Ella glared at Sinclair, slicing her hand through the air and shaking her head. She realized he couldn't hear what she was hearing. The first thing she heard was a laugh.

"All right, little daughter," a soft voice said. Ella instantly recognized her mother's voice. "I stopped there for a reason, but if you get out of my pool, I'll give you one more." Ella narrowed her eyes at the moon but obeyed, stepping out of the pool.

"I ended there because I don't know the outcome," her mother said sorrowfully. "His mission will be his own. But I do know this…" Ella reached out and put a tense hand on Sinclair's arm. She gasped as a fleeting vision formed: Jesse, an old man, wrinkles crinkling around his eyes as he smiled down at a child in his arms—his grandchild, great-grandchild, or perhaps a child he loved deeply, though not necessarily his own blood. The vision vanished as quickly as it came, but it was enough.

Jesse lived. And that was enough.

"Thank you," Ella breathed, her eyes turned toward the sky, the tension leaving her shoulders. "Thank you."

"Trust them," the Goddess said, her words fainter than before. "Even if you don't trust this world, or me, trust them." Ella nodded, understanding and committing to it.

Suddenly, the magic lifted, and the Goddess was gone. The light from the pool faded, leaving only a lake or pond.

"What…what just happened?" Sinclair asked, staring at her with wide eyes.

"Did you see?" Ella asked, desperate to know.

"See what?" he asked, shaking his head. "See you plunge into the pond yelling at the sky like a literal lunatic?"

"See the last vision!" Ella explained. When he continued to stare, she sighed. "Okay. Guess that one was just for me."

"She showed you more!?"

Ella nodded 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." Her mate scowled, then glanced at the moon, seeming too afraid of the Goddess for blasphemy.

"Well, that hardly seems fair," he murmured. "Why do you get extra visions?"

"Well, you," Ella said, pointing at his shoes, "have warm, dry feet. So, fair trade."

He laughed, shaking his head as he wrapped Jesse tightly in his blanket. The baby's face was peaceful, his eyes drifting shut.

"Leave it to you, trouble," he murmured, "to bully the Goddess into showing you extra magical visions."

"I'm his godmother," Ella said, grinning and taking the baby when Sinclair offered him, knowing she was upset and wanted to hold him close. "If I'm not going to bully a deity for him, who is?"

"I'll leave it to you," Sinclair sighed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Come on. Let's go get you into some warm socks."

About an hour later, Sinclair tossed a pair of fluffy socks onto her lap.

"All right, Ella," Cora said, frowning down at her with her baby in her arms, "spill."

"I told you," Ella sighed, "it's not bad." But Cora didn't believe her. Cora had seen the wet hem of Ella's gown, her ruined shoes, and Sinclair's pale face when they emerged from the forest. They'd tried to put on a good show, highlighting the wonderful things they'd seen (which was true!), but Cora hadn't said much, ushering everyone into waiting vans to return home as quickly as possible.

She was a polite hostess, ensuring everyone was comfortably settled with food and drink so Jesse's celebration could continue, but Ella knew Cora only wanted them alone to get the full details.

Roger was equally worried, though he was better at hiding it.

"They said it's all right, Cora," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "They wouldn't say that if it wasn't true." He looked between them, desperate hope in his eyes.

"We wouldn't," Sinclair assured him.

"They would," Cora snapped, glaring at Sinclair and Ella. "They would say whatever polite nonsense they could until they got us alone, and then they would break the news to us! So!" She was practically shaking with anxiety as Ella finished pulling on her warm socks. "Spill! Please!"

"Cora," Ella murmured, reaching for her, and her sister let her pull her onto the bed. Ella wrapped her arms around her, and Cora burst into tears. "No, Cora, really—it's all right!"

"Is it?" she gasped. "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," Ella murmured, rocking her sister. "But first, I need you to tell me how much you want to know."

"What?" Cora gasped, pulling back and looking at her.

"It's the same choice you gave me," Ella said 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 let out a long, shaking breath, then her shoulders trembled as she tucked her head against her baby and cried tears of relief.

"Cora," Roger said, his voice breaking. Ella released her sister so Roger could take her place. He sat next to her on the bed, pulling her and the baby into his lap and holding them tight.

Sinclair stood beside Ella, and she leaned against him, resting her head on his stomach. She suddenly wanted to hold Rafe, but he was downstairs with Henry because she knew Cora needed her full attention. She sighed, denying herself the impulse to get him. Her sister needed her more.

They stayed like that for a long moment while Cora composed herself. When she was ready, she lifted her head and looked into Roger's eyes. He nodded steadily.

"Whatever you want, Cora," he murmured.

Cora turned her eyes to Ella and nodded, finally ready to know.