"I'm sayin' it again. I ain't 'appy about this."

Kaden puffed out a sigh. This had been going on ever since Malandra went off to speak with Lena, which still confused the hell out of him. "You can say it as many times as you like, Mercury; it's not going to change anything."

The Guardian crossed his arms and scowled back at him. "This is a job for one of us. She ain't a Guardian."

Kaden's patience had worn thin. He pulled himself out of his rickety old chair and leant across the desk, bracing himself on both hands. "No. She is not a Guardian. She is a fucking Sentinel, and she didn't win that title in a damned raffle. There are only three people here that are physically small enough to fit down that tunnel—if it's even there—and you're gone in the fucking head if you think I'd allow Lena or Soraya anywhere near Friarsfield, let alone within spitting distance of Asher fucking Velgeren!"

Mercury opened his mouth to reply, but Kaden held his hand up to stop him.

He could see Lena in his mind's eye, making her way back down to the command centre. Though he couldn't see Malandra in the same way, he could sense something of her aura. He returned his attention to Mercury. "If you value your life, now would be a marvellous time for you to shut up."

Whatever protestation the guy might have made was cut short when the door swung open and two of the deadliest women in Faerie walked in. Kaden couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. For the first time since Malandra had arrived, Lena seemed content not to kill her. What the...

"Keeper of the Watch," Malandra said.

Kaden straightened. "Sentinel."

The rest of the room fell silent, and even Roarke stopped his incessant mumbling and typing. All of them were aware whatever the Pixie said next would make or break the mission to save their brother. Kaden found himself holding his breath.

"You'll forgive my need to speak with Lena. I had something to ask that only she could answer."

Kaden nodded.

"I would ask something of you too."

"If it is within my power, then by all means, it is yours."

Malandra tucked a lock of purple hair behind her ear and Kaden could sense her nervousness. She held her head high though, maintained eye contact. "A blood bond may endure for a lifetime, but that will not be the case for us."

Kaden's brow furrowed. "I'm not sure I understand." A blood bond could weaken over time, but it was never temporary.

The Sentinel took a deep breath. "You are a man of your word, are you not?"

"That I am," he replied, still not really understanding where this was going.

"Then that is what I ask. If I bind myself to you, you will treat it as something fleeting, something temporary. You will give me your word that you will not use that bond beyond this one mission. You will not use it to enforce your will over mine. You will not use it to spy on me. You will not follow me."

Kaden’s eyes widened and his mouth fell open. To his left, Mercury hissed while the expressions on Phoenix and Skylar's faces matched his own. He looked back at Malandra Ravenborn, feelings of amazement and disgust flying through him. He was not offended by her request. Not in the slightest. He felt appalled that she felt she had to spell it out for him. There was a darkness in the Sentinel's past; there had to be for her to make such a request.

"I do not ask this lightly, Malandra. A blood bond is a serious matter and not one that I would ever abuse."

He watched her take a deep breath. "Do I have you word?"

Kaden nodded. "Without hesitation or reservation."

Malandra shot a glance over to Lena, who gave her a small smile in return, and some of the tension seemed to leave her, her shoulders relaxing slightly. She turned back to him. "Then I give you my bond."

The relief in the room was tangible...from everyone except Mercury. He'd never say it out loud, but his concern was plain for everyone to see. Malandra, though, seemed oblivious, seemingly lost in her own thoughts.

"Shouldn't we get going then?" Lena asked, as impatient as ever.

Kaden checked his watch, just to be sure, but Lena was right. The sun would be up soon and they were running out of time. "Are you ready, Malandra?"

The Sentinel blinked, but didn't reply.

Kaden walked around the desk. "Sentinel?"

She shook her head, as if pushing away whatever thoughts had occupied her mind. She flashed him a small smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Guess so."

* * *

Lena watched on as Malandra struggled to centre herself. She had given her consent to be bound to Kaden, but the decision had been difficult for her. Kaden had shot a few concerned glances her way, clearly looking for answers but other than a quick shake of her head, Lena hadn't given him any. She had not promised secrecy, but she didn't feel as though this was her story to tell. For the moment, Malandra had accepted the conditions of the mission, and that would have to do. If Kaden wanted to know why the Sentinel had been so wary in her agreement to a blood bond, he would have to discover the truth for himself.

Mercury shuffled over to the Pixie. "You don't 'ave to do this."

Malandra held her head high and looked him in the eye. "I do, Mercury."

The Guardian's mouth set in a grim line. Lena knew him well enough to know he itched to argue further, but as Malandra stood there staring up at him, something in his demeanor changed. Mercury simply nodded and walked away.

Kaden took a small knife from his boot and handed it to Malandra. Lena couldn't help but smile. As the instigator of the bond, Kaden should be the one to hold the blade, but he'd given that power to Malandra. He made sure she knew she was in control.

Malandra frowned for a second as she took the knife before looking at up him. Lena could tell the woman was still nervous, but she could sense her gratitude too. Well played, Kaden.

The Sentinel flashed Kaden a smile. "No time like the present, I suppose, Keeper of the Watch."

"None at all," he replied as he held out his hand to her.

A blood bond was a private thing and Lena knew she should probably look away, leave the room even, but she couldn't. Just like her brethren, her eyes were glued to the pair of them.

Malandra grasped Kaden's outstretched hand and with one final look up at him, sliced the blade lengthwise down the inside of his wrist. The wound was deep—it had to be so the blood flowed long enough to complete the ceremony—but Kaden didn't even flinch. He kept his eyes focused on Malandra. The Pixie repeated the cut on her own wrist and the smell of lilacs filled the room. The aroma was unexpected and even Kaden's eyes widened slightly as it enveloped them all. He remained unmoved however, still focused on the Sentinel.

Out of the corner of her eye, Lena saw Mercury move and her gaze snapped towards him. Her brother looked like he was about to throw up. His good eye glowed ochre as both his hands clamped down on the back of one the executive chairs, his knuckles white with the pressure he exerted. Lena raised an eyebrow as he glanced over at her. He gave a quick shake of his head, telling her to leave well alone. She nodded and returned her attention to Kaden and Malandra.

The Pixie stared up at Kaden, her jeweled eyes glowing a bright magenta as she took hold of his arm. Her small hand grasped his forearm so that their wounds were aligned. As soon as their blood touched, Kaden's jaw locked tight, his normally ice-blue eyes flashing a brilliant sapphire.

"Everything I am, everything I represent is now bound to you," Malandra began the oath. "All that I am... All..." Her voice faltered.

"All that I am, all that I have, is yours." Kaden didn't miss a step, continuing the oath and binding himself to her.

Malandra swallowed hard and nodded.

"My family is now your family," Kaden continued.

"Your enemies are now my enemies." Malandra said, regaining her confidence.

"I will protect you, shelter you, and love you as a sister. I will never betray your honour, your House or your name. "

"My honour, my House and my name are yours as yours are mine because you are my brother."

"I give you my strength, my soul, even my life. All that I am is bound to you. This vow I give to you is unbreakable, resolute, and I give it without reservation. "

Malandra swallowed hard again, tears welling in those beautiful violet eyes. "All that I am is bound to you. I give you this vow freely and it will endure so long as there is breath in my body."

A strange, unfamiliar power rippled through the room as soon as Malandra spoke the final word. Like static electricity, it hummed and pulsed through the air. The two of them remained connected, arms still grasped, eyes still locked on each other, seemingly oblivious to everything around them. Lena rubbed her arms as she looked at her brethren, not liking the odd sensation. Phoenix and Skylar were shrugging at each other while having some sort of silent conversation using facial expressions and waggling eyebrows alone. Phoenix caught her eye and raised an eyebrow at her too. She shook her head; she had no idea what was going on either. She glanced at Mercury and winced at the pain she saw on his face. He stared at Kaden and the Pixie, still hanging on to that chair with all he had. He clearly wasn't happy.

The blood oath was a sacred thing. In exchanging words and blood, the participants also exchanged part of themselves and part of their power. Lena had witnessed and taken part in several. This felt different though. The odd power still fizzled across her skin, making the hairs on her arms stand on end.

Kaden and Malandra released their hold on each other and that pulsing just stopped. Both of them seemed a little disorientated, Malandra blinking away her unspilled tears, Kaden rocking on his heels.

"Are you okay?" Kaden asked Malandra as he rubbed his arm. The wound had already started to heal, a thin red line the only evidence of what had just happened. Soon that too would disappear.

Malandra didn't answer, but she did nod.

Lena didn’t know exactly what had happened between the half-breed and her father, but she knew it was bad. Bad enough that Malandra hadn’t bound herself to another living soul in thousands of years. Despite herself, Lena knew the Pixie’s trust in both her and Kaden was a massive leap of faith, and in binding herself to the Keeper of the Watch, the woman had accepted a mission that could very well get her killed. Lena smirked. Pixie has balls. The least she could do was suck it up and get the girl a serious drink.

She sidled up to the Sentinel. "There's a bottle of tequila in the drawing room with your name on it, Pixie."

That earned her a small smile. "Sounds good."

"Don't take too long, Lena. Sunrise is in less than 2 hours," Kaden said.

"Yes, Dad." She didn't need to look at him to know he was rolling his eyes at her. She and Malandra walked out of the command centre and walked straight into Soraya.

"Lena! Hello!" The Princess's voice hit a pitch Lena was sure only dogs should be able to hear.

"Soraya. What are you doing out here?"

"I just needed to... I mean I wanted to..." Her gaze travelled over Lena's shoulder to Malandra and her whole demeanor changed. "Sentinel. I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

Lena's brow knitted. She sensed a strange energy from her sister in law. "Soraya, is everything alright?"

The woman shot another glance at Malandra and took a deep breath. Plastering an almost perfect smile on her face she replied, "Yes. All is as it should be."

"Soraya—"

"I'm sorry," she continued, the smile no longer quite perfect. "I have to go."

"We're going up for a quick drink. Would you like to join us?" Malandra suggested.

Soraya had already started to walk away. "No thank you," she said, not bothering to turn around.

Lena and Malandra watched her go.

"What on Goddess's green earth was that all about?" the Pixie asked.

"I have absolutely no idea."