Chapter 14
The anchors' sudden blaring across Jean-Marc's monitoring system made me jump three feet off my chair, which was saying something given my current whale-like proportions.
I'd barely processed Thalia's declaration about sacrificing herself when the sound hit.
Seriously, it was like a smoke detector having an existential crisis.
The rapid bursts were designed to strip paint and what was left of my sanity.
"What fresh hell is this?" I shrieked at Jean-Marc.
My son flinched, his fingers flying over his laptop. "The anchors are detecting massive magical signatures. They're reading as divine-level threats."
"How many?" Aidon asked, scooping me into his lap. He’d gone into that protective alpha-male mode he did when shit hit the fan.
"There are three separate signatures. Each one registering off the charts, so I don’t think they’re some of Lyra’s experiments. And based on the readings, I’m not sure they’re in our dimension. " Jean-Marc replied, his voice cracking.
"So, they’re not technically here yet," I pointed out, sagging against Aidon's chest.
Shit. I spoke too soon. The air twenty feet from our deck decided to start shimmering. Uninvited guests were about to crash our already spectacular disaster of a day. My heart tried to make a break for it through my throat as three figures materialized in our backyard.
Aidon went rigid beneath me. He’d picked up on something I couldn't. "Oh, fuck me sideways," he muttered, which was never a good sign.
"Friends of yours?" I asked weakly as three incredibly imposing beings manifested on our lawn.
I swore under my breath as I looked over our visitors.
The first one looked like someone had plucked her straight from the Parthenon and given her a subscription to Eternal Youth Monthly.
She was wearing flowing robes and practically had "immortal pain-in-the-ass" stamped across her forehead.
Her power hit me like a freight train made of moonlight and bloodlust. It was wild, untamed, and absolutely itching for a hunt.
Those silver eyes of hers were older than civilization itself, packed into a face that couldn't have been more than seventeen.
Something about her tugged at my memory like a half-remembered dream. It was like an annoying itch in the back of my brain that said I should know exactly who this was. But nope—my mental filing system was coming up empty, which was par for the course.
The second figure made my magical senses do a little happy dance before my brain caught up.
Oh, right. We were probably all about to die.
He would make fast work of me with all that lean muscle.
He was also so tall that I had to crane my neck just to get a proper look at him.
He had dark hair and eyes that held secrets older than dirt.
The third was a woman, and she made me want to find the nearest rock to hide under.
Her power loomed, making the pyramids look like they'd been built last Tuesday by particularly ambitious toddlers.
She carried herself with the kind of ancient, patient authority that said she'd been around when the first star was born and would probably still be here when the last one died.
Her presence felt like floating in the space between galaxies.
It was infinite, cold, and so utterly terrifying that my survival instincts were already drafting my will.
"Bloody hell," I breathed, one hand flying to my belly as the triplets went absolutely bonkers. "Wait a minute..." My eyes widened when I realized why the first one seemed familiar. "You’re Artemis. You made Fiona and the girls your huntresses. And you made Nylah a Relic Keeper."
Aidon's grip tightened around me. "Yes. That is Artemis. And that is Asterion, and Nyx," he nodded to each in turn. "The original patrons of the Pleiades sisters before they were forced to Earth."
Artemis stepped forward. Her expression mixed concern with exasperation. "Hello, Phoebe. I've heard quite a lot about you from our mutual friends across the pond."
"All good things, I hope?" I said weakly.
"I can see you share their talent for attracting catastrophic magical situations," Artemis replied.
"Not nearly long enough since our last encounter," Aidon muttered to the gods. "What brings the old guard to my backyard?"
The male deity—Asterion—gestured toward Jean-Marc's computer with obvious interest. "Your mortal's anchor network has been broadcasting across the celestial realm. It’s quite impressive for someone without divine heritage."
"The magical fingerprints of your mate and children have reached every pantheon from here to Mount Olympus," Nyx added. "We could hardly ignore such a summons."
"Our kids summoned you?" I squeaked. Apparently, my life wasn't complicated enough already.
"The purification ritual at Mount Katahdin created ripples through the divine realm," Artemis explained, moving closer to examine Jean-Marc with obvious appreciation.
"Cleansed, that corruption awakened magical frequencies that have been dormant for millennia. If it isn’t stopped, bad things will be unleashed.
Fiona's reports about your... unique approach to problem-solving didn't quite prepare us for this level of magical innovation. "
"Which means," Asterion said with typical godly bluntness, "your little science project has attracted attention from entities you definitely didn't want to notice you."
"What kind of attention?" I asked while struggling to keep my voice from reaching dog-whistle levels.
Nyx's expression darkened as she looked over the yard and through the back window.
She was cataloging our supernatural refugees.
"Those who remember why the original Pleiades were stripped of their celestial status have taken notice.
Ancient powers that have been sleeping since the last great magical purge are beginning to wake. "
"Shit," I muttered. "We've got Lyra planning to blow up the continental ley lines and powerful beings preparing to crash our party.
We've accidentally sent out dinner invitations to every ancient nightmare in existence.
Artemis, please tell me you're not here to lecture me about proper magical protocols. "
"Actually," Jean-Marc interrupted, "they might be exactly what we need."
Everyone turned to stare at him like he'd announced his intention to juggle live grenades. "How do you figure that, genius?" I asked with strained patience. I loved my son, but I could not see how we needed these gods, making things worse.
"Look at the readings," he said, spinning his laptop around. "When they manifested, the anchor network's range expanded exponentially. We're not just monitoring this area anymore. We can see magical disturbances across the entire globe. And maybe even other realms."
Artemis moved closer. "The boy is right. The network now spans both mortal and divine realms." She glanced at me with something that might have been approval. Or hatred. It was hard to say. "Your son's innovation, combined with your raw power, has created something never seen."
"Which means we can track the corruption network's true extent," Asterion said grimly. "What your enemy has built reaches far beyond this single plane of existence."
Nyx's hands started to glow as she reached for the monitor. I held my breath, watching the ancient power make the screen flicker and dance. Magic and technology normally didn't play nice together. My witchy friends had put a lot of effort into making the two work together in unprecedented ways.
"Here," she said, pointing to the spreading patterns now visible across the enhanced display. "The corruption extends through seventeen different dimensional layers."
"She's been systematically weakening the barriers between realms," Artemis observed, her silver eyes blazing with fury. "Every major supernatural disaster of the past century bears her signature."
"She's a clever bitch," I snarled, watching the scope of Lyra's operation unfold across the display.
"Because of this, we can see the pattern," Asterion said. "And more importantly, we can see how to break it."
“Something is happening,” Jean-Marc muttered as he began typing on his laptop. "The network is showing massive power redistribution," he announced. "Everything's being funneled into a single location that's... well, that's not good."
"Lyra must be gathering it to make her final move," Aidon growled as his power exploded out of him.
"The coordinates place it in a pocket dimension anchored to oceanic ley lines," Jean-Marc replied. "Maybe she's created a floating fortress outside normal space. I bet that’s why we can never find her."
"She’s made a sanctuary hidden in another dimension," Nyx said immediately. "They’re nearly impossible to detect or assault through conventional means."
"Your enemy is preparing to force an artificial eclipse," Artemis blurted as she looked to Aidon. “She’s powerful enough to do what my enemy couldn’t.”
Thalia stepped forward, looking troubled. "We can stop her. If I sacrifice myself, she will not succeed.”
Nyx's gaze sharpened, focusing on Thalia. "You carry the bloodline. You’re the one stolen to fuel her experiments. From what I recall, the prophecy speaks of a willing sacrifice. It did not demand death."
"What's the difference?" Thalia asked.
"The difference," Asterion interjected, "is that sacrifice can take many forms. Power, immortality, or magical ability. None requires mortality."
Hope flickered in my chest. "You're saying Thalia might not have to die?"
"Prophecies are about interpretation, not absolute fate," Artemis replied. "Especially when divine intervention is available."
The back door slammed open, and Nina charged out.
She had her phone in her hand. "Mom! The anchor system just went completely insane, and there are reports of-" She stopped dead, staring at our visitors.
"More supernatural family members? Or should I be worried?" She was getting used to Aidon’s parents visiting so she recognized the gods’ divine power.
"We’re family," Asterion smiled. Somehow, the expression carried warmth despite how he’d greeted me. Nina could win anyone over. "You must be Nina. Your magical resonance is remarkable."
"The next generation," Nyx said approvingly. "Strong and uncorrupted."
"Should I be flattered or concerned?" Nina asked suspiciously.
"Definitely flattered," I assured her. "What were you saying about reports?"
Nina glanced at her phone. "The Aurora borealis phenomenon is happening in broad daylight across multiple time zones. The network is detecting massive magical disturbances wherever the lights appear."
Jean-Marc's laptop chimed with incoming data streams as she spoke. "The disturbances are following the energy streams."
"She really is powering up the entire network." Asterion's face went grim.
"The eclipse is going to approach ahead of schedule!" Artemis’ voice was stunned. "She’s actually forcing a celestial alignment using stolen magic."
"Where is she?" I asked as I struggled to my feet with Aidon's help.
"Here," Cordelia announced, appearing at the deck's edge with her silver eyes blazing. "The artificial eclipse centers above this location. She intends to complete the ritual where she can claim your children's power."
"How long do we have before she arrives?" Aidon asked.
The three gods exchanged glances, their combined power reaching beyond normal perception. "A few hours," they said in unison. "Perhaps less."