“You might have to,” Sinclair says, raising his eyebrows. “I’ve heard the packs in the northern provinces are very tight-knit and have…strange magics.” “I’ve heard that too,” Hank says, nodding. “Their healing practices are said to be quite unique. I’m very interested to learn from them.” “W
It takes a little over two hours, but finally the last of the doctors leaves, the door clicking shut behind them. “Finally,” Roger sighs, falling back into the linens of the freshly-changed bed. “Now we just have to get our stupid family to leave and we’ll get some sleep –“ “Excuse me,” I sa
“Oh,” I scold, giving him a light smack on the chest. “They will. Besides, shut up, I want to watch this…” And the two of us lean forward as Sinclair sits Rafe on the bed, letting him lean forward and continue to reach for the baby. “Lay them down,” Ella says softly, her voice a little awed,
Ella I see a yawn stretch over Cora’s face and immediately start to get to my feet. “You’re exhausted,” I say, “we’ll let you get some rest –“ “No,” Roger says, suddenly a little frantic again. “You guy can’t leave – what if – what if the baby cries and Cora sleeps through it – I have no ide
Rafe burbles happily as if in reply and I smile at him as I carry him over to the little changing table I set up a few hours ago, starting to get him ready for bed. “I’m very happy for you, Rafe,” I say sternly as I change his diaper and start to put his pajamas on. “But if you like your new cou
Ella “What do you mean I made it snow?” Cora frowns at me as she bustles around the kitchen, making mimosas. “That’s ridiculous – you must have imagined it.” “It totally snowed!” I protest, laughing and shaking my head at her, turning to Sinclair at the table for support. “It did,” he sa
“I will care for the baby during the day,” Roger says, gesturing to the baby cradled in his arm. “At night, he’s your son.” We all laugh again, mostly because we know he’s not serious. Roger, like Sinclair, will certainly do his share of childcare without complaint, day or night. He’ll just teas
Ella It takes us longer than I know Sinclair would prefer to get out of Roger and Cora’s house that morning, mostly because Cora spent so much time freaking out, hugging me, and scolding me for not telling her immediately. But in the end they let us go, Cora wiping her eyes and Roger giving us a b
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