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

says, grinning proudly down at his son.

my baby’s forehead. “Yes, he is. The

baby the world will

about…five more months,” Roger calls to us,

arms over his chest with a smirk. Sinclair

letting it pass.

Cora?” I ask,

a nod and reaching for my hand.

the five of us begin to walk towards the

dove- colored robes comes

moment, going still

behind

comes down the bond and I exhale, skipping forward

stay at Cora’s side.

right. This is…this is not

we meet is going to try to

them, surely, actually serve

says, bowing a little and giving us a deep smile as

– you

right on time.”

at each other and then look back to the woman. “Is

The priestess smiles warmly at me but Cora turns to

“Can’t you feel her?”

blink at Cora for a second and then, as

mother here already – I bite my lip,

our bond

I could save my child,

her mouth making a startled

my head and work hard to

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

sympathetic, and then we both turn back to the

smiling around at our whole party and taking

linger on the baby, admiring him.

inside.”

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

everyone’s heart is pounding as

temple, inside, is different than the ones that

elegantly sparse,

cozy. The architecture is still

you can tell that women live here and treat it as a home.

by the windows, at

little worn stick broom tucked

favorite temple of all – and that I

not pause in the middle of the large central

space beneath the dome, but instead leads

turns to us

us a moment. to

hair behind her ears and Roger comes to stand

shoulders, his face very serious. He is, after all, about

for the first time. I smile

baby, who Sinclair helps me unbuckle from the

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

It

all ready – and Sinclair has placed a warm

to the priestess who

Goddess, standing at the

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