Page 24 of Postpartum Spells & Infant Hells

“It was in a coma?” I asked.

The girl nodded. “The echo children are not the danger. The danger comes when you force us away. We hold a door closed from the other side.”

I thought about frightened parents, desperate families, and cleansing rituals spreading faster than facts. “That's information Ava could've shared sooner,” I muttered.

“The living panic loudly,” the girl replied. “The dead learn patience.”

Aidon moved beside me and rested a hand against my back. “Ask us for what you want,” he urged quietly.

All seven looked toward the frost-covered windows. Something about the movement made my skin crawl. The clock changed to 3:34, and all seven children vanished.

The room returned to normal temperature. Aidon and I stood there staring at one another while Nyssa's shadow lingered a moment longer before sinking back into her tiny hand. Aidon retracted his shadows and lifted her carefully from the crib. “Part of her recognized them.”

“I don't know whether she helped them or they helped her,” I admitted as I picked up a fussing Thaniel. “I'm not sure either answer makes me feel better.”

“There’s no way to determine that. Nyssa can’t tell us what she experienced. And I can’t assume it was what I felt through my shadows. We'll tell everyone at dawn and see what they think,” Aidon said while settling Nyssa against his chest.

I nodded and kissed Thaniel's forehead. “Let's bring them all to bed with us. I don’t want them in their cribs after that.”

Aidon agreed and settled Nyssa next to Thaniel after I lay down with him. He brought Melaina, and I fell asleep with the feel of Thaniel grabbing my hair. Dawn arrived gray and wet.

“Rough night?” Mom asked as she entered the bedroom.

“You could say that,” I replied with a yawn. “We’ll update everyone downstairs.”

Aidon handed Nyssa to her grandmother when she started reaching for her. Mom carried Nyssa to the nursery and cleaned her up. “You look like something the dog dragged in,” Nana said as she plucked Thaniel from next to me.

“Thanks, Nana. That makes me feel so good about myself. We will be right down.”

“I’ll take care of Melaina. Go splash some cold water on your face,” Aidon advised.

Taking advantage, I hurried to the bathroom and got cleaned up. I took a quick shower, then met everyone downstairs. “You’re here early,” I called out to Stella as I entered the kitchen.

“You’re here early,” I called to Stella as I entered the kitchen.

Nina followed me in and took a seat at the island. Aidon came in behind us with Melaina and rested a hand on the back of my chair.

“We need to tell everyone what happened last night,” Aidon announced.

I told them everything, and the echo children appearing in our room, and what happened when Nyssa’s shadows touched them. Aidon shared the warning they had given and that we couldn't try to drive them out without serious consequences. Nobody interrupted until we finished. By the end, everyone had gone pale.

“I have two families who stopped responding overnight after cleansing attempts,” Selene admitted. “One in Vermont and one in Arizona.”

“You didn't tell them to perform those rituals,” Mom reminded her.

“I built the network, spreading the information,” Selene replied.

Nana pushed a mug toward her. “Drink before guilt dehydrates you.”

“I want to attempt to build a Wayfarers’ Bridge,” I announced. “It’s the only safe way to save these kids and make them move on without harming one of the babies.”

Nobody looked surprised. “We're not doing it immediately,” I continued.

Stella nodded in agreement. “We still need to call Elena and learn everything. We have to identify every cost and find a way to divert it to the assholes.”

“We should take a family vote before Mom just does this,” Nina insisted.

Tarja flicked an ear. “She’d be asking people who'd follow her into a burning swamp.”