Page 33 of Bedrest Blues & Otherworldly Clues (Mystical Midlife in Maine #17)

I 'd been Lyra's prisoner for less than twelve hours, but it felt like an eternity. The strange, windowless chamber made it impossible to track the passage of time. The only indication was the gradual intensification of the magical energy surrounding us as the celestial alignment drew closer.

I paced the perimeter of my confinement with one hand pressed against my lower back where a dull ache had been building steadily.

The triplets had remained unusually quiet since our arrival.

Their magic was muted—whether from some property of this place or self-preservation, I couldn't tell.

That worried me more than the Forgotten Ones who maintained their silent vigil around the chamber's edge.

"You should rest," Lyra advised as she entered through a doorway that hadn't existed a moment before. She carried an ornate bowl filled with a liquid that glowed purple. "The ritual will be... taxing."

"Go to hell," I replied, refusing to show weakness despite the growing discomfort in my abdomen .

She smiled, though the expression didn’t reach her eyes. "How original. I've already told you—I'll pass."

Placing the bowl on a table that materialized from the stone floor, she began arranging various items around it. There were crystals, herbs, and objects I couldn't identify. I’d never seen anything like them.

"Your family is quite persistent," she remarked casually. "They've already eliminated three of my guardians trying to locate you."

My heart leapt, but I kept my excitement hidden and lifted one shoulder. "I told you they'd come for me."

"They're trying," she corrected in a dismissive tone. "But this place doesn’t exist entirely on Earth. Their efforts are... misdirected."

A sudden, sharp pain lanced through my abdomen. It was different from the previous discomfort, and I was helpless to hide it from her. A gasp escaped me as I doubled over as my muscles contracted violently.

Lyra turned and clapped her hands together. "Ah. Right on schedule."

"What did you do to me?" I demanded through gritted teeth as the contraction eased.

"Nothing yet," she replied, approaching with clinical detachment. "But with the magical trauma of transportation, combined with the ambient energy of this place, labor was inevitable. It’s fortunate timing, actually. It saves me the trouble of inducing it artificially."

Horror washed over me as her words registered. "No. It's too early."

"Early for a normal pregnancy, perhaps," she conceded. "But these children are far from normal. And their power will be more accessible in the transitional state between womb and world."

Another contraction seized me. This one was stronger than the first. With it came a surge of wild magic that exploded outward in a concussive wave. The triplets were waking up and responding to the danger with raw, uncontrolled power.

The burst struck one of the Forgotten Ones. It staggered back, emitting a sound like tearing metal. Lyra frowned. "That’s inconvenient, but manageable." She traced a symbol in the air. "The containment measure won't stop their magic entirely, but it will redirect it."

Despite the contraction building within me, I chanted a counter spell to deflect hers under my breath.

The air around me thickened and formed an invisible barrier that shimmered faintly when touched by the next magical surge.

I felt the triplets' magic rise up protectively, but then—surprisingly—they seemed to shift tactics.

Instead of reinforcing my shield as they had done countless times before, their energy was subtly redirected.

To my horror and confusion, I felt them purposely create a small opening in my defenses.

Lyra's spell appeared to breach my protection, and her face lit with triumphant malice as the energy was channeled into the bowl she had brought.

The liquid inside bubbled and glowed brighter, exactly as she'd intended.

Only I could feel what was really happening.

The triplets were feeding Lyra's spell with a decoy energy.

They were letting her believe she'd won while keeping it from hurting us.

I struggled to maintain my shocked expression while fighting the urge to smile.

My clever babies were playing their own game.

"What is that?" I asked as I kept my eyes fixed on the roiling substance.

"A conduit," she explained. "Magic in its raw state is difficult to harvest effectively. This provides focus."

She resumed her preparations and carefully arranged various components around the chamber.

Symbols appeared on the floor beneath us.

"The alignment approaches," she continued, not looking up from her work.

"When it reaches its peak, the barriers between bloodline magics will thin.

The normal protections that prevent Pleiades power from being forcibly extracted will weaken. "

"And you think I'll just stand here and let you do this?" I challenged, despite another contraction building.

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 more rewarding."

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 would strip 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.