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 up at

down

my baby’s forehead. “Yes, he

the world

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

his chest with a smirk. Sinclair just laughs

letting it pass.

I ask,

think so,” she says, giving me a nod and reaching for my hand.

of us begin to walk towards the temple.

colored robes comes out

hesitate for a moment, going still at the

themBut I feel Sinclair behind me, his

and I

stay at Cora’s side.

is…this is not the same situation

not every priestess we meet

surely, actually

and giving us a

– you

right on time.”

then look back

The priestess smiles warmly at me

“Can’t you feel her?”

second and then, as

already – I bite my lip, feeling

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

that I could save my child,

this very suddenly, her mouth making a

and work hard to

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

me, sympathetic, and then

priestess says, smiling around at our

her gaze linger on the baby, admiring him.

inside.”

so, as a group, we follow the priestess into my

wonder if everyone’s heart is pounding as

inside, is different than the ones

the desert temple was elegantly sparse, and the city temple

and impressive, this one is… cozy. The architecture is still

live here and treat it as a

by the windows, at

little worn stick broom tucked into a corner,

temple of all – and

does not pause in the middle of

beneath the dome, but instead leads us across

she turns to us with a warm smile. “Are

giving us a

tucks her hair behind her ears and

face very serious.

his mate’s mother as such for the first

Sinclair helps

it, but somehow I want Rafe quite close to

It feels

we’re all ready – and Sinclair has placed a warm

Cora nods to the priestess who opens the door and

Goddess, standing at the far end of the room, glowing

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