Chapter 361 – Secret Hours
Coral
Ella and I work the rest of the morning, me making the big decisions about who needs the most medical care next and taking Rafe from her when she’s working. I watch every time she heals someone, unable to tear my eyes away from it. And while I thought I would be jealous – honestly, my sister is doing better work then I ever have as a doctor – I can only feel thrilled that we have this incredible tool in our hands.
Especially, especially considering that Roger came to tell me a few hours ago that they plan to attack tonight. That he and Sinclair are, again, going to put their lives on the line to stop this horrible man who wants to hurt our family.
Just the bare idea that Ella can help if they come home in pieces….
I close my eyes for a moment – Rafe sleeping in my arms while Ella settles down and starts talking with her next patient – dismissing the thought. Because if I start to think about what could happen tonight…
I’ll never be able to let him go. I feel a warm presence beside me as my eyes are closed and smile a little, because I know immediately who it is. And I’m gratified to find that I was right when I open my eyes and see my beautiful mate standing there next to me, smiling down into my face.
“Hello, gorgeous,” Roger says softly.
“Are you talking to me?” I ask, “or the baby?”
“Well,” Roger says, looking down and pretending to consider little sleeping Rafe, “I mean he’s cute, but I’m not sure I’d go so far as to say gorgeous.
I laugh a little, shaking my head, but Roger just smiles at me again and raises a hand to my cheek. “How are you holding up?”
“Oh it’s all easy for me,” I say, turning towards him with a grin and nodding towards Ella. “She does all the work.”
He laughs a little and we both turn towards her then, watching the miracle get started. “Can you take a break?” he whispers, not wanting to disturb. ” When this one is done?”
“Why?” I whisper back, confused, but not taking my eyes away. “Do you need something?”
“No,” he replies with a little shrug. Just…a lull. I wanted a moment to check in with you before we start getting ready to go.”
My stomach twists a little at his words but I nod, reaching out to take his hand. A break will be good.
When Ella finishes with her current patient we quickly consult about the plan to take a short break to talk to our mates and she agrees eagerly, taking the baby and hurrying out of the room to find Sinclair. Roger takes my hand and we follow after her, heading towards our own shabby little barracks room to take a minute to ourselves.
He doesn’t bother to turn the light on when we enter our room, instead just closing the door and leading me over to the bed. I’m pleased by this – pleased that I want what he wants in this moment, which is just a quiet minute alone with him. Roger lays down first and then I lay my body close next to his, putting my head on his chest and letting my arm trail over his body, holding him close.
“How’s the baby?” I murmur, wanting to know. Roger takes a deep breath and, even though I can’t see him, I know that he’s closing his eyes, concentrating on his bond with the baby and assessing how the little bean is doing.
“Baby’s doing good,” he sighs happily, pulling me close to him. Then, with a little chagrin that makes me laugh, he continues. “I think this baby is going to be a workhorse like you. It’s getting all sorts of messages from you that busy means happy. You’re a bad influence.”
I laugh and this, giving him a little smack on the chest. “What,” I ask, “do you want the baby to be lazy like you?”
“To begin,” he counters, and I can almost feel him shoot me a little glare, “I am not lazy. I merely…prioritize and enjoy my down time. You could benefit from some lazy in your life, Cora.” He begins to run a hand slowly across my shoulders now. “I could make it worth your while,” he murmurs suggestively.
I laugh a little and snuggle closer to him, feeling my spirit renew after even a few quiet moments alone with him. “I think you might be right, Roger,” I start – but my words are cut off when he gasps.
“What?” he asks dramatically, “one of the Reina sisters, admitting that a Sinclair is right?!”
I laugh again and snuggle closer. Don’t tease me,” I murmur, “or I won’t do it again.” He laughs and relents, letting me continue. “But yes,” I sigh. ” I think that I have in my life thrown myself into my work as a way to feel like I was…doing something. Being productive. Being useful. But I think…” I hesitate now, trying to put my thoughts together. “I think this little baby is going to have enough of that as it is,” I sigh.
“What do you mean?” Roger asks worried but interested.
“Well,” I consider. “I mean – Rafe was conceived because a man wanted him to be born – because he has royal blood, and goddess blood, and Sinclair blood. And while our baby was…more spontaneous,” I say, smirking a little at the memory of how our child was conceived, “I can’t help but think, Roger, that…”
“That something was conspiring to get us together,” he sighs, nodding. “That we were kind of forced off the road by an insane storm the day you were ovulating.”
“Yeah,” I sigh, hugging him tighter now, a little afraid. “And…”
“What?” he asks, encouraging.
“Well,” I whisper, “I was thinking about…Ella, today. Watching her access our mother’s gift. And then I was holding Rafe the whole time. And Roger …I think that Xander wanted Rafe to be conceived mostly because of his royal blood – but I think what has been underestimated here is the fact that Rafe is the grandson of a goddess. And our child will be too. What if these children have access to the same kind of gift that Ella has…”
“Do you have the gift?” Roger asks, curious.
“I can wield it,” I point out, “when Ella passes it to me.”
“Why didn’t you guys get two?” he asks. “I don’t know,” I say, frowning. ” Maybe one was enough. Or…maybe because Ella asked for it when we were out in the desert.”
“Do you want it?” he asks, quiet. “If you were to ask your mother for your own gift…would you want that?”
“I don’t know,” I whisper, truly trying to weigh the question. “Because on one hand it would be wonderful to do what Ella does with the gift – to save live likes that? But also…if it means that the baby would inherit such a thing…”
“That kind of pressure,” he murmurs.
“And that kind of target,” I add, shaking my head. “I don’t know. I just don’t know, Roger.”
“Well,” he says quietly, and I can feel him turn towards me, scootching down on the bed so that our faces are close together now. “Why don’t we go to your mom and ask?”
