Chapter 127

Late night at a maternity hospital in Cloudmere. The sky looked like it had split open, dumping down sheets of cold rain, washing the whole world clean and making everything look kind of surreal. Inside a delivery room on the second floor, Elaria lay on the birthing bed, sweating and breathing through the pain as nurses urged her on. She had to deliver the babies naturally-there was no time for a C-section when she got here. The first baby had already started moving into the birth canal. Thunder rumbled outside. Elaria's body was soaked with sweat; her hospital gown clung to her like a second skin. Her mother, Mrs. Harmon, stood beside her, gripping her hand tightly. She kept calling Elaria's name, trying to give her strength. Childbirth was nothing short of walking through hell, and Mrs. Harmon's heart was in knots. Just in case, Henry had arranged for a private jet to bring Mrs. Collins to Cloudmere-she might be the only one who could help. He'd gone to the airport himself, but with