#Chapter 396 – The Long Road Home
Ella
“No more road trips,” I grumble under my breath, trying to rock my little baby in my arms and distract him from the rumbling of the road, “ever again.”” Don’t be so sore about it,” Cora says, moving one of her checkers forward a space. “At least we got the information we were coming for.”
“WellthatI will never begrudge,” I say, turning my head and smiling at her.” But next time?”
She grins, anticipating what I’m going to say next. “We’re taking a private jet.” Cora laughs, shaking her head at me and sitting back against the backrest of her seat in the kitchenette.” That would be a waste of resources, and it’s probably too short of a flight or something to mom’s temple,” she sighs.
“Well thenoneof our children,” I huff, leaning forward to study the board, “is going to have to learn to bend time and space, because I amnotsuffering through this agai-”
But before I can even finish my sentence, Roger at the driver’s seat hits a huge bump and the game board goes flying in the air, pieces scattering despite their magnetic bond. I groan and sit back against my own seat as Cora sighs and picks up the pieces, putting them back in the box. We both know that particular distraction is over. “Sorry!” Roger calls over his shoulder. “Won’t happen again!” “He just knew I was beathing you,” I grumble as Sinclair comes and sits next to me.” Why did you let him drive, anyway? You’re better at it than he is.” “Oh, no he’s not,” Cora murmurs, defending her mate, but Sinclair and I ignore her.
“He insisted,” Sinclair tells me with a shrug, reaching for the baby. “And youknowhow he gets when he feels like he’s not getting his turn with the toy.”
I laugh a little, handing the baby over to my mate who smiles down at his grumpy son. “I agree though,” Sinclair says, smiling at me now and reaching out to tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Next time? All luxury. We’ll get you all drunk at the airport so you don’t even remember the flight, and then we’ll spend the rest of our time luxuriating.” “This had better be a promise,” I murmur, leaning against him and closing my eyes. “You got it, baby,” he whispers, kissing the top of my head. “Hey, so,” Cora says, and I open my eyes to see her leaning across the table, her attention focused mostly on Sinclair. “Where are we going, anyway?” “Um, home?” he says, frowning at her. “Yeah,” she says, cocking her head to the side, “but…like, bunker home? Horribly uncomfortable clinic home? Your home, the house of a thousand corpses?” Sinclair laughs a little. “Those are gone now,” he says, waving a hand and smiling. “We have a very…particular service which helps us with those kinds of needs.”
“Ohweird,” I say, sitting up and looking at him with curiosity. “What isthatjob interview like?”
“Information above your pay grade,” he says, smiling and patting my knee. ” So, we’re going to the house?” Cora asks, interested. “Is that…safe?” ” Well,” Sinclair considers seriously, we’re pretty damn sure that the Cult itself doesn’t have any particular problem with us – that they were merely serving Xander, probably because he supplied them with a great deal of money and resources. But now that we’ve put a serious dent in the Cult’s resources and manpower, and Xander has fled,” he shrugs, “we don’t see any reason not to go back to the city.
We’re keeping a close eye on it, but I think it’s time to start our lives again.” “It has to be more complicated than that,” I say, shaking my head and frowning at him. “Xander isn’t going to rest -” “No, he’s not,” Sinclair agrees, looking at me seriously. “But we aren’t without resources, love. We only went to the bunker because we didn’t know what we were up against.
But now that our enemy is on the run, it is a good a time as any to regroup and focus on the interrupted task: ensuring this country is united under a single King.” “And that’s you, right?” Cora asks, looking at him curiously. “Well, we hope so,” he says, grinning at her. “Do you have any objections?”
“Are the people of this nation aware,” she says, “that theirKingeatsallthe chips? And does not bother to consider whether his sister-in-law wanted any?”
Sinclair grins and leans forward. “Are they likewise aware, that said sister-in- law ateallof the chocolate chip cookies
Cora gasps, appalled. “Unfair!” she says. “This sister-in-law is pregnant!” “Enough!” I groan, especially as Rafe starts to fuss more in Sinclair’s arms. I raise my hands to my temples and rub them gently as my mate and my sister fall silent, grinning at each other. “I cannot take argument on top of traveling in a sardine can. Also, it is smelly in here.” “Truce, then,” Cora sighs. “So, house?” I say, likewise curious as I look up at my mate. ” House,” he says with a nod. “…for now.”
I frown at him, intrigued, but he sends a little pulse down the bond which shushes me, letting me know he wants to have a private conversation instead of one with Cora. I nod and give him a little kiss on the shoulder before resting my head in the same spot. “So, what do you think,” Cora asks, looking down at her hands again and opening and closing them as if she can see her gift sparking there. “Am I going to be able to shoot lightening bolts at people? Or not?”
“You can do anything you put your mind to,” I say placatingly to my sister, grinning, imagining how very much she’d like to zap everyone who got on her nerves. “I’ve actually been meaning to talk to you about that,” Sinclair says. “Really?”
she asks, her eyes going wide with curiosity.” Sure,” he says, giving a little shrug and leaning forward to engage her more completely. “Considering that I’m likely to become the King of a nation that’s going to have a lot of military concerns, I wonder if you’d be willing to consider experimenting with your gift and seeing how it could be used… well, as a kind of weapon.”
“Really!?” she says again, more eager now. “I never thought of it like that -”
“Cora!” I scold, sitting up straight and frowning between my mate and my sister. “You’re a doctor! You shouldnotbe thinking about hurting people with your gift!”
“Chill out, Ella,” she murmurs, leaning back in her seat and frowning at me. “I’m not actuallygoing to strike people down with lightning bolts, but Sinclair is right – this could be strategically useful.”
“Creating a hurricane in the face of an advancing Navy,” Sinclair offers, turning to me with a shrug. “Or even, on the day of a battle, ensuring that the other troops are rained on while ours stay dry this could turn the tide in any war.” I go a little pale thinking about it, looking down at my baby. I’ve had enough of war, and I certainly don’t want him raised in a world filled with it. “Do you really think we’re headed for situations like that?” I ask, my voice soft. Sinclair lifts a hand and softly strokes my hair, sympathy clear on his face. “I’m sorry to say it, love,” he gently replies, “but I think so.
We’re not coming to power in a time of peace. We can fight for that but…we have to fight.” I sigh, looking down at the table, worried all over again. “But at least they’ve got us,” Cora says, leaning over the table and offering her hand. I look up at her, not really understanding what she means. She shrugs. “You and I want peace. So do these three,” she says, nodding her head to indicate the Sinclair men. “Put together, we’re…kind of a force to be reckoned with. I’d rather be fighting for peace than letting others decide for us.” “I get it,” I mumble, sinking back in my chair with another sigh. “I just… want more for our children than that.”
“We’ll give it to them,” Sinclair promises, and I look up into his eyes, wanting to believe him very much. ” Together, we’ll make this world what it should be for their sake, as well as everyone else’s.” Slowly, I nod, agreeing to the plan. I take my sister’s offered hand and give it a squeeze. And the RV continues to rumble down the road, driving us back to the city where this all started. The city, and that nation, and the world that is ours to shape if we’re willing to fight for it.
