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

grinning proudly down

kiss my baby’s forehead.

the world will ever see

for about…five more months,” Roger

over his chest with a smirk. Sinclair just laughs and

letting it pass.

ready, Cora?” I ask, moving

giving me a nod and reaching for my hand.

the five of us begin to walk towards the temple. As

dove- colored robes comes

for a moment, going still at the sight of those

themBut I feel Sinclair behind me, his hand warm against my back, and then

the bond and I

stay at Cora’s side.

is not the same situation

not every priestess we meet is going

surely, actually

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

Goddess – you are welcome here. And

right on time.”

smile at each other and then look back to the

at me but Cora turns

“Can’t you feel her?”

a second and then, as I realize what she means

– I bite my lip, feeling a very deep

used up’ our bond – used the magic

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

making a startled “o”

and work hard to give her

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

then we both

at

to let her gaze linger on the baby, admiring him.

inside.”

a group, we follow the priestess into

wonder if everyone’s heart

is different than the ones that we’ve been

temple was elegantly sparse, and the

one is… cozy. The architecture is still bright

can tell that women live here and treat it as a

benches by the windows, at the well-loved books

and the little worn stick broom tucked into

of

the middle of the large central room of

space beneath the dome, but instead leads us across it

turns to us with

giving us a moment.

behind her ears and Roger comes to

very serious. He is, after all, about

mother as such for the

Sinclair helps me unbuckle from the carrier.

it, but somehow I want Rafe quite close

grandmother. It feels

Sinclair has placed

the priestess who

immediately, we all doThe beautiful Goddess, standing at the far end of the room, glowing with

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