"What kind of records?" Persephone asked, moving closer to him.
Jean-Marc blinked at the goddess's presence. He wasn't used to the magical world yet, much less being in the presence of deities. Persephone wrapped an arm around his shoulders. My heart warmed at her easy acceptance of my older son.
His shoulders relaxed and words poured out. "Private collections, mostly. There's this network of antiquarians who've been tracking magical phenomena for centuries. They hide in plain sight and operate out of small shops and auction houses. The stuff they know..." He shook his head. "It goes way beyond normal mythology."
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 therefighting. 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.
