Page 33 of Bedrest Blues & Otherworldly Clues
As if summoned by his name, Hades materialized in a swirl of darkness that dropped the room temperature ten degrees. Frost formed on the window panes, and our breath clouded in front of our faces. "The supernatural world is fracturing," he announced without preamble, his voice like gravel being crushed. "Lyra's promise of power redistribution has found eager ears. Ancient beings marginalized by the current order see her as a liberating force." His mouth twisted bitterly. "Idiots."
"And what about your dysfunctional family on Olympus?" I asked, dreading the answer but needing to know. "Are they planning to get off their immortal asses and help, or are they too busy screwing each other over—literally and figuratively?"
"Divided," Hades admitted, shadows deepening around him. "Zeus sees this as a mortal matter beneath his concern. Athena and Ares recognize the threat but disagree on how to address it. The others are... hesitant to intervene directly." His eyes flashed with barely contained rage. "Politics. Even at the end of the world."
"Basically, we're on our own," I said flatly. "Shocking."
"Not entirely." Hades's power flared briefly, causing the lights to flicker and die. "Those who understand what's at stake will stand with you." In the sudden darkness,his eyes glowed like embers. "I have seen many civilizations rise and fall, many gods come and go. But this..." He shook his head. "This threatens everything."
Without warning, a blinding pain lanced through my skull like someone had driven an ice pick straight into my brain. Another vision seized me, more intense than any before. I dimly heard someone scream and realized it was me.
I was standing before blood-soaked stone altars beneath a crimson moon that hung bloated and malevolent in the sky. Lyra stood triumphant at the center of an enormous ritual circle. Her skin crawled with luminous sigils as stolen power transformed her body into something no longer human. Her laughter cut through the chaos, high and broken. Through it all, I heard my babies' terrified wails as tendrils of light drained from their tiny bodies into Lyra's outstretched hands.
The scene shifted violently, reality tearing like wet paper. The ritual imploded, a devastating shockwave expanding outward faster than thought. Cities crumbled to dust. Supernatural beings howled in agony as they were consumed by otherworldly flames. Trees blackened and fell. Rivers dried to cracked mud. All life withered in an instant.
Before I could process this horror, another vision crashed over me. Lyra screamed as power beyond her control tore holes between worlds—jagged wounds in reality itself. Through these wounds, the Forgotten Ones came—ancient horrors slithering into our dimension, devouring everything they touched. Their forms defied comprehension, all teeth and eyes and hunger.
"Phoebe!" Aidon was at my side instantly, his cool hands cradling my face. His touch anchored me to reality as the visions receded. "What did you see?" His voice was taut with worry.
"Every possible ending," I whispered, my voice raw from screaming. My mouth tasted of copper and salt. "All apocalyptic. If Lyra succeeds even partially, the consequences are catastrophic. End of everything catastrophic."
Clio pushed through the crowded room, medical bag in hand. "These visions are causing physical damage," she warned, wiping blood from my face with brisk efficiency. "The strain is affecting the babies." Her eyes dropped to my stomach, concern evident.
I could feel the triplets reacting to my distress, their magic surging chaotically through my system like wildfire. Objects around the room levitated and crashed down. The mirror on the wall cracked with a sound like a gunshot as their power fluctuated wildly.
"Something's happening," Nina said, eyes zeroing in on my belly with laser focus. "The babies are trying to show us something." Her voice held a note of wonder.
A golden glow emanated from beneath my skin where Melaina pushed against my palm, the light so bright it hurt to look at directly. It formed a shimmering projection above the bed, wobbling at first before stabilizing into a clear image showing the house from above. It was surrounded by approaching darkness that moved with purpose—not random shadows but coordinated forces.
Aidon moved closer, placing his hand beside mine. Wisps of darkness trailed from his fingertips like smoke, brushing the edges of the golden light. The projection flickered, then brightened as he hummed a deep melody that vibrated through my bones. His shadow essence intertwined with Melaina's light, adding depth and dimension to the images.
The magical display sharpened dramatically. There were movements in the darkness, glowing sigils hidden within shadows, and connections between approaching threats. It was a tactical map created by my unbornchildren.
"They see the weaknesses," Aidon said, eyes narrowing slightly in what might have been pride. "Smart little demi-gods." He traced a pattern in the air, and the projection responded, zooming in on certain places.
As we watched, transfixed, the projection highlighted specific areas around the property. Each pulsed with a different energy signature. There were blue, green, red, and purple. It was a tactical rainbow of magical vulnerabilities.
"Those are our anchor points," Aidon said, recognition dawning on his perfect features. "The foundations of our protections."
"And they're being systematically undermined," Hades confirmed, his expression grim. "Not random attacks. Strategic."
The projection flickered and died as the triplets' strength faltered. I felt them curl into each other, exhausted by the effort. They drifted into the magical equivalent of a food coma. My hand dropped to my side, suddenly heavy as lead.
"We need to take the fight to her," Nana declared, checking the ammunition in her shotgun with practiced efficiency. "But we don't know where the bitch is hiding."
I looked around at the faces of those I loved most. They were my family by blood and by choice. Despite the exhaustion that lined every face, the fear that tightened every jaw, each wore an expression of stubborn determination. Even in this darkest moment, they refused to surrender. It made my heart swell painfully in my chest.
"We use what Lyra doesn't understand," I said, a plan forming. "Family. Connection. Love. The things she's always seen as weaknesses."
"How can we use that when they'll be vulnerable if we're separated?" Jean-Marc asked, doubt clouding his features.
"What if we could use those connections to create a feedback loop? One that looks like vulnerability but actuallychannels power back to the babies if she tries to take them?" My mind raced ahead, seeing possibilities unfold like a map. "A magical trap disguised as weakness."
Hades's expression shifted from concern to interest, darkness gathering around him like an eager pet. "A magical Trojan horse. Clever."
"She expects us to be entirely defensive," I continued, warming to the idea. "What if instead, we let her think she's winning while setting a trap of our own? Give her exactly what she wants, but poisoned."
"If it fails, we're no worse off than we are now," I replied to Aidon's concerned expression. "But if it works, we turn Lyra's own ritual against her. Let her be the one to get screwed by unexpected consequences for once."
