Page 44 of Bedrest Blues & Otherworldly Clues
"Like Pleiades magic," I noted while I watched Clio work on Tseki’s acid burns. "And divine bloodlines. Both apply to the triplets."
He nodded in agreement. "According to these texts, during this particular alignment, the barriers that normally prevent inherited magic from being stolen thin significantly. It makes the impossible suddenly possible. Though still incredibly difficult." He frowned as he looked over at Tseki. "The celestial bodies create a unique configuration that temporarily weakens the magical membranes protecting bloodline powers. In theory, someone could exploit that and erase them entirely so they could," he paused and his expression darkened, "extract the power entirely with the right ritual framework."
"Which is exactly what Lyra wants to do," Mom added from the doorway. She looked exhausted but determined. "She wants to steal the babies' raw power along with Phoebe’s. And she's using the alignment to access their inherited connections to both Pleiades magic and divine energy."
Hades materialized in the corner, his divine presence sending shivers through the room's ambient magic. "The question now is whether we strengthen our defenses here or take the fight to her? Without knowing what was able to do that to a dragon, it would be dangerous for anyone to try another incursion. I had wondered why it was so easy to locate her site. Now, I get it."
The room was immediately divided. Stella, Jean-Marc, and Nana advocated for offensive action, while Mom, Clio, and Persephone argued for fortifying our position. The debate quickly grew heated. Voices rose as tensions that had been building for days finally found release.
"We can't just sit here waiting for her to come to us!"Stella insisted, her hands gesticulating wildly. "Every hour we delay gives her more time to get to Phoebe."
"And rushing headlong into her territory gives her exactly what she wants!" Mom countered. "You saw what happened to Tseki's team. We'd be sending people to their deaths!"
"So we just hide behind our walls until she figures out how to break through?" Nana scoffed. "That's not a strategy, honey, that's a surrender with extra steps."
"It's not surrender to prioritize protecting Phoebe and the babies," Clio argued. "If we lose them, nothing else matters."
"It's not just about us anymore," Jean-Marc interjected, his voice quiet but carrying an authority that instantly silenced the room. "The magical community is watching. If Lyra succeeds, the ripple effects will destroy the current supernatural order. Every being with even a trace of power will be affected."
I looked at my oldest son with new appreciation. When had he become this voice of reason? "Both approaches have merit," I said finally. "And we need to pursue both simultaneously."
All eyes turned to me as I continued. "We strengthen our defenses here, yes. But we also disrupt Lyra's support network. We need to cut off her resources. Make it harder for her to complete the ritual. Even if we can't reach the site itself, we might be able to cause her enough problems that she can’t move forward anyway."
Aidon nodded slowly. "Stella and I have been tracking a network of safe houses where Lyra's been gathering power. If we eliminate those..."
"You'd weaken her significantly," I finished. "And take her allies from her because I bet anything she’s housing those she plans to use as fodder in those locations."
"I can help with that," Nina offered. "I should be able to identify which locations are most critical to heroperation."
"And I'll coordinate our defensive improvements," Mom added, setting aside her objections with characteristic practicality once a decision had been made.
An earsplitting crack of thunder shook the house, making everyone jump. All heads swiveled to the window. My lips turned down when I noticed the sky outside remained perfectly clear. "That wasn't natural, yet I don’t see any evidence of her previous attacks," Murtagh observed as he moved to the window.
A heartbeat later, rain began to fall. It became apparent immediately that it wasn't normal rain. The droplets hovered and spun in midair before gradually ascending back toward the sky in defiance of gravity. "Ah, that would be the triplets," I sighed as I placed a hand on my belly where I could feel their magic stirring with renewed vigor. "They're awake."
"And they apparently have an opinion on things," Nana remarked dryly.
Over the next hour, as our planning continued, the triplets' restless magic manifested in increasingly dramatic ways. Clocks throughout the house stopped running. Mythia’s scones burned. And outside, the local ley lines began to glow with such intensity they were visible even to those without magical sight.
"This isn't sustainable," Clio warned after a particularly violent surge caused all the electronics in the house to short out simultaneously. "Their power is growing faster than your body can contain it."
"I'm open to suggestions," I replied through gritted teeth as I tried to calm the magical hurricane building inside me. “The babies are responding to the tension in the room. They're amplifying it and reflecting it back through their unpredictable magic.”
"Perhaps we can use this to our advantage," Aidon suggested as he began pacing. "If the celestial alignmentamplifies inherited magic, and the triplets' power is already affecting the local magical infrastructure..."
"We could create our own amplification field," Persephone finished for him as her eyes widened. "One that disrupts the conditions Lyra needs for her ritual."
"At the very least, it would buy us time," I agreed. "How soon can you and Stella investigate those safe houses?"
Aidon glanced at Stella, who nodded decisively. "We can leave immediately," she said.
"Be careful," I warned. "After what happened to Tseki's team..."
"We'll take every precaution," Aidon promised, leaning down to kiss me. "Stay put and try not to let our children destroy dinner while I'm gone. We’re going to be hungry when we get home."
"No promises," I murmured against his lips.
After they departed, I convinced Jean-Marc to help me to the front porch. I needed fresh air and a change of scenery after being confined for so long. The view that greeted me froze the breath in my lungs.
