"This is huge," Nina said, practically vibrating. "If we can spy on her through the bonds, we can stay ahead of her plans."
"You should try again, see if you get more details," Vera urged.
“I had planned on it,” I admitted.
We spent the next hour systematically testing approaches. They mapped which frequencies worked best for surveillancewhile the dreamshade kept me hidden. Being a spy was kinda fun. Although there was more nausea than I expected. By the end, I could tap into all three parasitic connections and spy on Lyra for a few seconds. Each time left me feeling like I'd been steamrolled by a freight train.
"Your exhaustion levels are concerning," Clio said, checking me over. "You've pushed too hard today."
"It’s worth it if we can figure out what that bitch is planning," I replied, settling into my chair.
"This changes everything," Mom said. "We can prepare since we know she's coming during the eclipse."
“Plans come later. Phoebe needs a break," Aidon insisted. “Let’s go for a walk through the garden.”
The corners of my lips turned down. “But I’m the size of an SUV.”
"Fresh air will help," he said, offering his arm. "And we need to check the perimeter defenses."
The garden was peaceful in twilight. The sound of the ocean soothed my soul. It was balmy for an evening in Maine. Fireflies danced among the herb beds. For a few minutes, I could almost pretend we were normal. Just an average couple taking an evening stroll. Almost.
Beside me, Aidon went rigid. It wasn’t like when he heard a weird noise. He went deadly still. He was a powerful god sensing a threat. And it made my heart start pounding. So much for the calm walk.
"What is it?" I whispered, my hand instinctively moving to my belly.
His dark eyes swept the perimeter. His power unfurled and sped out of him. "Something is doing systematic magical reconnaissance. Given what you said, I would guess they're mapping our defenses and looking for vulnerabilities."
My stomach dropped. "How many are out there?"
"There are at least three different signatures. They’re spread across the property line and working in coordination."
Before I could suggest we get the hell out of there, something remarkable happened. The triplets' magic suddenly flared to life. Their power manifested outside my body. Gold, blue, and purple lights erupted from my belly. They moved outward in protective waves across the entire property. Where it touched our existing wards, they blazed brighter.
"Holy shit," I breathed, watching my unborn children create a defensive barrier stretching from the house to the property line.
Their power hummed as it wove through every protective enchantment we'd established. Their magic enhanced our defenses while adding layers that felt both ancient and utterly new. They were claiming this territory and marking it as theirs. They were trying to ensure their family would be safe.
"They're protecting their nest," Aidon said. The pride was evident in his voice. "They know they're in danger, and they're fighting back."
I was able to pick out the threat as they worked. Aidon added his power to the babies’ and together, they disrupted whatever surveillance operation had been testing us. When the lights faded, echoes of their power remained woven through our wards.
"That was incredible," I said, both hands pressed to my stomach. "But also terrifying as hell. They shouldn't be able to do that yet."
"Divine children develop faster than mortal ones," Aidon said, his hand covering mine. "Especially under threat. They're adapting to protect themselves and us."
His other hand settled at the small of my back as he guided me toward the house. "We need to tell the others."
I didn't argue. The casual stroll was officially over. We found everyone in the living room. The shift in their expressions from relaxed to battle-ready happened the second they saw Aidon's face. Apparently, gods of the Underworld had a particular look when shit was about to hit the fan.
"We just encountered hostile magical surveillance," he announced without preamble. "There were at least three operatives probing our defenses."
"And the babies manifested protective magic," I added, settling into my chair with more haste than grace. "Their power joined with our wards and pushed them away."
“They’ll be back,” Aidon interjected. “We need to run patrols.”
“On it,” Murtagh said as he and Tseki stood and moved toward the backyard.
"Their abilities could be why Lyra's connections aren't as effective as she expected," Mom observed. "I bet she designed them for a witch's unborn children, not divine hybrids who can actively resist."
