I smile at each other and then look

priestess smiles warmly at me but Cora turns to me with a

“Can’t you feel her?”

then, as I

here already – I bite my lip, feeling

her. I used up’ our

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

suddenly, her mouth making a startled “o” of concern, but

my head and work hard to give her

okay,” I say, squeezing her hand. “I’m glad you can feel her

me, sympathetic, and then we both turn back

smiling around at our whole party and taking

let her gaze linger on the baby, admiring

inside.”

so, as a group, we follow the priestess into my mother’s

everyone’s heart is pounding as much

the ones that we’ve

elegantly

one is… cozy. The architecture is still bright

tell that women live here and treat it as

padded benches by the

alcoves and the little worn stick broom tucked into

suddenly that this is my favorite temple of all

pause in the middle of

space beneath the dome, but instead leads us across it to a

opens it, she turns to us

us a moment. to

her hair behind her ears and Roger comes

his shoulders, his face very serious.

mother as such for the first time. I smile

who Sinclair helps me unbuckle from the

I do it, but somehow I want Rafe quite close to me

grandmother. It

once we’re all ready – and Sinclair

to the priestess who

Goddess, standing at the far end of

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