Page 25 of Bedrest Blues & Otherworldly Clues
Melaina joined last. Her golden energy flowed through me in warm, harmonious waves that made my skin tingle and the hairs on my arms rise. Where her power contacted the frozen seeds, golden light enveloped darkness. She transformed them into kernels that would become giant oak trees if planted. It was like watching ink dissolve in clear water, molecule by molecule.
The sensation spread outward from my bedroom in concentric rings of power. Through our connection, I could sense each seed as it was found and neutralized. They took care of the hundreds scattered around the house, then thousands more buried throughout the property. They were dismantling ticking magical land mines. I felt their joy with each neutralized seed.
My muscles tensed as pain rippled across my abdomen. Clio began healing me, and I breathed through the worst of it. Sweat beaded on my forehead as I continued channeling the triplets' magic. My hands were pressed firmly against my swollen belly where their combined power hummed beneath my palms like an electrical current.
Outside, the storm's rhythm faltered. The lightning strikes became erratic. Through the windows, I could see the shadow creatures halt mid-attack. Their formless heads swiveled in confusion like predators who'd lost the scent of their prey.
"It's working," Mom whispered. Her face was bathed in the alternating glow of fading lightning and the golden aura now emanating from my skin.
The moment of triumph was short-lived. A bolt of lightning unlike any before, struck directly overhead with a deafening crack. The protective dome shattered like glass. The glittering magical shards dissolved into the air. White-hotpain lanced through my abdomen. I doubled over as the triplets' magic flared chaotically in response. Their carefully orchestrated effort was threatened by Lyra’s magic.
"No," I gasped, forcing my will through our bond. "Stay with me. Finish what we started."
Another contraction seized me, but I maintained our focus, sensing we were so close. There were just a few seeds left. I poured every ounce of concentration into completing our task. Nyssa located the last five, and her brother and sister did their thing. The moment the last black seed was gone, everything stopped. The storm ceased.
"What happened?" Mom asked.
"The last seed," I explained, exhausted but triumphant. "We got them all."
Triumphant energy pulsed from the triplets, briefly making everything levitate. Outside, the shadow creatures fled like rats from a sinking ship. "They're regrouping," Aidon observed. "I doubt it’s over."
Clio placed her hands on my belly, and her healing energy seeped into me. "Neutralizing those seeds disrupted Lyra’s attempts to force you into labor."
Stella burst in then with a huge smile on her face. She was disheveled from battle but happy. “We did it. Nina was astonishing and forced them to flee. We don’t have many injured, either.”
I nodded and returned her smile. I wasn’t about to tell her what the babies had done. There was no reason to steal her thunder, so to speak. “You guys are amazing. I couldn’t survive without you.” They would be by my side until we stopped Lyra.
CHAPTER 8
Sleep came in broken fragments after our confrontation with Lyra's storm. Every time I closed my eyes I tumbled into disjointed dreams that felt far too real. The triplets remained unusually quiet. Using that much magic had taken it out of them, too.
A strange calm settled over the house. There was an eerie stillness that felt like the eye of a hurricane. We all knew the respite from Lyra was temporary. Nobody wanted to be the first to acknowledge it.
"Your vitals are good," Clio said, breaking the silence as she finished her examination. "The babies' magical signatures have stabilized, though they're operating at a lower frequency than I'd like."
"They're exhausted," I replied, gently stroking my swollen belly. "They've never extended their power like that before."
"None of us has ever done anything like that before," she corrected with a wry smile. "What you four accomplished was unprecedented."
Pride swelled within me before doubt crept in. "But was it enough? Lyra retreated, but she's not defeated."
"One battle at a time," Clio advised, packing away her supplies. "For now, focus on regaining your strength. All of you."
She had barely left when the first vision hit me. It was a waking nightmare that slammed into my consciousness like a freight train. My stomach roiled as images unfurled in my mind.
Blood-red moonlight filtered through ancient stone arches. Massive obsidian bowls were positioned at precise intervals around a central altar. Lyra carefully arranged objects in each bowl. There were herbs, crystals, and something that pulsed with a sickly green glow. I wanted to gauge her energy to see if we had set her back, but her face was half-hidden in shadow.
Pain lanced through my skull. It was white-hot and blinding. I gasped, clutching my temples as the vision intensified.
Hooded figures surrounded Lyra. Their faces were obscured, but their power was unmistakable. They moved with fluid, inhuman grace. The largest bowl at the center remained empty. It was waiting for something I didn’t want to think too much about. Lyra's voice echoed as she chanted words that rippled with power.
"—Phoebe! Phoebe, can you hear me?" Aidon's voice dragged me back to reality. His face swam into focus. It was etched with concern.
"I had a vision," I managed while the pain still pulsed behind my eyes. "I saw Lyra preparing for the ritual."
His shadows darkened, coiling protectively around us. "The Ascension?"
Lifting a shoulder, I described what I'd seen. Each detail had seared itself into my memory, so it wasn’t hard to recount. I told him about the stone arches. The obsidian bowls. The hooded figures and the ingredients.
