A few hours later, close to midnight, our entire party gathered in the forest, sipping champagne and mingling quietly as we waited for Jesse's baptism. We had a priestess, of course, one far more thoroughly vetted than the last.

I was in incredibly good spirits, enjoying the night and the company of our loved ones. But when my eyes fell on Cora, I saw she was gnawing her lip anxiously.

"Oh, Cors," I sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder. I glanced at Roger, standing a few feet away with Henry. Roger held the baby; both men were talking with Sinclair, who held a sleeping Rafe close to his shoulder. "It will be all right!"

"I know it will," she sighed, twisting her hands. "And even if it's not, I can't change anything, can I?"

"I know," I said, remembering my own anxiety at Rafe's baptism. "But Mom can't have anything truly bad in store for him. It'll be all good things!"

"Oh, come on, Ella," Cora said, giving me a little glare. "It's not like Mom gave us an easy road just because we're her daughters. We grew up in an orphanage, stalked by dark priests our whole lives."

"But we had each other!"

"I just want my baby to have a good life," she sighed, looking anxiously at the sky, as if she could somehow bully Mom into a blessing. "It tortures me to think he'll go through half of what we did."

"He'll have ups and downs, like the rest of us," I said, wrapping my arms around her. "You can't spare him from that."

"Yes, I can," she growled. "I'll just lock him in a very comfortable, safe, and cozy basement."

I laughed, shaking my head. "Your baby is going to have a big life, Cora," I said, squeezing her.

"Yeah, well, we'll see how cheerful you are six months from now," she said, trailing a finger down my baby bump. I grinned, tapping my bond with my baby girl to say hello. She didn't reply; she was probably sleeping. I was distracted anyway, and preferred to give her my full attention when she initiated contact.

"I know," I sighed, happy but aware Cora was right. "I'll be a mess then, I'm sure."

My pregnancy had gone remarkably well. It wasn't that different from my first two weeks with Rafe, except for significantly less personal drama. And while I treasured every moment of my pregnancy with Rafe, this one was a dream—the kind I used to fantasize about. Safe, comfortable, and shared with my little family. I was so grateful.

But tonight was about Jesse. And while I could gush about my pregnancy for days, I wanted to focus on him.

"The hour grows close!" the priestess called—an older woman this time, dressed in the silvery-white robes of the goddess. She gave us a warm, motherly smile and held out her hands.

"Go time," I said, slipping my arm around Cora's waist and walking forward with her. Our mates joined us before the goddess, and Henry drew closer. Our guests gathered, quieting to hear the words.

Cora took Jesse from Roger, who readily handed him over. I kissed Rafe's sleeping cheek before Sinclair gave him to Henry for safekeeping.

"I'll keep him warm and safe," Henry said, winking. "Enjoy yourselves."

"We will," Sinclair assured him, running a hand over Rafe's dark hair before turning to the priestess.

"I can't believe you're taking my baby into the forest without me," Cora whispered, her voice breaking. "I haven't been away from him… ever…"

"It'll be fifteen minutes," I said, laughing and touching her cheek, though I understood her feelings perfectly. My own emotions stirred—a blend of the day's significance, memories, and love for our growing family.

I took a deep breath and sniffed.

"You can't start crying already," Sinclair murmured, his hand warm on my back.

"I can do whatever I want," I mumbled, laughing. "I'm a queen."

He laughed, but we turned our attention to the priestess, who reached out for Jesse. Cora sighed, but passed him over, causing several of our friends to laugh understandingly.

The priestess smiled down at the wide-awake Jesse, who seemed to understand the importance of the day.

"Who presents this child for dedication?" the priestess asked, smiling at the four of us.

"We do," Roger replied, his voice steady and serious. "His mother and I."

The priestess nodded. I smiled, recognizing the words from Rafe's ceremony. "And who will carry him to meet the Goddess?"

"We will," Sinclair answered, nodding at me. "Ella and Dominic Sinclair, his godparents."

The priestess smiled and gave instructions—more ceremonial than anything else. Sinclair and I knew what to do. Together, we stepped forward, Sinclair taking Jesse. I looped my arm through his, took one last look at Cora, and then we carried our nephew into the forest's darkness.

We walked for what felt like too long.

"Is it supposed to be this far?" I asked, peering into the darkness for the pool.

"I don't know," Sinclair said calmly. "It's a magical forest, Ella. Maybe the journey takes different amounts of time for everyone."

"What!?" I hissed, looking around. "I thought it was just…the woods!"

He laughed, glancing at me before turning back to Jesse, shifting him to look around. "Look how interested Jesse is," he laughed. "Maybe it's taking a while because Jesse's having a good time. Maybe he wants it to take longer."

"Well, hurry it up, little baby," I said, poking Jesse's belly, making him smile. "Auntie's wearing heels, and my feet hurt." Jesse was swaddled, but Sinclair was right—he was cheerful and interested, though I doubted he could see much.

Almost as if on cue, a silvery light appeared ahead, a pretty silver haze.

"Looks like it worked," Sinclair murmured, taking my hand. I squeezed his.

"Good job, baby," I said, smiling at Jesse. Then the three of us moved forward, ready to introduce him to his grandmother and learn a little about his fate.