Page 17 of Bedrest Blues & Otherworldly Clues
Another wave in my belly, and the shadow's progress slowed. That was Thaniel. Whatever he did made the shadow’s actions more obvious. "They're working together," I whispered, placing a hand on my belly. "They're showing us how Lyra infected the house."
We watched as the shadow creature finished its work in the kitchen and slithered through a vent into another part of the house. I shifted my focus to the dresser mirror, directing it to follow the entity's path. It led us to the nursery we'd prepared for the triplets. The shadow began planting its dark seeds around the cribs.
"I bet those are designed to activate under specific conditions. Like say, when you go into labor," Selene suggested.
I nodded grimly. "The magical fluctuations from childbirth would trigger any traps. These would spring to life precisely when I’m most vulnerable."
The mirror view distorted as Nyssa's shadows flared protectively around me. The shadow creature in the nursery paused, as if sensing it was being observed. It turned towardour magical window with what felt like malevolent awareness.
"It knows we're watching," I whispered.
"Break the connection," Selene urged. "Now!"
I severed the magical window. The mirror returned to normal, reflecting only my bedroom and our tense faces. "We need to tell the others," Selene said as she reached for her phone. "If these shadow creatures have been infecting the house, we can find and neutralize them."
"We need to figure out how to destroy them without triggering these traps prematurely," I added.
Selene nodded and sent a message to everyone explaining what we'd discovered. Within minutes, my bedroom became a hub of urgent activity as everyone converged around me. Aidon's expression was thunderous as he examined the mirrors through which I'd viewed the shadow creatures. Stella and Nina began crafting detection spells to locate the hidden traps. Nana, Mom, and Jean-Marc consulted the grimoire for countermeasures.
"You should have told me about the attacks," I said to Aidon when we had a moment alone.
"I was trying to protect you from unnecessary stress," he replied.
"You can’t keep everything from me. It’s worse to be blindsided," I told him with a pointed glance at the chaos now filling my bedroom.
He had the grace to look chagrined. "Point taken. No more secrets."
"Good," I said firmly. "Because the only way we're going to survive this is if we work together—all of us, including these three." I placed a hand on my belly. "They showed us what Lyra's been doing. They found a way to let us know how she was infecting us."
Aidon's expression softened as he laidhis hand over mine. "They're extraordinary," he murmured. "Just like their mother."
As the others developed a strategy to locate and neutralize Lyra's hidden traps, I found myself drawn back to the shadows I'd seen. There was something familiar about them. Something that teased at the edges of my memory. They reminded me of the wolf-like creatures Lyra had brought to our house, but more elemental. As if they were only partially manifested in our reality.
The Forgotten Ones, Mom had called them. Conceptual entities that predated everything we knew. "Aidon," I said suddenly. "What if these shadow creatures are also creating access points. Doorways that Lyra or her allies could use to bypass our external defenses entirely?"
He stilled, his eyes meeting mine as the implications sank in. "That would explain the attacks. They’re a distraction."
Nodding, I added, "She’s keeping our attention focused outward while the real threat grows inside our walls."
CHAPTER 6
The household went into overdrive after we discovered the shadows infecting the establishment. Everyone scattered to implement countermeasures while I remained uselessly stuck in bed. Protective and detection spells were cast throughout the residence, with most being focused on me and the babies.
Using my mirrors, I helped Nina and Stella track the shadow creatures. It became a game of hide and seek. Not a very effective one. The odds were not in our favor. Meanwhile, Jean-Marc and Mom dug deeper into the ancient texts for answers.
Hours later, exhaustion claimed them all. They couldn’t stay awake forever. The house quieted as everyone retreated to grab a few hours of sleep. Everyone except me. Sleep was a luxury that wouldn't come. Not with those shadow seeds planted throughout my home.
I lay in the darkness, staring at the ceiling where Lyra's monitoring symbols continued to pulse rhythmically. Even now, she was watching. Waiting. Planning.
My frustration built with each passing minute. Here Iwas, a Pleiades witch with enough magical power to level a city block. And relegated to bed while some psychotic bitch infected my house with her dark magic. The triplets responded to my turbulent emotions. Their magic stirred restlessly within me.
"Easy," I whispered, stroking my belly. "We're going to figure this out."
But the babies weren't having it. A rush of power surged through me as my bedside lamp suddenly shot into the air. It hovered near the ceiling. The books on my dresser followed, along with my hairbrush, phone, and water glass. They began to orbit around the room like some bizarre solar system with me as the sun.
"Damn it," I hissed before focusing on calming myself. "Come back down. Gently."
The objects ignored me. In fact, the harder I tried to control the outburst, the more things joined the orbital parade. My slippers lifted off the floor. The framed photos on the wall detached and joined the rotation. Even the chair by my bed rose a few inches.
