Page 88 of Blood Caged

The security room looms ahead, its door slightly ajar. I pause, listening for any sign of life within. Silence. Perfect. I slide inside, my eyes adjusting instantly to the dim glow of computer screens.

My fingers move across the keyboard, easily bypassing security protocols. There’s no reason I shouldn’t; I have clearance at the highest level of this facility, after all. Yet I still can’t help feeling anxious. It’s the bond. I’m getting dangerously close to the boundaries of it. Files flash before me, a dizzying array of data on witches and their abilities. I filter through them, searching for any mention of Rowan Blackwood. It doesn’t take long.

There. A dossier appears, accompanied by a collection of photographs. My breath catches as I take in her features – the family resemblance to Mia is unmistakable. I scan the information quickly, committing key details to memory. Her magical potential, her known associates, her last recorded location.

A noise in the hallway startles me. I freeze, every muscle tense as footsteps approach. Quickly, I close the files and erase any sign that I’d been through them.

Grayson enters, his brows pulling together at the sight of me. “I didn’t expect to see you here, sir. The team is out for roll call.”

Which is exactly why I’m here. Each day, there’s a fifteen-minute gap between 5 and 5.15 pm – it would be the perfect time for Mia to get out undetected.

“I had some details to check,” I tell him, which is true.

“I trust you found everything in order, sir?”

“I did.” I push my seat away from the desk where the console is glowing. “Are the others on their way back?”

“Yes, sir.” His eyes flick to the screen, and everything in me goes tense.

Get a grip, Daire. You have every right to be here.

“Good,” I say briskly. “I’d like a team briefing when they’re all back at their desks.”

“That won’t be possible, sir.” Grayson looks uncomfortable. “Lord Marlowe has called for a gathering as soon as they return.”

Shit.

“He wasn’t scheduled for a visit today.”

“It was spur of the moment, sir.”

“Then we’ll have our briefing once his meeting is over,” I say without missing a beat.

I stand rigid as the others file in, followed by Lucien and Heath. My jaw clenches involuntarily at the sight of them.

Stay calm.

I force my features into a mask of indifference.

Lucien’s eyes sweep the room, landing on me with a hint of suspicion. Or maybe it’s simply my guilty conscience.

“Good evening, team,” he begins, his voice smooth as silk. “We have a new arrival coming in, and we need to make preparations.”

“Certainly, Lord Marlowe,” I reply. “When should we expect our new…guest?”

“Within forty-eight hours,” he says. “If all goes according to plan.”

“It will, Lord Marlowe,” Heath says from beside him. The pair seem to be joined at the hip, and it sets my teeth on edge. “We may even have her sooner. She’s been making a lot of rash decisions.” He grins.

My heart plummets. So soon? I’d hoped for more time. I keep my face impassive, even as my mind races.

“Soren,” Lucien’s gaze fixes on me, “I want security measures pushed to the absolute maximum. Immediately. We can’t afford another…incident like last time.”

I nod curtly. “Of course, Lord Marlowe. I’ll see to it personally.”

As Lucien outlines his demands, a familiar pressure builds within me. The bond, tightening like a noose. It’s a warning, a reminder of my oath. Every fiber of my being screams to obey, to fall in line. But Mia’s face flashes in my mind, her desperation when she spoke about her sister being taken. I grit my teeth against the discomfort.

“Any questions?” Lucien’s voice cuts through my thoughts.

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