Page 55 of Bedrest Blues & Otherworldly Clues
Another contraction hit, and with it came a fresh surge of combined power from the triplets. This time, Lyra's containment spell couldn't channel it all. Excess energylashed out and struck the nearest Forgotten One. The creature dissolved with a high-pitched screech.
"Enough of this," Lyra snapped as she traced a more complex symbol that pulsed with darker energy. "If they insist on fighting, I'll simply have to be more... invasive."
The pain intensified as her magic drove deeper. She bypassed the triplets' resistance to reach directly for my Pleiades core. I screamed again and slammed a protective shield around my power. It felt like I was being torn apart from the inside.
Through the haze of agony, I became aware of a commotion outside the chamber. The distant sounds of battle penetrated the strange acoustics of the place. Explosions, shouts, and the distinctive roar of Tseki's dragon form were music to my ears.
Lyra noticed too. "Right on schedule. Your family has found my outer defenses."
"They're going to make you pay," I managed through gritted teeth.
"They're dying for you," she corrected coldly. "My guardians will ensure they never reach this chamber."
A massive tremor shook the foundation. It was followed by an agonized roar that could only have come from Tseki. The sound cut off abruptly, leaving a silence more terrifying than any noise.
"You see?" Lyra said, returning her attention to the ritual. "Futile."
Another contraction seized me. With it came the knowledge that the triplets were fighting Lyra's magic and communicating with each other. They were coordinating their defense through a connection that transcended normal consciousness.
"Stop this!" Lyra demanded, her frustration mounting as the ritual continued to degrade.
"They're smarter than you," I taunted through the pain. "And they've got something you'll never understand."
"And what's that?" she sneered.
"Each other," I replied simply. "They’re connected through love. The very things you've always dismissed as weaknesses."
For the first time, uncertainty flickered across Lyra's face. Her being the evil witch she is, she merely redoubled her efforts. She poured more corrupted power into the ritual. The chamber began to react to the magical conflict. Columns shifted in ways that defied gravity. The walls seemed to breathe. At least, they were expanding and contracting as the room struggled to contain the clashing forces.
Outside, the sounds of battle grew closer. A tremendous explosion rocked the entire structure. It was powerful enough to crack one of the massive pillars supporting the ceiling. Lyra glanced up, irritation replacing her momentary doubt. "Persistent vermin. No matter. The alignment approaches its peak. Once I secure your Pleiades power, dealing with them will be trivial."
She placed one hand directly on my belly. Her fingers were cold as death against my skin. The contact sent waves of her malevolent magic surging through me like electric ice. Instead of cowering, I called up the raw Pleiades magic that Hattie had given to me.
"Get. Your. Hands. Off. My. Babies." I spat each word like a bullet, channeling my rage into a focused blast of pure energy. It shot from my core outward and collided with her power in a spectacular display that lit the chamber brighter than midday.
Lyra recoiled with a hiss of pain. Lifting her hand, she examined it with disbelief. The appendage now sported a spiderweb of fractures. Tiny flecks of her flesh had crumbled away like ash in the wind.
"Impossible," she whispered. "You shouldn'thave access to your power through my bindings, and they’re unborn! They cannot possess this level of control."
I met her gaze with a smile that held no warmth. "Underestimating me and my family has always been your greatest mistake. And it'll be your last."
She returned to the central altar. "If I cannot extract your magic directly, I'll simply accelerate the process. The alignment is close enough."
She began a new incantation, causing the entire ritual circle to pulse with a different energy. The symbols shifted into a new configuration. The pain changed and became sharper. I could feel my Pleiades magic being forcibly pulled toward the surface. It was like blood drawn by a leech.
Another massive explosion rocked the chamber. This one was closer than before. Dust and fragments of stone rained down from the ceiling. Lyra glanced toward the disturbance with mild irritation. "They've breached the secondary defenses. They’re ahead of schedule, but still too late."
The triplets' magic surged again, but this time something new happened. Instead of fighting Lyra's extraction process directly, they channeled their energy beyond the chamber. "What are they doing?" Lyra demanded.
I smiled through the pain. "Calling for help."
Outside, the sounds of battle intensified dramatically. The roar of fury could only belong to Aidon. It echoed through the structure, warming me all over. It was accompanied by a wave of divine power so strong it made the Forgotten Ones tremble.
"Impossible," Lyra whispered. "This place is undetectable. The barriers?—"
"Mean nothing when it comes to family," I finished. "Our children and I have been leaving a trail of breadcrumbs for him to follow."
Lyra abandoned her position at the altar and movedquickly to reinforce the chamber's integrity. "This changes nothing. The ritual is self-sustaining now."
