Page 38 of Pregnancy Pains & Mystic Chains
"But why now?" Stella asked as she brought me a cup of tea. "Why these babies?"
"Because they're special," Sarah's voice came through the speaker. I'd forgotten they were likely still on the call. "Three magical children, born of both divine and mortal power who also carry the essence of the First Song. They're a catalyst, awakening what the Keepers tried to bind away centuries ago."
The babies moved and made the mark pulse beneath its concealment. A wave of connection washed over me. It wasn’t as intense as before. This time, I was able to sense other magical mothers across town. I could feel their worry, their hope, and their fierce determination to protect their children. We were all linked by something ancient and powerful.
"We need to warn Rebecca," I said as the room spun alarmingly. "The Keepers-"
"Will have to go through us to get to her," Aidon interrupted, gently but firmly. "But right now, you need to rest. You don’t need to push yourself to the point those magical contractions start again."
"He's right," Clio added. "You need to keep these babies from making an early appearance."
"I'll go check on Rebecca," Stella offered, already grabbing her keys. "Nina and I can bring her here where it's safe."
"Take Murtagh with you," Mom insisted. "If the Keepers are watching her house..."
"I already texted him," Nina confirmed. "He's waiting for us outside. And Tseki is patrolling the perimeter here in case they think they can breach our wards."
"I'll contact Dr. Harrison," Jean-Marc added as he pulled out his phone. "If the splinter group has been gathering evidence against the Keepers, we need to see it. Maybe there's something in their research that can help us protect Mom and the babies."
I wanted to argue, to insist on helping, but another wave of magical energy rolled through me. A sharp, burning sensation radiated from my core, making me gasp. The familiar pain brought back memories of the earlier contractions. Fear gripped me. I couldn't risk going into actual labor.
"Fine," I conceded as Mom pressed a fresh cup of tea into my hands. "But I want updates every five minutes. And Sarah," I called out. “We need to know everything your midwife network knows about these marks."
"I'll reach out to my contacts," Sarah offered. "The midwife network extends throughout New England. If that coven still exists, we'll find them."
"And I'll analyze more of the energy," Selene added. "If we can understand how the babies are connecting magical mothers, maybe we can use it to our advantage. We might be able to create some kind of early warning system when the Keepers target someone new."
"Like a magical underground railroad," Nina said excitedly. "We could help mothers escape before the Keepers can bind their magic!"
"One thing at a time," Aidon cautioned. "First, we need to make sure Phoebe and the babies are safe. Then we can work on dismantling the Keepers' entire power structure."
I settled on a stool and snagged an apple from the basket of fruit. One hand went to my belly where the triplets had finally calmed. We had allies now in Sarah's midwife network, Dr. Harrison's splinter group, and the other magical mothers like Rebecca. We might be able to stop these Keepers after all.
The babies kicked my palm, sending little ripples of power through me that made the nearby crystals chime. For the first time in days, the power felt less like chaos and more like a conversation. They were trying to tell me something. Not about prophecies or ancient powers, but about family and love.
Maybe that was the real power of the First Song. It wasn’t about control or dominance, but the simple, fierce magic of a mother's love for her children. The kind of power that couldn't be bound or corrupted or controlled. The kind of power that could change everything.
CHAPTER 14
Asharp knock at the door made us all freeze. After Nina and Stella had returned with Rebecca, we'd been strategizing how to protect other magical mothers from the Keepers. This unexpected visitor set everyone on edge.
Nina moved to the window. Her expression shifted from alert to confused. "Someone's here, but... something's off about their energy." She frowned and cocked her head to the side. "It feels like they're a Keeper, but their energy isn’t quite right. Like they're wearing a magical costume that doesn't quite fit."
"What do you mean?" I struggled to sit up straighter. The babies protested the movement with a series of kicks to my bladder that nearly made me pee myself.
"The real Keepers have this ancient resonance to their magic," Nina explained, still studying the figure through the glass. "This person's energy is newer. And feels artificial. They're trying to mimic the pattern, but they don't have the depth."
Mom moved to stand beside her and was squinting through the glass. "I'm not picking up anything unusual."
"That's just it," Nina said excitedly. "They look completely normal to regular magical sight. Somehow, I can see through the glamour. Past the surface illusion to what's really there."
Aidon appeared beside Nina then and looked her over. "Your powers are evolving," he observed. "Adapting to help protect your family. The babies' magic is affecting all of us. Strengthening abilities some of us didn't even know we had."
"Or giving us new ones entirely," Selene added from her spot near the table covered in research. "The magical resonance in this house has been steadily increasing for weeks. It's like being in a supernatural pressure cooker."
Before anyone could respond, another sharp knock echoed through the house. After Nina's warning about the visitor's strange energy, I opened my magical senses wider, trying to understand what we were dealing with. The power that hit me nearly knocked me off my stool.
"Stop!" I shouted as Mom reached for the door. "The other person out there is divine." The energy was overwhelming. It was ancient and furious. It felt like staring into the heart of a thunderstorm. It seemed to be everywhere at once, pressing against our wards, searching for weaknesses.
