And I laugh as my gorgeous mate carries me upstairs, and into the bedroom, and slams the door shut behind us. Roger and I thoroughly enjoy our morning off, so much so that we’re still laying in bed chatting hours later, all wrapped up in each other. I slip my fingers through his hair, only half
Cora “All right, Ella!” I call as I troop down the stairs, dressed for the day, Roger following behind. “In here!” she calls, peeking out from the living room and giving me a big smile. “Also, sorry,” she adds, grimacing a bit. “We were very rude, bursting in here like that, weren’t we?”
“Because,” she says, biting her lip a little. “We were kind of hoping that you could…ask mom.” “Oh!” I say, blinking in surprise a little. “How…how do I do that?” She shrugs a little. “You just like…call to her.” “What,” Roger says, and I look up again to see him smirking. “Like, she jus
Cora The Goddess’ smile only broadens as she continues her thought. “But you can tell your sister that I have not been so generous as to send her two mates at once. And because I know it will worry her now, you can tell her that I have made her only one mate in this world, even though her mate h
I burst into laughter at the idea, but my mate and I both turn to my sister when she calls my name. “What else did she say?” Ella asks, her face happy and at peace. So, I tell her everything strange thing mom said about the bond being a seed, and seeds, like children, needing time to grow.
Ella Sinclair and I dress very formally that night, knowing that how we bid our farewell to the Atalaxian delegation is going to be something that we handle with a great deal of care, especially as we know that Calvin will be there. We even wear our crowns, hoping that they oblige the Atalaxian
Ella I ignore the soft growl that rumbles from the doorway, though Calvin glances briefly in that direction. “No, Calvin,” I say, shaking my head softly. “We did a little bit of research this afternoon. And I’m sorry to say it if it makes you sad, but you’re not my mate.” “What?” he brea
“Stop,” I say, scootching forward across the couch now so that we sit close together. “Calvin, you have nothing to be embarrassed about –“ He huffs a laugh, looking down into his lap. “I was ready to leave my wife, Ella,” he murmurs, “to leave my entire country behind-“ “No,” I interrupt, an
He shakes his head at me as tears fill his own eyes and he leans forward, pulling me against him while somehow miraculously managing not to crush our children between us as he holds me tight in his arms. “So, I guess it wouldn’t matter,” he murmurs against my hair as I sniff back my tears and nod.
“Even more than the kids!?” I gasp, my mouth falling open a bit. “I mean, the kids,” he says, shrugging as if they’re not much, which makes me laugh. But then he goes a little rigid as he realizes something, raising his eyes to glare at me a bit. “Wait, are you saying you like the kids more than m
Ella “Nope,” Sinclair says, heaving himself out of bed and grabbing his phone off the bedside table as he does. “I can’t live like this, Ella – I’m calling Roger, I’ve got to know –“ “Dominic!” I say, laughing and grabbing for him, trying to catch the edge of his pajamas and failing because I’v
She laughs and I look first at Sinclair, who shrugs, and then back at my sister. “Come on,” Roger says, nodding at the crowds of people waiting to congratulate us and at the small table of refreshments. “Let’s decide this over some champagne.” Sinclair nods at me and I sigh, moving with my famil
The last image, though, lingers. Ariel, with Rafe and Jesse on either side – as they always are – and her two mates behind her. All standing together on a battlefield with Ariel at the center, magic welling between her hands and passing to her brother, to her cousin. Their faces are serious as t
Cora The images of Ariel’s future come in quick flashes, and somehow I get the impression that the Goddess is eager to share these glimpses of her life. The ones that come first are what I sort of expected, especially after seeing some images of Rafe’s childhood and hearing about the ones that
“We are not,” Cora scoffs, gently taking Ariel into her arms as Sinclair and I laugh. Roger grins, leaning forward to kiss me on the cheek before passing Jesse to me. “You know I’m kidding, right, Ells?” he whispers. I smile at my brother-in-law and gently pat his cheek. “When in doubt, Roger,”
Ella Three weeks later – Ariel was born under a waning quarter moon, not a new moon like her brother and her cousin – I stand anxiously in the woods, my little girl held tight in my arms. “I’m sensing some anxiety,” Cora says, grinning at me with a little too much glee as she comes up to my sid
“Oh my god,” I say, the words spilling out of my mouth. “Oh my god,” I sit up straight, staring at Henry, my eyes flicking to his legs – because honestly, I don’t even notice his chair anymore, or think of him at all as someone whose abilities are hindered. Or of me as someone who is able to do an