I laugh again, pulling Sinclair’s face back up to mine and kissing him, passing all my own joy down the bond. Because this moment – I’ve been waiting for it my whole life. A little surprise baby, much desired and already much loved – Sinclair kisses me back with all the love in his heart, holdin
Ella “Cora?” I gasp the minute I get the phone to my ear, still scrambling out of bed and tangled in the sheets. “Hey, Ells,” she says, her voice somehow both tight and bored at once. “Sorry to wake you up –“ “You didn’t wake me –“ I say quickly, reaching for Rafe in his crib and scoopi
Rafe grins at me and I laugh, because the way he looks at me when I talk – god, it’s as if he’s already starting to understand. I spend a few quiet moments with my son, thinking about how he’s going to react when there’s a little baby around – And quite suddenly my eyes fill with tears when
Ella “Oh geeze,” I say when we pull up to Cora and Roger’s house in the pre-dawn morning and see that every light is on. “You ready for this?” “Sure!” Sinclair says, grinning at me as he puts the car in park at the end of the driveway. “It will be a nice role reversal – this time Roger can b
“You’ll be safer in a hospital,” Roger says, crossing his arms as he comes into the room. “No, I won’t,” she sighs, flicking him a little glare as she settles the blankets just how she wants them. “My sister, the magical healer, is here. It’ll be fine – I couldn’t be any safer.” “I had a hom
Cora I narrow my eyes at Roger when he comes upstairs about forty-five minutes later. “Are you going to behave better now?” I ask, my voice tense. “Yup,” he says, leaning in the doorway with a lazy smile. I start to laugh as I look over his too-loose stature. “Is it because you’re all d
“All right?” he says quietly when it all fades. “Yeah,” I say, turning my eyes to his now. And then I smile a little, returning my hand to his cheek. “I hope the baby’s eyes are just like yours,” I murmur. “Nah,” he says, smirking at me. “Big brown ones, like his mom. That would be best.”
Cora “You’ve got this, Cora!” Ella cheers at my side while I squeeze Roger’s hand, panting and shouting as I give what the nurse has told me is one last, final push. I put everything I have into this final moment, squeezing my eyes shut and pushing as hard as I can, wanting this done – wanti
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