Nana made a come-on motion with her hands. “Well, don’t keep us in suspense. What is it?”
“They are all families with infants under six months old." Stella released her cup and grabbed a scone. "None of the attacks killed anyone, but each one was more aggressive than the last. The first was in Portland involving a fire elemental family. Their daughter survived because her father's flames burned hotter than the attacker's spell. The second was in Montreal. Selkie twins were targeted, and their mother pulled them into the water just in time."
"And the third?" Aidon's voice had gone dangerously quiet.
"It was in Phoenix last week. A Fae family adopted a human infant that they'd rescued from being trafficked." Stella met his eyes, and I saw her chin tremble despite her efforts to stay composed. "They’re devastated that the baby didn't make it."
Nina made a small, wounded sound that had Selene pulling her close. Mom looked shell-shocked, making Binx rub against her arm. "Then we’re dealing with some baby serial killer? Is that what you’re saying?” Nana demanded.
“I sure hope not,” Stella replied. “There’s no doubt that someone is targeting supernatural children."
"Why?" The word came out of my mouth strangled. It was barely more than a whisper.
"I don't know yet. But—" She pulled out her phone, scrolling through messages. "The descriptions from all three attacks match what you saw. Hooded figures. Gray skin. Long fingers with black claws. And that same reddish-orange energy."
"Someone out there is hunting supernatural babies,” Nana said flatly, and the rawness in her voice made me flinch. “We need to find them before they hurt anyone else."
Tarja leaped onto the island with that feline grace that somehow always looked like she was defying gravity, her green eyes bright. “That sounds exactly like what we learned in Stuleros last night.”
Binx padded to her side. “My father andthe other familiars shared their memories with us. What they've witnessed. What they've survived.”
He settled onto his haunches, his tail curling around his paws. “A hooded figure—much like what we saw today—stalked a woman with a basket in medieval France. Her magical baby was in the basket. The attack was swift and brutal. The mother's desperate defense barely held. The figure only retreated when the town's witches responded.”
“A century later,”Tarja added, her mental voice crisp and clear, “in a different country. Another magical child was almost killed. It failed only because of the intervention of a witch and her familiar. The familiar said the hunter's lance burned the same reddish-orange. It left the same scorch marks.”
"How many times has this happened?" Mom asked, her voice tight.
“They told us about a dozen such attacks before they suddenly stopped,"Tarja replied.“It seemed as if these were infants with more than average power. The children need to be visible to those who hunt magical bloodlines.
“The familiars in Stuleros remembered attacks across continents,”Tarja continued. “Across centuries. It always had the same pattern.”
"Why didn't you tell us before they were born?" I demanded, my voice sharper than I intended, but fuck it—this was mychildren'slives on the line. "Youknewthis could happen and you didn't?—"
“Because I didn’t know about this before now.”Tarja’s voice remained friendly despite my anger.“I’m not omniscient, and this was not something my witches had ever had to deal with."
Mom reached down to stroke Binx's head, her expression a mix of understanding and frustration that probably mirrored my own. "Did they tell you what was doing this?" she asked.
“Unfortunately, they didn’t know, but the consensus is that Aidon was right and it’s a wraith of some kind,” Tarja purred as she nosed Melaina’s foot where it dangled over Stella’s arm.
"Okay, I’d like to examine the babies," Clio said, already moving toward the stairs with that healer's purpose that brooked no argument. "If their magical signatures are what's drawing these hunters, maybe we can find a way to cloak them."
Clio's hands hovered over Melaina without touching. Her eyes took on that unfocused quality healers got when they were seeing with senses beyond the normal five. She read her energy before repeating it with Nyssa and Thaniel.
"Well?" I asked when I couldn't stand the silence anymore.
"Their signatures have intensified significantly since birth." She turned to face me. "It's normal for divine children to manifest early, but your three are exceptionally strong. Melaina's fire magic is already more developed than some adult elementals. Thaniel's electrical control is unprecedented for an infant. And Nyssa's shadow work—" She paused, and something like awe crossed her face. "Phoebe, her shadows are sentient. They respond to her emotions with purpose and intelligence."
"Is that bad?" My voice came out smaller than I wanted.
“It’s perfectly normal,” Aidon interjected. “Mine were the same way when I was little.”
Clio smiled at us. "It's remarkable. These powers make them visible to anyone with the right kind of sight. They're like beacons. If we can’t cloak them, we need to teach them control as early as possible. And until then, we need to keep them protected."
But before anyone could respond, Jean-Marc's equipment started beeping urgently through the tablet speakers. "What is it?" Aidon demanded, moving to stand in front of me.
"There's a magical signature approaching." Even through the screen, I could see Jean-Marc's fingers flying over his keyboard. "It’s powerful. And it's not trying to hide."
A howl split the air outside. One of the shifter’s issuing a warning. Within seconds, Tseki and Murtagh were heading for the door with their claws out. Layla was right behind them, already shifting. Aidon stepped fully in front of me with shadows gathering around his hands.
