Page 54 of Bedrest Blues & Otherworldly Clues
Lyra finally looked up. Amusement danced in her eyes. "Did you hear me? Whether you cooperate is irrelevant. And you have nowhere to go. You can’t stop me this time."
The next contraction hit with unexpected force and drove me to my knees. With it came another explosion of magic. This one was greater than before. The containment spell struggled to channel it, the barrier stretching like an overtaxed rubber band.
"Interesting," she murmured, observing the interaction. "Your children's magic is more developed than anticipated. I may need to adjust the parameters."
She approached and reached toward my swollen belly with fingers that now ended in sharp points. I slapped her hand away and then retreated until my back hit the chamber wall. "Don't touch me," I warned as I clenched my hands into fists.
"Such spirit," she remarked with a thin smile. "But ultimately it’s futile." She flicked her fingers in my direction, sending magic at me.
Spectral bindings burned cold against my skin, making Lyra smile coldly. She then turned and approached the central altar, where her bowl of glowing liquid now pulsed in rhythm with my contractions. Each magical surge from the triplets fed it, causing the substance to grow brighter and more volatile. I held out hope we would get out of this since only part of it was real.
"You should know," she continued conversationally, "that I've studied your family extensively. Their magical signatures, their fighting styles, their weaknesses. The guardians I've positioned around this location were specifically designed to counter their abilities."
A fresh wave of fear washed over me. "What do you mean?"
"Aidon's shadows will find no purchase here. The air itself rejects darkness that isn't mine to command. Your mother's tribred powers will be nullified by specialized containment fields. That one was easy since I made her,” she laughed at that and continued her work. “Even your dragon friend will find his fire turned against him. I've prepared for every contingency."
The thought of my family facing such targeted dangers made my blood run cold. "You don't know them like I do," I insisted at the same time that doubt crept in. "They'll find a way."
"Like the last team that attempted to reach my ritual site?" she asked, arching an eyebrow. "The one your dragon friend barely escaped from?"
The memory of Tseki's injuries flashed through my mind. He had burns and acid damage. There had been a haunted look in his eyes as he described how the others had been consumed.
Another contraction gripped me. It felt like a vice around my abdomen. This time, the triplets' magic manifested in distinct patterns. Nyssa’s shadows darkened one corner. Thaniel slowed in time in another section. And Melaina’s golden light illuminated a third.
Lyra observed with scientific interest. "Fascinating. They're already developing unique signatures. That will make the extraction more complex, but potentially morerewarding."
She made a final adjustment to the ritual circle, then stepped back. The entire floor glowed with interconnected symbols that pulsed in sync with my contractions. "It's time to begin," she announced, returning to where I was bound. "This will be... uncomfortable."
"Go to hell," I repeated, bracing as another contraction built. She had no idea I was being saved from the worst of it.
"Your limited vocabulary is disappointing," she sighed as she placed her fingertips against my temples. "But your power more than compensates."
Pain exploded behind my eyes as she began chanting. It felt like something was reaching inside me and searching for the core of my Pleiades magic. The sensation was intrusive. I was being violated. She was magically probing an open wound.
Against my wishes, a scream escaped my lips. The triplets responded with a massive surge of protective magic. For a moment, Lyra's spell faltered.
"Interesting," she murmured. "They're actively defending you. An unexpected complication, but not insurmountable."
She resumed her chant. This time, she directed her focus toward my belly. The pain shifted and became more targeted. I could feel her magic trying to establish connections with the triplets. She was using our shared bloodline as a bridge.
"Stop," I gasped. "You'll hurt them." I cast a silent spell to protect the four of us. I hoped I could at least deflect the worst of it.
"They're remarkably resilient," she replied without ceasing her work. "And their development is essential to my plans. I need them intact—for now."
Horror dawned as I realized she intended to keep my children. I pictured her channeling my Pleiades power through them before absorbing it herself. The process wouldstrip them of their innate protection, making their magic vulnerable to extraction later.
"I won't let you," I growled, summoning what remained of my strength.
Lyra merely smiled. "I see your memory has gone in your old age. Your permission isn't required."
Her magic surged through the connection she'd established, intensifying the pain to unbearable levels. Something fundamental shifted within me as she began separating my Pleiades power from my core essence. Then something unexpected happened. Inside me, the triplets' individual magics began working in concert. They were responding to the invasion in ways Lyra hadn't anticipated.
Inside me, the triplets' magic surged in perfect coordination, like they'd been planning this rebellion for weeks. The ritual circle beneath us began to flicker and warp as if viewed through a funhouse mirror. The carefully inscribed symbols blurred like chalk drawings in the rain. Sections of the pattern dissolved into shadow while others slowed to a crawl.
Waves of golden energy pulsed from my belly in rhythmic bursts, colliding with Lyra's corrupted magic and creating a sound like crystal breaking. It was beautiful and dangerous all at once. The dissonance was uncomfortable, but seeing the cracks form in Lyra's perfect control was worth every second.
Lyra's face scrunched up like she'd bitten into a lemon soaked in vinegar. Her concentration shattered, and she stumbled back a step. "What is happening?" she demanded, her voice pitching higher with panic. "They shouldn't be working together like this."
