Page 17 of Bedrest Blues & Otherworldly Clues (Mystical Midlife in Maine #17)

"I won’t argue with you about that," Clio said grimly. "In their original form, these rituals required consent from both parties. What Lyra's attempting is a forced extraction, which is potentially catastrophic. Forced power transfers create dangerous magical instabilities."

"That fits with Jean-Marc's research," I said. "She's combining different magical systems, using our babies as stabilizers."

Aidon's eyes widened. "But if the process is already unstable..."

"Then using infants as anchors could tear apart magical reality," Nana finished, her face grim. "I may be new to this witch business, but even I can see that's a disaster waiting to happen."

Aidon’s phone pinged. He relayed the message to us all. "Hades has identified the location from your vision. It's a temple complex beneath the Mediterranean, predating the Titans. The Forgotten Ones used it as a power nexus."

"We could have found her evil headquarters," I said, excited for the first real lead.

"The complex was sealed because it amplifies forbidden magic,” Aidon added. “Particularly blood sacrifices and power transfers."

"She needs that amplification to handle the combined magical systems," I guessed.

Nana nodded. "She's building a supernatural pressure cooker, and our babies are the release valve."

"Not if I can help it," I growled. "There has to be a way to break this connection."

"In your vision, Lyra mentioned 'the essence of nine made three’," Nana said. "That refers to the Pleiades power—the seven sisters plus Pleione and Atlas. "

"But how does that help us?" I asked.

"Because inheritance works both ways," Mom said, entering with Hattie's grimoire. "I found something. A hidden section that only reveals itself when Pleiades bloodlines face mortal danger."

She opened the grimoire to pages I'd never seen, with shifting text. "It's an account of stealing and defending bloodline magic," she explained. "Including warnings about vulnerability during pregnancy."

"Are there countermeasures?" I asked hopefully.

Mom nodded. "The most promising involves creating a magical feedback loop that makes the connection too costly for the attacker."

"Like turning her tactics against her," Nana said.

"Exactly. Instead of letting her draw power, we force our power back through the connection," Mom confirmed.

"That sounds dangerous," Clio cautioned.

"The grimoire describes protective measures," Mom said. "Ritual components that shield the donor during the countermeasure."

"We'd need time to prepare," Aidon said. "And to draw Lyra into another attempt."

Mom hesitated. "The countermeasure works best when the power has strong emotional bonds to multiple protectors."

"The babies' connections to everyone," I realized. "Nyssa to Aidon, Thaniel to Jean-Marc, Melaina to Nina..."

"Those bonds strengthen the feedback loop," Mom confirmed. "But they increase the risk. Everyone connected could be affected."

Nana straightened. "Well, I've been teaching Nina and Jean-Marc protective countermeasures. They're learning fast."

The triplets stirred, their magic creating a shimmering barrier that rippled outward from my belly. "They're getting stronger," Clio observed. "Their protective instinct is evolving as this situation worsens. I bet they’ll be on board fully."

"Good," I said fiercely. "We'll need every advantage."

"We should begin preparations immediately," Aidon said.

"Lyra will try again soon," I said with certainty. "I felt her desperation in that vision."

"Nina, Jean-Marc, and I will handle the ritual components," Mom said. "Aidon, coordinate with Hades about the temple complex."

"And me?" I asked.

"Prepare yourself and the babies,” Mom instructed. “Establish a strong connection with them. Their protection needs to be focused, controlled."

"Momma needs to teach her chaos machines how to aim," Nana quipped.

I laughed. "You have such a way with words."

“Where do you think you got it from?” She retorted with a wink.

Everyone chuckled and dispersed to do their thing. When everyone was gone, Aidon remained. "How are you really feeling?"

"Scared," I admitted. "Not for myself, but for them. For everyone. This is bigger than anything we've faced."

"We've beaten impossible odds before."

"This is different. It’s worse than Lyra being after power. She's trying to rewrite the fundamental rules of magic, with our children as tools." I held my hands protectively over my belly.

"She won't succeed," he promised. "We won't let her."

"What if we can't stop her?"

He silenced me with a gentle kiss. "No what ifs. We focus on what we know, what we can control. "

The triplets made their presence known and their magical signatures pulsed around us.

Nyssa's shadows twined with her father's.

Thaniel's energy merged with Melaina's golden warmth.

The three of them bound us together. For a heartbeat, I glimpsed what they might become.

Not just powerful individuals, but a unified force unlike anything the magical world had seen.

"They understand," I whispered. "They know what's at stake."

"They're extraordinary." Aidon’s pride was evident.

"And a huge responsibility," I added. "It's on us to guide whatever they become."

"We will," he promised. "Together." He kissed me and left to do his part then.

I settled back, keeping my hand on my belly. "Time for some maternal magical training," I murmured. "Lesson one. How to bite back when a psychotic witch comes knocking."

A flutter answered me. Three distinct personalities acknowledged my words.

I visualized our connections as glowing threads of light, each unique yet part of a whole.

Lyra didn't understand what she was dealing with.

She saw the triplets as vessels, tools. She failed to recognize that these weren't just babies with power. They were my children and loved beyond belief. They’d chosen this family, with all its chaotic, beautiful bonds.

And we protected our own—by any means necessary.

Outside, storm clouds gathered on the horizon. The next phase of Lyra's assault approached. But this time, we wouldn't just weather the storm. We would become it.