Page 20 of Blood Caged

I don’t care how long it takes; I will find a way out. And when I do, they’ll all pay for this.

I will not go down without a fight.

7

Chapter 7

Soren

She’s not what Iexpected. But then again, what did I expect? Gnarled, wizened features and a hooked nose? The reality couldn’t be further from that.

Yes, she’s exquisite, but what does it matter? She’s still capable of great evil. I could sense her power. It crackled like a force field around her. Even with her magic suppressed, I could still feel it.

At least, I think that’s what it was. Magic. What else could have had my skin tingling, my pulse surging?

She was trying to manipulate me. That much was clear. And for all I know, those delicate features could simply be some magical illusion masking the face of a monster.

She doesn’t have magic, Daire.

I shake my head, clearing it as I stride away from her cell, trying to shake off the way she unsettled me. Grayson emerges beside me, but I don’t slow down.

“I said she was not to be harmed.” My tone is terse.

“Harmed?” Grayson picks up his pace to keep up. “She wasn’t harmed, Lord Daire.”

“Her clothes. They were torn and bloody.” I throw a hard look at him.

“She put up a fight, sir. Her injuries were minor.”

“I don’t care how minor they were,” I bark. “What part of ‘not to be harmed’ don’t you understand, fool?”

A muscle twitches in Grayson’s jaw. “Of course, sir. I will see to it that the offenders are reprimanded.”

“Good,” I say, not caring that I’m probably being unreasonable.

I force my emotions down, burying them deep. There’s work to be done, and I can’t afford distractions. Entering the operations room, I nod curtly to the team assembled there.

“Status report,” I demand, my voice clipped and professional.

Viktor steps forward, hands clasped behind his back. “All security measures are in place, sir. We’ve doubled the guards on rotation and implemented the enhanced magical dampening field as requested.”

I scan the security feeds displayed on the wall of monitors. Mia’s cell is visible from multiple angles. She’s sitting on the cot, her posture tense but composed. I tear my gaze away.

“Show me the perimeter defenses,” I order, focusing on the task at hand. Elena swipes through schematics on a tablet, projecting them onto the main screen.

For the next hour, I meticulously review every aspect of our security protocols. I drill the team on emergency procedures, potential breach scenarios, and containment protocols. It’s familiar territory, a comfort in its way. The routine helps steadymy thoughts, pushing aside the lingering unease from my encounter with the Blackwood woman.

“And the witch’s personal effects?” I ask, realizing I haven’t seen a report on those yet.

Elena speaks up. “All catalogued and secured, sir. Nothing of note aside from some minor magical trinkets. Those have been neutralized.”

I nod, satisfied. “Good. Maintain vigilance. I want hourly reports on—”

My phone buzzes insistently in my pocket, cutting me off mid-sentence. I fish it out, my stomach tightening as I see the caller ID.

Maxwell.

I leave the room to take the call.

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