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Yet still not enough to rival Virelle or Dacien. I cocked my head, wondering why she was reacting so. Was there more to it than an objective measure? Was there something else to my power that was drawing her?

“Answer his question, mother,” Kara said sharply.

“So pushy.” Virelle tutted at her. “Oh very well. An Aetherborn is … a theory, one might say. As far as I’m aware, the world has never birthed one.” She smiled again, teasing and flirtatious. “At least, not until now.”

“Get to it,” Kara said, her jaw clenched and the words ground out. I was beginning to share her impatience.

“In some respects, who you are is obvious, Xan.” She gestured to Kara. “Half Cambion”—her hand arced toward Iyoni—“half Nephilim.”

Dacien snorted. “The polite term’s ‘Cambion’; the real word’s ‘mistake.’ You’d think demons would have better taste than to breed with humans.”

“It’s the source of your warlock-like powers,” Virelle said, giving Dacien an amused look. “A warlock is a … fluke, I suppose. Anyone born of a demon and a human could theoretically awaken as one. It happens more often than most think.”

Iyoni had told me one arrived every century or two, so that tracked.

“But when combined with a Nephilim,” Virelle continued, with a glance at Iyoni, “the dice can roll something quite unique: an Aetherborn. Capable of bonding not just demons, but anyone .”

I blinked. “Anyone?”

Virelle shrugged. “Like I said, more theory and guesswork than application.” She gestured at Iyoni. “But you bonded her, didn’t you?”

“A Cambion and a Nephilim ?” I said dubiously. “I can’t imagine a demon and a celestial ever getting familiar.”

She raised a finger, like I’d made a critical point. “Which is why an Aetherborn is such an anomaly. Not only is the union rare, but fate and chance still play their role. Just because they breed there’s no guarantee the spawn is blessed.”

“I agree with Xan,” Iyoni said. “No celestial would join with a demon.”

“So sure, are you?” Virelle asked. “When love comes in so many guises? I have no doubt that over the years, there have been occasional trysts.” She paused to grant Iyoni a mischievous smile. “Or maybe something a little less … gentle.”

Iyoni stiffened beside me. “Any demon who tried it on me would find out just how sharp this sword is.”

From the way she’d watched Kara in her ripped kimono, I presumed there were exceptions.

“I get the point,” I said bitterly. “No wonder my parents wanted nothing to do with me if my father raped my mother.”

“Alas, I feel for you, it must be so hard,” Virelle rattled off, no sincerity in her words. She took another step toward me, almost close enough to touch. “But whatever happened, you cannot deny their union has granted you the most marvelous boon.”

“A matter of perspective,” I growled. I hadn’t exactly enjoyed the last few weeks. Life had been a lot more peaceful before.

Dacien's voice was cutting. “Oh, spare us the brooding. I’d have killed for that kind of power.”

“You did,” Kara said pointedly. “Still do.” She addressed Virelle. “Xan’s older than I am. Why have his powers only awoken now?”

Virelle waved a hand dismissively. “They didn’t. They awoke at the usual age.” She raised an eyebrow at me. “I presume?”

“Well … not really, no. I’ve always had two powers, but … they’re nothing like they were.”

“Oh no, dear boy. They were always as they were intended to be, just waiting to fulfil their potential.” She reached out with one hand, a finger extended toward my shield.

I could’ve stepped back, but I didn’t see her as a threat.

She flicked my shield, and a sharp gasp escaped her lips, quickly melting into a low, throaty hum, her eyes half-lidded. “So powerful.”

“I’m getting tired of your theatrics, Mother,” Kara said, stepping in closer. Yet she was careful to avoid touching my shield. “Answer the question.”

I let my shield drop and slid my arm around her waist, pulling her into me. Maybe her mother would take the hint and back off.

“My own daughter, so prosaic.” Virelle rolled her eyes. “Very well. The truth, Xan, is that I don’t know why your powers have only now fully emerged. But I could guess.”

“Guess, then,” Kara said tartly. I let her manage her mother; she had far more experience than I.

Virelle gave her a sharp look. “He bonded you on Halloween, yes?”

“You know he did. But not Iyoni.”

She flicked her fingers in the air. “Not the night, dear. The chaos . I’ll warrant something happened, yes? An event, a catalyst?” Her eyes gleamed. “I can see in both your faces that I’m right. What was it? Did you fuck, back then? Was that it?”

It was obvious now that she’d supplied the clue.

My aether had reached for Kara when my life had been threatened.

Dark magic, warlock magic, because she was a demon.

Then for Iyoni, another life-or-death situation, and my white aether—Nephilim magic, if Virelle was to be believed—had latched onto a celestial.

“You’re so vulgar,” Kara said.

“And you’re so rude, now that you’re bonded to him.” Virelle tutted. “Well, I suppose I can’t blame you. Are you more powerful too? Does he work like a warlock, as I said he would?”

Kara tensed beside me, her cheeks tingeing red. “None of your business.”

“That’s a clear ‘yes,’” Virelle laughed. Her gaze turned to me again. “Dacien lets me play with whom I want, you know. We could—”

“ No, Mother, you most certainly could not .”

“Maybe you better not play with him if that’s how the bond works,” Dacien said with a sneer.

I cleared my throat. “I think it’s time we got to the point.”

“I quite agree,” Dacien said, stepping forward. “This farce has gone on long enough. So he’s an Aetherborn. He’s not powerful enough, yet. Why shouldn’t we kill him before he gets there?”

My shield came straight back up, and so did Iyoni’s …

and Kara’s. She was still pressed against me—I’d reacted instinctively—and for a moment, I thought she might be hurt, like Virelle had been.

Kara jerked in surprise, clearly expecting the same.

But instead, our shields merged like they were made to fit together.

Virelle watched with interest, then spoke to Dacien over her shoulder. “I don’t think so, dear. Not only is Xan too valuable to be slain on a whim, but this is our daughter’s future.”

“I don’t care,” Dacien said. “If we let him grow his power, soon he’ll rival our own.”

“Probably,” Virelle replied, like it was obvious. “But think of the benefits of having a son-in-law like him.”

“Christmas would be a blast,” I said dryly. “Mistletoe, murder threats, with all the awkward small talk in between.”

“That won’t do, will it?” Virelle said. She paused for effect, and when she spoke again her voice carried authority, with none of her flirtatiousness. “House Val’Sheran offers a mutual covenant of protection to Xander Sullivan, Aetherborn.”

Dacien opened his mouth as if to protest, then closed it with a snap and scowled. Kara went still beside me.

“Declined,” I said lazily. “I’m not falling into that trap, Virelle.”

Her lips curled in amusement. “Trap?”

“Agreeing to protect your House? Behoven to you if you’re attacked? Sorry. Not interested.”

“Oh, pooh,” she said, like I’d spoiled her fun. It was so unexpected I almost smiled. “Very well. House Val’Sheran and Xander Sullivan swear no harm to one another. Good enough?”

“Not remotely. Don’t play games with me, Virelle. I’m not giving your whole House immunity, and neither will I leave Kara or Iyoni out of this.”

“Or any of your future bonded,” Iyoni muttered.

I pointed to her. “What she said.” Even if I had no intention of adding more, Iyoni’s addition made sense … though the thought made me wonder if Virelle knew how I could add more—ideally without being in life-or-death situations.

“Very well,” Virelle replied, all playfulness now gone. “Dacien and I will swear not to harm you or any of your bonded, directly or indirectly, in return for the same promise.”

Dacien crossed his arms again, but made no attempt to stop Virelle. His gaze flicked past me to the van, narrowing on Farron, but I ignored him. We’d get to the elf when we were ready.

“Is it binding?” I asked Kara, not caring that they could hear me.

“It will be,” she said, “once you clasp on it and Virelle uses her power.”

“Fine,” I agreed. I didn’t want to kill Kara’s parents anyway—even if I could. And there were no guarantees of that. At least this way, I didn’t have to worry about their death threats, either.

Virelle extended her arm toward me, and I dropped my shield, stepped forward and gripped her wrist. Strands of shadowy aether flowed down her arm and wrapped around our hold, like a rope binding us together.

She spoke first. “I swear no harm to you or any of your bonded, directly or indirectly, and speak for Dacien too.” She looked at me expectantly.

“I swear no harm to you or Dacien, directly or indirectly, unless you break this oath.”

Her shadows briefly glowed gold, before fading to nothing.

It was apparently done, though I didn’t feel any different.

“Good,” Virelle said, withdrawing her hand, before looking at me with amusement. “Your add-on was unnecessary. The oath is binding.”

Kara and Iyoni relaxed, both letting their own shields disperse, but Dacien kept his scowl.

“Now that the frivolities are dealt with,” he said, “what about him?”

He pointed past me to the van, and I turned to see Farron lying within, conscious and watching.

How much had he heard?

He wasn’t looking at Dacien or Virelle, but focused solely on me. And not with fear or hate, but with cautious hope in his eyes.

Well, that was misplaced.