Surrogate For Alpha Dom

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.

sometimes,” I say quietly, smiling up at

grinning proudly down at his son. “He’s

kiss my baby’s forehead. “Yes, he is.

baby the world

title for about…five more months,”

a smirk. Sinclair just laughs

letting it pass.

ready, Cora?” I ask, moving again

me a nod and reaching for my

another deep breath, the five of us begin to walk towards the temple.

in dove- colored

a moment, going still

I saw themBut I feel Sinclair behind me, his

comes down the bond and I exhale, skipping forward a little

stay at Cora’s side.

is not the same situation we were

meet is

surely,

the woman says, bowing a little and giving us a

of the Goddess – you are welcome

right on time.”

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

smiles warmly at me but Cora

“Can’t you feel her?”

then, as I realize

I bite my lip, feeling

used up’ our bond – used the magic of

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

mouth making a startled “o” of concern, but I

hard

glad you

me, sympathetic, and then we both turn back to

says, smiling around at our whole

let her gaze linger on the baby,

inside.”

group, we follow the

if everyone’s heart

temple, inside, is different than the ones that

desert temple was elegantly sparse, and

is… cozy. The architecture is

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

padded benches by the

alcoves and the little worn stick broom tucked into a corner,

this is my favorite temple of all – and that I quite like

pause in the middle of the large central

the dome, but instead leads

turns

giving us a

tucks her hair behind her ears and Roger comes to stand

serious. He is, after all, about

mother as such for the first time. I

I reach for the baby, who Sinclair

why I do it, but somehow I want Rafe

It

once we’re all ready – and Sinclair has placed

Cora nods to the priestess who opens

standing at the far end of