The vast majority of entities that perceive existence do so from a limited frame of reference. Their comprehension is limited by what their power allows them to interpret. If one with significant strength were to view the world in its truest form they would see that it was surrounded by a range, a spectrum if you will, of various energies. Some refer to these extra-dimensional manifestations as the Spectrum, but those with a more profound understanding of this phenomenon refer to it as the Mists. 

Steele sat behind her desk, back straight face devoid of any emotion. Her exterior was an apathetic rock devoid of any blemishes that could have been construed as emotion. But the interior, that was a different picture entirely. When in doubt she always let the lessons her master taught her guild her. I must remain calm in the face of all adversity. Master gave me a mission and I've only completed half of it. I can't afford to fail now.

People were like boats and the Mists were a vast ocean. Strong emotions caused ripples in that sea that could be detected by anyone with the proper training. Steele looked at the women in front of her and instinctively understood that she definitely had this training. 

Right now Steele was using all of her self control to suppress those ripples. Sterling was right. She was definitely hiding something, it just wasn't what she thought it was. 

The calm she’d been searching for flowed through her and it brought her a sense of peace she hadn't felt in a long time. 

The smile that bloomed on Steele's face made Sterling bite the inside of her cheek in uncertainty. Out of sheer instinct, she covered herself in a skin-tight Ruby shield for mobility and layered a regular shield on top of that for added protection. She hadn't appreciated just how stubborn Steele would be in the face of her authority. What should have been an easy assignment was turning into an enigma. 

Steele stood up and walked to her office’s corner window. She did this for two reasons. One, she needed to stay in motion in order to distract herself from her mounting emotions. The second reason was rather petty. Facing the window meant that her back would be to Sterling and she knew the obvious show of disrespect would piss her off. 

Which was exactly what happened. The sound of her muscles tensing was almost audible. Sterling gripped her seat's armrests to keep from striking out at the exposed back. 

The Mists churned and alarm bells cascaded against Steele's instincts. Oh, she's mad. She fought those instincts with every fiber of her being. Calmly she said. ”I don't understand what the issue is.” She folded her forearms behind her back. ”Unless I am mistaken everything I've done has been well within regulations.”

She heard the word Steele said. The words were spoken in a calm, clear voice. Nothing about them should have caused any alarm, but every instinct in Sterling screamed at her to leave this office immediately. The rage that had been building was gone. Reacting to this change the Mist, which had been tinged in red suddenly began to settle.  

Sterling let almost twenty heartbeats pass before she felt steady enough to respond clearly. ”Technically you are correct, but the perception your actions have elicited have made certain individuals nervous.” Her throat was suddenly dry but she pressed on. ”It also hasn't escaped their notice that the time for your Bonding is fast approaching.” 

”Why should that matter?” Steele asked in an even tone, still not bothering to turn around.

Sterling clicked her tongue in irritation. ”It's a well-known fact that you do not wish to fulfill your duties by going through with the Bonding Ceremony.”

Steele let a little of the irritation she was feeling come through. ”Really, and why would I want to be trapped with some spoiled boy instead of living the life of a Ranger?” It always comes back to the damn Bonding Ceremony. She closed her eyes and blew out a long breath. The Tower on one side, my damn family on the other and me in the middle with no space to move. 

She turned from the window and returned to her seat. She looked Sterling dead in the eyes and said firmly. ”You and I both know who sent you so you can cut the cryptic bs. Tell my mother that she can stop her worrying about me ruining the family name with my insolent behavior. I have every intention of going through with the ceremony.” 

”Since when?” Sterling asked, completely taken aback. How Aiden Steele felt about what she vocally referred to as, ”a pointless waste of time that served no other purpose than to perpetuate a false elitist mindset”, was the worst-kept secret in noble society. ”You've spent years screaming at anyone that would listen how much you despise everything that took you away from being a Ranger. Why the sudden change of heart?” This sudden change made no sense.

Completely ignoring the question she said. ”Please reassure your handlers that they are mistaken. I have no intention of shirking my responsibilities. I just needed some time away, that all. I'm fine now.”

Any response from Sterling was interrupted by the sound of Steele's desk ’link.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Before she answered she looked at her visitor expectantly. ”Was there anything else you needed from me?”

Sterling tried unsuccessfully to hide the fury building in her heart. No one of lower rank had spoken to her with such off-hand disregard since she'd become a Red-Jeweled Lieutenant. Yet the women before did it as if it were second nature. ”No, that will be all.” She said in an emotionless voice as she stood to leave. When she saw Steele also rise she shook her head. ”Don't bother I'll see myself out.”

After Sterling left Steele looked at the signaling ’link for several more seconds before finally answered it. “Audio only.”

A male voice emanated from the speakers. ”Your presence has been requested at the estate of House Powers. There was an attempt on the life of Theodore Powers, the eldest male heir.”

Since when would a Noble House want to involve the Tower in what's essentially an internal matter. ”In what capacity do they need me?”

The voice on the other end of the ’link didn't respond immediately, and that was telling. ”Initially you will be there in your official capacity as a Tower Ranger to surmise the exact nature of the threat and eliminate it if possible.”

”And my secondary objective,” she asked dreading the answer she knew was coming.

”Your secondary objective is to protect the heir and get better acquainted with him since he'll be your Bonded Mate in the future.

A young man with handsome features lays in a bed unconscious with a beautiful woman on each side holding a limp unresponsive hand. 

”Mother,” the young woman spoke quietly.  ”This is family business, we know who did this. We have absolutely no obligation to allow the Tower to get involved.” 

Even though grief had gripped her being these last few weeks Lisey Powers, the matriarch of House Powers, still maintained her noble visage. She gave her daughter a stern slightly disappointed look. ”Yes we know. And so you would have me sit here holding one child's hand while the others slaughter each other?”

Lisa looked at her mother, heart full of guilt. That had been her plan exactly.

”Besides, the situation is already out of my hands.”

”Why?” Lisa asked, surprised.

”That leach.” She said the word with utter contempt. It took her a moment to calm herself before she could continue. ”That person attached to your father told the Tower what she thinks happened. Once the Tower was formally notified our hands were tied.”

Lisa didn't understand why her mother held the Tower in such ill repute but she trusted her opinion on most things. ”Isn’t she supposed to be loyal to father first and the Tower second.” 

Lisey squeezed her son's hand and looked intently at her daughter. ”Understand this. No matter what anyone tells you anyone the Tower produces will be loyal to it first. Any other considerations will always come second.”

Lisa gave her mother a confused look. ”That's not what they teach us in University.”

”So tell me, daughter, what dogma are they currently peddling in University these days?”

There was a level of pain in her mother’s voice that could only have come from bitter personal experience. She almost asked what this experience was but thought better of it.

Lisa thought about how to best answer her mother's question. Obviously, she would tell the truth but how she told that truth, that would be the issue. ”They teach us that the Tower is here to serve, to train, and to oversee.” 

Lisey tsked in disgust. ”The Towers Three Tenants of Faith.” She brought her son's hand close and kissed it. ”So they're still peddling that filth.”

Lisa was so surprised by the emotions simmering beneath her mother's words she nearly dropped her brother's hand. ”So are they lying?”

Rather than answering that question she posed her own instead. ”Ask yourself this Lisa Powers.”

Every muscle in Lisa’s body tensed. Her mother almost never used her full name. 

”Why does the Tower always ensure that no matter what the first official Bond any male member of a Noble House has is always from the Tower?”

Lisa thought about it for a moment before she realized she'd actually never thought about it. Which made her wonder why she'd never heard about this in University. That aside, why had her mother brought this up now? She was just about to ask her mother when she noticed the way she was looking at Theodore. ”I never gave much thought,” she said carefully, looking at her reaction.

”The Tower would say that it’s because dark Jeweled males are inherently aggressive and need to be grounded to someone with the proper training to ensure there's and everyone else's safety.”

Lisa never took her eyes off her mother. ”But that's not what you believe is it?”

Lisey shook her head. 

And then it finally hit her like a Talent reinforced kick to the gut. She looked at her brother then back at her mother.

”Your brothers of age and if he survives this—” She didn't finish the statement. Her beliefs were hers along and she knew that her daughter had no reason to share them. 

Lisa stood and reached her free hand across her brother's body until she finally placed over her mother's hand. She tried to place all the love she felt for her into her eyes. ”What aren't you telling me?”

”I'm telling you that your brother will be bound to a woman that will never be truly loyal to him and there is nothing we can do about it.”