Chapter 487

“Ella, you can’t just demand But I glare at Sinclair, slicing my hand through the air and shaking my head as I realize that he can’t hear what I’m hearing.

And the first thing that comes to my ears... Is a laugh.

“All right, little daughter,” a soft voice says, and I instantly recognize it as my mother. “I stopped there for a reason, but if you get out of my pool, I’ll give you one more.” I narrow my eyes at the moon but do as the Goddess bids, stepping out of the pool.

“I ended there because I do not know the outcome,” she says, her voice sorrowful. “His mission will be...his own. But, I do know this...” And I reach out and put a hand on Sinclair’s arm, very tense. I gasp a little as a new vision forms very fleeting, very brief –

But in it, Jesse is an old, old man wrinkles crinkle around his eyes as he smiles down at a child in his arms His grandchild, or maybe his great- grandchild or maybe not a child of his blood at all, but certainly one he loves very, very much – It’s gone as soon as it comes, but it’s enough.

Jesse – he lives. And it’s enough.

“”Thank you,” I breathe, my eyes turned up now towards the sky, the tension falling from my shoulders. ” Thank you.” “Trust them,” the Goddess says, her words even fainter now than they were before. “Even if you don’t trust this world, or me, trust them.” And I nod, understanding, committing to it.

And suddenly, whatever magic was here lifts, and she’s gone.

The light from the pool fades until it’s just...a lake, or a pond again.

“What...what just happened?” Sinclair asks, staring down at me with wide eyes.

“Did you see?” I ask, desperate to know.

“See what?” he asks, shaking his head at me. “See you plunge into the pond yelling at the sky like a literal lunatic!?” “See the last vision!” I explain, and when he continues to stare at me I let out a deep breath. “Okay. Guess that one was just for me.” “She showed you more!?” I nod slowly. “She knew I was upset when the vision ended with Jesse in darkness. So, she showed me him as an old man, holding a tiny child.” My mate scowls at me and then glances up at the moon, as if he wants to get mad now but he’s a little too scared of her for blasphemy. “Well, that hardly seems fair,” he murmurs. ” Why do you get extra visions?” “Well, you,” I say, pointing down at his shoes, “have warm dry feet. So. Fair trade.” He laughs at me almost despite himself, shaking his head as he wraps Jesse up tightly in his blanket. The baby’s face is peaceful now, his eyes starting to drift shut. “Leave it to you, trouble,” he murmurs, “to bully the Goddess into showing you extra magical visions.” “I’m his godmother,” I say, grinning and taking the baby from Sinclair’s arms when he offers him to me, probably knowing that I’m upset and want to hold the baby close.

“If I’m not going to bully a diety for him, who is?” “I’ll leave it to you,” Sinclair sighs, wrapping a warm arm around my shoulders.

“Come on. Let’s go get you into some warm socks.” About an hour later, Sinclair makes good on his promise and comes out of Cora and Roger’s closet, tossing a pair of fluffy socks onto my lap.

“All right, Ella,” Cora says, frowning down at me with her baby in her arms, ” spill.” “I told you,” I say on a sigh, “it’s not bad.” But, of course, she doesn’t believe me. Cora took one look at the wet hem of my gown, my ruined shoes, and Sinclair’s pale face when we came out of the forest and went totally still. We tried to put on a good show, ensuring the group of all the wonderful things we saw which is true! – but Cora didn’t say much at all, ushering everyone into the waiting vans so that we could all get back to the house as fast as possible.

She’s a polite hostess of course, and she made sure that everyone was happily settled in the house with food and drink so Jesse’s celebration could continue, but I could tell: the entire time, she just wanted to get us alone so that she could get the full details.

Roger is just as worried, though he’s doing a bit better playing it off.

“They said it’s all right, Cora,” he says, putting a hand on her shoulders. ” They wouldn’t say that if it wasn’t true.” He looks between us now, a desperate hope in his eyes.

“We wouldn’t,” Sinclair assures him.

“They would,” Cora snaps, glaring at Sinclair and me. “They would say whatever polite nonsense they could until they got us alone and then they would break the news to us! So!” she’s almost shaking with her anxiety now as I finish pulling the warm socks over my feet. “Spill! Please!” “Cora,” I murmur, reaching for her, and my sister lets me pull her down onto the bed. I wrap my arms around her shoulders and she bursts into tears. “No, Cora, really – it’s all right!” “Is it?” she gasps. “Then why are you all wet – why did Dominic look like that when he came out of the forest!? What went wrong?” “I’ll tell you everything,” I murmur, rocking my sister back and forth. “But first I need you to tell me how much you want to know.” “What?” she gasps, pulling back and looking at me.

“It’s the same choice you gave me,” I say quietly, looking between her and Roger, “at Rafe’s baptism. You said there were some details that perhaps a mother shouldn’t know – but that it all turned out right. Well, the same thing is true here – it really does all turn out right, Cora. The Goddess – she showed me a vision of Jesse very old, very happy – he lives a long life.” Cora lets out a long, shaking breath, and then her shoulders begin to tremble as she tucks her head down against her baby and starts to cry tears of relief.

“Cora,” Roger says, his voice breaking on her name. I take my arms from around her shoulders so Roger can take my place, and he sits next to her on the bed, pulling her and the baby into his lap and holding them tight against him.

Sinclair comes and stands next to me and I lean against his side, resting my head against his muscled stomach. Very suddenly I want to be holding Rafe but he’s downstairs with Henry, because I knew Cora would need my whole attention for this.

I sigh, denying myself the impulse to run down and get him. My sister needs me more.

We stay like this for a long few moments while Cora catches herself. Then, when she’s ready, she lifts her head and looks into Roger’s eyes. He nods steadily to her.

“Whatever you want, Cora,” he murmurs.

Cora turns her eyes to me and nods, finally ready to know.