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"Just fine," Clio replied smoothly. "I'm bringing in a pregnant mother for observation. She's bradycardic and needs to get on a monitor right away."

The guard inclined his head and turned to the doors. "Right, of course. There's a wheelchair inside if you need it."

“I’ve got her,” Aidon replied as he took me from Mom.

Jean-Marc took point and entered the hospital with Mom and Nana behind him.

The fluorescent lights hummed overhead as Aidon carried my paralyzed body through the hospital.

It wasn’t until I noticed the gazes of Nurses and patients slide past us that I realized Mom and Nana had extended their spell.

That was good. We had no idea what it would take to undo this magic plaguing me.

Clio led our strange procession through a maze of corridors.

Her badge clicked against security panels as we moved deeper into the building.

Each swipe brought us through another layer of mundane security.

From my position in Aidon's arms, I could see my tattoo's glow reflecting off the walls.

It was way too noticeable for comfort. Perhaps that was why Mom and Nana had extended their enchantment.

"Having only one Keeper here waiting for her seems too easy," Nina muttered behind us. "Getting past regular security is one thing, but what if there are more here?"

"There aren't," Aidon's chest rumbled against me as he spoke. "I can sense them now that I know what to look for. That asshole was alone."

"Why send just one?" Jean-Marc wondered aloud. "It doesn't make tactical sense."

"Unless it wasn't an attack," Nina mused. "They wanted to see how we'd react. See what defenses we have in place."

"And now they know about Aidon's power," Jean-Marc added grimly.

"Let them know," Aidon growled. "Let them see exactly what awaits anyone who threatens my family."

Black dots were dancing in my vision when we reached Clio’s exam room a second later. "Let’s get some oxygen on you and then I can get a look at the babies and the spell," Clio said. Her hands moved with practiced efficiency as she fitted a canula on me and fired up the ultrasound.

My breath didn’t come much faster as Clio tried once again to heal me. There was a discussion about how to break the magic, but I didn’t hear much of it. The pain was too much. I did feel the energy shift when Clio began working to dissolve the spell.

My breath came in shallow gasps as Clio continued trying to break spell.

The magic had sunk deep. It felt like black ice spreading through my veins.

Through the haze of pain, I caught fragments of their continued discussion.

Persephone said something about ancient bindings and corrupting the spell’s energy.

The babies' power churned inside me as they fought against the dark magic.

Clio's hands pressed against my temples, her magic a warm was counterpoint to the pains. After she began chanting in Latin, her power started probing the dark spell's structure. The fluorescent lights flickered wildly as she worked and the others watched.

The spell resisted at first, constricting tighter until I couldn’t see anything.

Then someone joined Clio's chanting. I thought it was Persephone, but couldn’t be sure.

M y brain was more than a bit fuzzy. Shortly after that, power surged through me like a lightning strike.

It was hot, sharp, and endless. For a moment, every muscle seized as two magical forces warred inside my body.

Then, with a sound like shattering glass, the spell broke.

Black energy crackled across my skin in arcing patterns before dissipating into smoke.

A gasp exploded from me and I sucked air into lungs that finally responded to my commands.

Every inch of me trembled with aftershocks.

Pins and needles raced along my nerve endings.

"Are they okay?" The words came out raspy. My throat was raw as if I'd been screaming. My hand found my belly, searching for the familiar flutter of movement.

Clio pushed my hand out of the way and ran the ultrasound wand over my belly. "The babies are remarkably calm now," she observed. "Look, they're curled together."

"Now that Phoebe is fine and we know the babies are doing well, we need to leave," Persephone said as the vines writhed restlessly around her wrists.

"That tattoo's putting out enough power to light up the entire eastern seaboard to anyone with the right tracking spells.

We need to find a way to shield the energy signature. "

“You’re right,” Aidon agreed as she helped me off the exam table.

His arm was steady around my waist as I got my footing.

The trip through the hospital was a blur of fluorescent lights and linoleum.

Mom and Nana's spell kept curious eyes from noticing our hasty exit or the way my shirt practically glowed from the mark beneath.

The rain started as we pulled out of the parking lot. Fat drops hit the windshield like nature was trying to wash away traces of the fight. Jean-Marc and Nina followed close behind as Aidon raced us home. We pulled into the driveway just as the first rumble of thunder shook the air.

I eyed the glowing symbols along the path as Aidon helped me through the front door. I was still shaky from the spell. "Since when do we have magical wards that match my tattoo?"

" They were always there ," Tarja said as she and Binx prowled in from the living room. " Only those touched by old magic can see them. The magic in the earth, plants, and even your house has been evolving since the moment you were marked to protect you and the babies ."

"Nimaha is now like a magical panic room," Stella offered as she came in from the kitchen.

" It’s more than that ," Tarja's eyes gleamed. " The land itself remembers the old powers. It's been waiting for children like these. "

"Of course it has," I sighed as Aidon helped me to the couch. "What's next? Are the throw pillows going to start spouting prophecies?"

"Actually," Stella said, with poorly contained excitement, "you might want to take a closer look at those curtains Mom bought last month. The pattern isn't just flowers."

"Not helping," I groaned, but found myself eyeing the drapes suspiciously. Did the floral design did contain familiar curves and angles?

Before I could reason it out, Selene called us to the kitchen. With a groan, I heaved myself off the couch and into the kitchen. There were laptops and empty coffee cups covering the island. She'd been researching for hours.

"Tarja is right about the magic being there all along. They're actually everywhere," Selene said as she turned a screen toward us. "I found them hidden in corporate logos, architecture, and public art. The Keepers have been embedding their magic in plain sight for centuries."

Thunder cracked overhead and my babies kicked as if to join in the conversation. Dark clouds gathered despite the clear forecast. They were centered directly above our property.

Persephone’s expression turned to one of pride. “The babies' are prodding the ancient forces.

“Well, they need to stop,” I snapped. “Tell them to shift their focus on finding a way to hide the energy of this magical mark.”

"I'll call the coven," Mom said, already dialing. "We need a concealment spell targeted to hide that tattoo and I don’t have the first idea where to begin."

Tarja settled on the coffee table, her presence commanding attention.

" This needs to be done by Phoebe and those closest to her.

Throughout history, familiar bloodlines have protected magical pregnancies.

We keep records of signs, techniques, protections.

I had an ancestor once who helped hide twins blessed by the moon itself.

It was terribly dangerous when they starting glowing silver in the womb.

Another familiar watched over a child who spoke to dragons before birth. "

"That's fascinating," I interrupted and reached for a cookie Mythia had just put out, "but how does it help us now?"

" We can find what they used in the archives and it can act as a guide for us. You will still need to tailor it, but I can guide you through the process ," Tarja replied.

I placed a hand over my glowing mark as three distinct kicks followed its pulsing light. "Alright. Let’s protect them. And then kick some ancient secret society ass."

"They’re going to regret messing with us," Aidon growled. "They'll learn why the Underworld fears its prince."

"And why you don't mess with a Dieudonne witch," Mom added as her magic crackled around her hands.

The family quickly organized. Mom asked Lilith to send us anything she could from the archives.

Selene and Nina hit the library while I had some pickles and ice cream.

Outside, lightning split the sky in patterns that matched my mark.

Surrounded by family and ancient magic, I was ready to take the ancient powers on.

These babies might be part of some cosmic plan, but they were mine first.

The symbol flared in agreement and sent ripples of light across the room as the babies kicked in perfect sync. Their movement were accompanied by a surge of power that made the house hum in response. Change was coming, whether the universe was ready or not.