Page 18

A crash from outside made us all jump. Shadows outside Clio's house were suddenly moved with lethal purpose. Dark shapes emerged from between the houses across the street. They were twisted reflections of the protectors that had watched over us at my house.

"They look determined," I muttered as Aidon's power surged around us.

"Get Phoebe to the convergence point," Persephone commanded as she stepped onto Clio's porch. Plants erupted through the repaired lawn and grew into thorny barricades. "We'll handle this."

Clio grabbed my arm and pulled me toward the back of the house. "This way. The strongest point is in the basement."

"Mom!" Nina's voice carried from outside, followed by the distinctive crack of her magic meeting something solid.

The babies kicked in unison, and the symbol flared bright beneath my shirt. But my seventeen-year-old was out there fighting. I moved toward the door, ignoring Clio's attempt to block me.

Persephone's voice rang out clear as spring rain. "Hold on, little warrior." A surge of divine power crackled through the air.

Nina appeared beside me a second later, stumbling slightly. "Thanks, Flowergram!" she called out. Her hair was singed at the edges. I pulled her close, checking her over even as the triplets kicked protestingly at the sudden movement.

"Everyone to the basement. Now." Clio's tone left no room for argument as she herded us toward the stairs. Jean-Marc grabbed Nina’s hand as they followed. "The convergence point is strongest down there."

The basement was a witch's dream workspace.

Shelves lined with herbs, crystals, and ancient texts covered every wall.

Intricate protection circles were burned into the wooden floors.

Their magic was so old it had seeped into the foundations.

The convergence point's energy rivaled the wards at my house.

They might have even surpassed them. At the center of it all stood an examination table, its surface carved with healing runes that hummed with power.

"The convergence amplifies my natural healing magic," Clio explained as she helped me onto the platform. "If anything tries to interfere with the babies, we'll know."

Above us, the sounds of battle shook dust from the ceiling.

I could feel Aidon's power clashing with the shadow creatures while Persephone's divine energy made the very earth tremble.

Jean-Marc and Nina's magic wove together in the distinctive pattern they'd been practicing with Nana.

She had insisted that they needed to be able to fight as a team.

I swear that woman had a touch of seer in her.

"We need to help them stop this," I said, wincing as another explosion rattled the house. "If any mundies notice..."

"I’ve already called the coven. Now, for my contribution," Clio muttered. She pressed her hands to the wall, and the sounds of fighting became muffled. "The convergence point can create a bubble of altered reality. The outside world will see a normal house with kids playing in the front yard."

The babies shifted restlessly as more power built up around us.

The symbol's pulsing synchronized with the convergence point's energy. The result was erratic light dancing across the basement walls. Shapes began to coalesce. One scene made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. The battle was unmistakable. I prayed it wasn’t the one playing out above us.

What chilled me was what looked like an ancient ritual being done by what I had to assume were powerful beings.

“Should we be taking notes?” Nina asked.

Shaking my head, I lifted a shoulder. “What would we even document? There’s fighting and a ritual, but nothing is discernable.”

"Look at that," Clio breathed, pointing to a section in the corner. "That's the same symbol that appears in some of the oldest healing texts. My grandmother showed me the grimoires when I was a kid."

"It's also carved into the walls of Tartarus," a voice said from the stairs. I turned to see Persephone descending. Her robes were smoking slightly and spattered with what looked like black residue. "It’s in places so deep even the guards rarely venture there."

"The antiquarians," I said suddenly, remembering Jean-Marc's words. My mind was racing to connect the pieces. "They're not just collectors, are they? They're some kind of secret society. And they know about these places and what these symbols mean."

Persephone shot me an appraising look. "That would make sense. They could very well be the Keepers of the Old Ways. Every pantheon has them. I’ve never considered who would be watching and waiting for signs of the old powers waking.”

Nina’s forehead furrowed. “Why kill Mrs. Stavros? Was she one of them?"

"I bet she was,” Clio said. “She always felt different. She had this silent way about her. I can see her watching for centuries.”

"And now they're what? Coming out of hiding because of my babies?" I blurted as my hand went to my belly.

Persephone's smile held the promise of spring storms. "The children of my son and a witch powerful enough to go into Tartarus and survive?

Of course they'd be special. But guardians of the old powers?

" Her power rippled through the room, making the crystals sing.

"That shouldn't surprise anyone. Though I must say, triplets do make quite the statement. "

Clio's hands glowed as she checked my vitals. "It doesn't seem like they all agree on what should be done. I bet those symbols at Mrs. Stavros’ house were her way of trying to warn us before she died."

A particularly violent clash above made the crystals chime in alarm. The symbol flared in response. I became disoriented as and suddenly I could see what was happening upstairs as if watching it on a screen made of light.

Aidon moved like a dark avenger. His power ripped shadow creatures apart.

My heart started racing as relief crashed through me.

Tseki was fighting at his side. His dragon talons sliced through shadow as he fought with lethal precision.

Murtagh and Layla were also there in wolf form.

They tore through the shadows with savage grace.

Persephone might be in the basement with us, but before leaving she had transformed the entire street into a botanical warfare zone.

Vines and thorns attacked our enemies while protecting the neighbors' houses.

"They're winning," Clio assured me, though she kept glancing nervously at her equipment.

"But this is just the beginning." My life had been one fight after another since getting my magic, so this shouldn’t upset me. "The Keepers, the convergence points, the shadow creatures... it's all connected to whatever power marked me."

"Yes." Persephone's voice was grim. "And I think it's about to get a lot more complicated. This power feels like we're dealing with something that predates our understanding of magic."

"The Keepers call it 'The First Song’," Jean-Marc interjected. "According to their records, it's the original source of all magic. This is the power that shaped the magical world before the gods, before the Titans..." He let the rest hand.

Aidon appeared at the top of the stairs. His darkness was still rolling off him in waves. "The shadow creatures are dealt with. For now." His eyes found mine, concern evident in their depths. "But they'll be back. They're drawn to whatever power is growing inside you, Phoebe.”

Clio nodded in agreement. “Like moths to a flame."

"Yeah, I could tell," I muttered as I threw my legs off the side of the table. "We need to find out how to kick this ancient secret society and primordial magic in the pants."

“Maybe the changes to the ley lines will help you,” Clio replied.

Nina extended her hand. “It's changing, but I can’t tell what’s happening. It almost feels...”

"Like it's waking up," I finished for her. "And my babies are somehow connected to it."

"Not somehow," Persephone corrected. "They're part of it. The First Song flows through them in a way that shouldn’t be possible..." She paused, looking troubled.

"Which is exactly why certain factions within the Keepers want to control them," Jean-Marc interjected. "Some believe the babies will restore the old powers. Others fear they'll upset the current balance of power. And some..." He hesitated.

"Some what?" I demanded, not sure I wanted to know.

"Some think they'll remake the world entirely." His voice was quiet but carried the weight of prophecy.

Clio gasped and shot me wide eyes. "I bet that's why Mrs. Stavros was killed. She probably started doing research after seeing you and discovered evidence that a radical faction of the Keepers is planning to harness the babies' power for their own purposes."

I gaped at the healer. “I didn’t know you were a conspiracy theorist.” The triplets kicked in unison, making the symbol flare like a supernova. The convergence point responded by sending pulses of energy through the basement.

"I’m not. It’s the only thing that makes sense.

We know at least one faction wants to hurt them.

And Mrs. Stavros would never hurt anyone.

She was too nice," Clio muttered as she rubbed her arms. "Even if I am wrong about her, we can’t deny the connection.

The convergence point has never reacted like this before. "

"It's responding to them," Persephone agreed. "The babies are brilliant. They’re connecting to the network using the ancient pathways the Keepers have preserved. They're also changing it."

"Into what?" I asked, trying to keep the worry from my voice. Aidon's hand found mine. His strength anchored me as the power continued to build.

"That's the question, isn't it?" Persephone's smile was both proud and concerned. "These children of yours are something to be feared and worshipped."

"No pressure or anything," I quipped as my heart raced. "What do we do now? We can't exactly hide from a secret society that's been around since before written history. Not to mention, I prefer to kick its ass and make it stop."

"We aren’t hiding," Aidon agreed. "But we can prepare. Mother, you said things were stirring in the Underworld?"

Persephone nodded, her expression grave.

"The deepest levels are becoming active for the first time since the First War.

Whatever power marked Phoebe, whatever force is growing within these children, it's affecting the very foundations of our realm.

Hades has been working to contain it, but.

.." She spread her hands helplessly. "How do you contain something that predates containment itself? "

"We start by understanding it," Clio said firmly. "The places of power form patterns. If we can decode them..."

"We might be able to figure out what the radical Keepers are planning and stop them," Jean-Marc finished. "We might even be able to find allies among the ones who want to protect the babies rather than use them."

"The First Song is waking up and evolving through the babies," Persephone replied as she began to pace. “That's what has everyone so stirred up. The Keepers, the shadow creatures, even the gods themselves... everyone can sense that change is coming."

"A change they might not be ready for," Aidon added as he pulled me closer. "But ready or not, these children are coming. And when they do..."

"When they do," I finished for him, placing my hand over his on my belly, "we'll be ready. I don’t care what they’re connected to or channeling or changing.

They're our babies. And nobody - not secret societies, not shadow creatures, not even the First Song itself - is going to mess with them.

" I let that sit for several tense seconds before breaking the silence.

"Now, would someone please help me up? These three are practicing their tumbling routine again, and I really need to pee. "