Page 18 of Pregnancy Pains & Mystic Chains
"Just what?" I prompted, even though I wasn't sure I wanted to know.
"It's like they're growing physically while also being connected to something we only know as ancient. It’s unclear if the former is changing them or if this is their natural progression. It’s fascinating. Each time I check them, their power has evolved in new ways."
"Being the offspring of a god wasn't enough?" I asked weakly. "Because I was kind of hoping we'd peaked at 'half-divine triplets with possible world-altering powers’."
"Don’t borrow problems before we know they exist. This development makes sense," Stella interjected. "If these fertility rituals that Nana found really do predate Olympus, and the babies are somehow linked to that, then there is more at play here. But it doesn’t mean it’s bad."
"I don't trust ancient forces I can't see or touch," Aidon added, looking troubled but not afraid. His hand found mine, steady and warm as always. "And they might not appreciate being stirred from their slumber because of our children."
"Well," I said, trying to process everything, "at least we know why Mrs. Stavros ran away. I'd run too if I sensed something that powerful."
"About Mrs. Stavros," Clio said slowly, setting down her tablet. "She's a keeper of old knowledge. I never thought much about it before, but she once mentioned being part of a lineage that predated the Oracle of Delphi."
"Let me guess," I sighed, rubbing my temples. "She's part of some secret society that's been waiting for these babies?"
"That's more likely than not given your luck." Clio began shutting down her equipment. "And if she recognized the symbol, others will too. We need to be careful."
"More careful than we already are?" Mom asked incredulously. "We've got wards on top of wards, guard dogsfrom the Underworld, and enough protective spells to secure the Pentagon."
"None of which stopped that symbol from appearing," Aidon reminded her. "Or prevented those shapeshifters from attacking. If these powers are as ancient as they seem, our usual defenses might not be enough."
"That's the first statement anyone has made that makes any sense," I muttered.
"Think of how wonderful it'll be when these kids are born. They might be able to do things no one's seen in millennia!" Stella said with too much cheer.
"Assuming they don't accidentally tear down Olympus during their terrible twos," I said dryly. "Can you imagine? 'Sorry, Zeus, little Nyssa had a tantrum because we wouldn't let her have a second cookie.'"
Everyone laughed, but there was an edge to it. We all knew this was bigger than anything we'd faced before. I was only certain of one thing about what lay ahead of us. Our family would face it together. Even if that meant dealing with secret societies, ancient rituals, and powers that made gods nervous. When I thought of it like that, I really needed more pickle pancakes for this.
CHAPTER 7
The smell of Mom's spanakopita hit me like a brick to the face the moment I waddled into the kitchen. My stomach let out a growl that no doubt registered on the Richter scale. It woke the babies and had them scrambling. It felt like they were all taking defensive positions in my womb. That was when the magical tattoo on my belly pulsed in time with their movements. My magical babies needed to voice their opinions about everything. Even dinner. We were in deep trouble when these three were born.
"Someone's hungry," Mythia sang out as she zipped past. Her fairy wings caught the light and threw mini rainbows across my face. Show-off.
I rubbed my swollen belly, trying to calm the trio of food critics inside. "These three are worse than Yelp reviewers. And twice as demanding."
"Like mother, like children." Mom's voice dripped with amusement as she pulled a tray of baklava from the oven. The honey-sweet smell made my mouth water, and the babies do slow rolls. "Remember when you were pregnant with Jean-Marc? Poor Miles had to drive across town for those pickled watermelons."
"Don't remind me. Regardless of the trouble this mark has caused, I've been blessed with a better partner this time around. Aidon doesn't give me any grief for my cravings." I shot my mate a grateful look. He was lounging against the counter, trying to look casual while hovering protectively. He'd been my personal guardian for weeks. "Though I still feel bad about making him drive to Portland at midnight for Thai food from Boda."
"I didn't mind," he said softly. His dark energy wisped around his fingers like smoke. "Though keeping your Pad Thai from freezing solid during that snowstorm on Route 1 was interesting. Every time I tried to shield the food from the cold, I'd accidentally ice over another window instead."
"You didn't turn the Subaru into an ice sculpture again," Mythia said with a chuckle, nearly dropping the feta she was arranging.
"He did," I laughed. "We had to pull over in Brunswick to defrost the car. Then he had to explain to a very confused State Trooper why our vehicle looked like an ice castle in the middle of a relatively mild storm. Thank god for memory-altering spells, though I still feel bad about using them."
Nina and Selene's voices carried over from the living room, where they were engaged in their favorite pastime. The two of them loved doing research. Selene had also taught my daughter more about magic than anyone else. It was interesting to see Nina’s knowledge surpass Selene’s. Nina spent every free moment she had reading various magical texts.
"But if we layer the protection spell with Fae energy like before—" Nina insisted, waving a pen around to emphasize her point.
"And watch it blow up in our faces like at The Newcastle Inn?" Selene countered. "Some magical energies don't play nice together. It's like mixing Allen's Coffee Brandy with important decisions. Technically possible, but usually ends in disaster. TheBackside of Forty managed to find a way to mix Fae magic with witchcraft, but it can only happen under certain conditions."
"Yeah, and they literally revolutionized mixing magic," Nina shot back. "They created that potion that can see through Dark Fae glamours."
"And we managed to increase the wards around the property with the pixies, but trying to do more under these circumstances feels risky,” Selene countered. “There are a lot of factors with your mother’s pregnancy and the mark and Aidon...”
"I don't know what you two are debating, but," Nana said, cutting Selene off, as she caught me sneaking another bite of spanakopita. "We aren’t doing anything right now except eating dinner. If there’s anything left for us." She gave me a pointed look as I tried to sneak another bite. "Save some for the rest of us, Phoebe."
