"Speaking of resistance," Jean-Marc said, looking up from his tablet, "if we can find the eclipse ritual, we might actually get ahead of her. I haven’t found anything that fits her goal yet."
"Assuming Lyra doesn't adapt first," Nina pointed out with her usual cheerful pessimism.
"She's had years to perfect these techniques," Vera added soberly. "We can assume she has planned countermeasures."
"Then we need multiple backup plans," I said firmly. "And if all else fails, we improvise the hell out of it."
CHAPTER 6
We had barely finished discussing the newest approach to our perimeter when the alarms started screaming. Someone was on the property. Mom called Murtagh to tell him and get more shifters out there. The sound clawed at my eardrums and sent the triplets into an agitated frenzy of kicks and magical sparks.
"More of Lyra's creatures?" Nina asked, jumping to her feet with defensive magic already crackling around her fingers.
I lifted a shoulder as I tried to heave myself out of my chair while Aidon moved toward the window. His power was sharp as it spread outward to assess the threat. I almost fell back into my seat when he stopped mid-stride. His expression shifted from battle-ready to confused. "It's a woman. She’s alone. And she's..." He paused, his brow furrowing. "She's terrified."
"Could be a trap," Hades said as he manifested beside his son, making my heart skip a beat. I seriously hated it when he and Persephone did that. Tendrils of liquid midnight coiled around his forearms like living serpents. They hardened into jagged obsidian blades that gleamed with an oily, iridescent sheen. "Lyra's proven she's creative with her attacks."
Shaking my head, I turned my attention to the living room window. Through it, I caught sight of a figure stumbling up our driveway. Even from this distance, I could see she was injured. Her clothes were torn, and she moved with the uneven gait of someone running on pure adrenaline.
"She's not attacking," Mom observed, as she too studied the approaching woman. "Look at her body language. She's seeking help, not delivering threats."
The woman reached our front porch and collapsed against the door, her fist barely managing weak knocks. They sounded more like pleas than demands. Aidon was making his way to the door when a wave of emotion hit me so hard I nearly began bawling. Terror, exhaustion, and desperate hope flooded through me with such intensity that I gasped aloud.
"Phoebe?" Aidon shifted direction and was beside me instantly. His hands closed on my shoulders. "What's wrong?"
"It’s not me. I can feel her," I whispered, pressing one hand to my chest where the emotions churned. "She’s terrified and in pain."
The woman's voice carried through the door. "Please. I know you're the ones fighting Lyra. I escaped from her laboratory. I have information you need." It was weak but clear.
Clio was moving toward the door when Hades blocked her path. His arm shot out in front of her. "We verify her story before anyone goes near her."
"She could be dying," Clio protested.
"She could be a weapon," Hades countered grimly. "Lyra's proven she can corrupt living beings. This could be an infiltration attempt."
Aidon cocked his head to the side like a dog listening to something. "She's not corrupted. Her magic feels clean. And old." He paused, something shifting in his expression. "There's divine essence in her bloodline. It’s faint, but there."
"Let her in," I said as I tried to move forward. The emotional connection was getting stronger. Underneath the terror and exhaustion, I sensed a bone-deep hatred that burned with the intensity of a star going supernova. It wasn't directed at us. It was focused entirely on Lyra.
"Absolutely not," Aidon said firmly. "You're not getting anywhere near a potential threat."
"She's not a threat," I insisted, though I couldn't explain how I knew. The emotional feedback was unlike anything I'd experienced before. It felt as real as my own feelings, but distinctly separate. "I can sense things about her. She wants to help us destroy Lyra."
Vera stepped forward with a thoughtful expression. "You’re not an empath. That shouldn’t be possible, even for Pleiades witches. Unless..." She trailed off, her eyes widening. "Unless she's of the bloodline."
My jaw dropped to my chest as I gaped at her. "You think she's got Pleiades blood?" I asked when I recovered.
"I don’t like this," Mom said slowly. “This could be a trick, but we should check her out. It’s the only way we will know.”
“I can’t believe two powerful gods of the Underworld are afraid to open the door to a frightened woman,” Nana observed as she headed for the door.
Another weak knock came from the door. "My name is Thalia. I was Lyra's prisoner for years. I know how she plans to break your children's defenses during the eclipse. Please." Her voice was stronger now, but edged with desperation.
Hades and Aidon exchanged a look that held entire conversations. Finally, Hades moved around Nana. "I will let her in, but she stays in the room with Aidon and me."
Hades opened the door with his obsidian weapons. The woman stumbled inside and practically fell into him. She was striking despite her obvious ordeal. She had the kind of bonestructure that suggested aristocratic bloodlines. She had high cheekbones and eyes the color of storm clouds. Her dark hair was matted with dirt and what looked like dried blood.
"Thank you," she gasped, sagging against the doorframe. "I wasn't sure I'd make it." Her relief was so profound it brought tears to my eyes. It was followed immediately by a wave of shame so intense I had to grip Mom’s arm to stay upright.
