Page 106 of Shackled to the World
As she waited for Daxion to respond, she kept the spell her mother left for her at her fingertips, ready to cast it, positive the bright light could banish him from the house or at the very least, cut off his power before he could attack her men.
“Very well. I agree to your terms.” The seal on the room immediately lightened, the darkness evaporating to reveal more than three dozen shifters waiting on the deck, every one of them staring unblinking at the house. More than a few of them wore fangs and claws.
Daxion smiled, as if he found the lot of them quaint, and he lifted his hands up in surrender. “I concede. I doubt you want our petty family squabble to start a war that they’d have no hope of winning.”
Was it so very wrong to want to punch your father in the face?
Everything about the man rubbed her the wrong way.
As if reading her mind, his smile spread, and he bowed to her. “Until we meet again.”
Without giving her a chance to do anything more than scowl at him, he dissolved into nothingness, leaving behind a small wisp of smoke that evaporated a second later, seemingly sucked in on itself.
She reached out, almost able to feel the pull of the phantom realm, and couldn’t help but wonder if she could follow the trail. Before she could test her theory, Camden grabbed her arm and spun her to face him. He cupped her face, checking her for injuries before he crushed her to his chest.
Fine tremors went through him, and she wrapped her arms around him, the enormity of what just happened slamming into her. His soothing touch seeped deeper into her, dissipating the worst of the reaction before it set in and she gave into the urge to puke.
Logan’s hand landed on her back, and she found herself scooped up into his arms and deposited on his lap. Mason sat next to them, sweeping her feet up to rest them across his thighs, while Xander stood at attention on the other side, ever alert. He rubbed a strand of her hair between his fingers, then rested his hand on the back of her neck.
“Is he gone?” Camden stood next to Edgar, searching the shadows, looking ready to dismember anyone who got near them.
“He’s gone—for now.” Sadie slipped into the room from the kitchen, her face pale, her eyes hard. “But he’ll be back. Count on it.”
Annora sighed and leaned against Logan, his heartbeat thundering under her ear, his hold almost brutal.
He rested his chin on her shoulder with a heavy sigh. “I’m not going to let him take you. I won’t let him hurt you.”
Annora brushed her lips against his cheek. “He won’t harm me, not in that way. I’m too valuable right now.”
His lips turned down, clearly not happy with her observation.
“She’s right.” Mason slipped his hand around her ankle, then tugged off her shoes and began to rub her feet.
She nearly moaned…it felt so incredible she swore her eyes rolled up into her head. Then she caught his slight smile and realized she must not have been very successful in masking the sound. Her thoughts went back to Daxion, and she shuddered. “I can’t believe that man is my father. Did I make the right choice? Should I have just killed him?”
She didn’t have any doubt in her mind that it would eventually come down to that.
“He’s a chameleon.” Edgar knelt at her side, covering her hand with his. “He’s very good at getting what he wants. You managed to outwit him and get away with it, which is more than most people can say. He won’t like being forced to bend to your will, but you made the right choice.”
He turned her hand up, rubbing his thumb over the tattoo on her wrist and murmured, “You scared the shit out of me.”
“Is my whole family batshit crazy?” she lamented, dropping her gaze to their joined hands and played with his fingers.
“No.” A smile flitted across his face, but the humor faded as he gazed up at her. “Those who crave power and chase after it—it breaks something fundamental in them. Valen, your mother, and you are proof that goodness exists.” He threaded his fingers into her hair and pulled her closer, resting his forehead against hers. “You are proof that we can make our own future.”
“Daxion is a threat. He won’t stop coming after you,” Sadie warned, retrieving the sword that Edgar had set on the floor next to him. “You can’t trust him.”
Annora ignored the way the guys stiffened and fell silent. “What do you suggest?”
“Send me back to be your spy.” Sadie held up a hand before Annora could speak. “I know you have no reason to trust me, but I only ever wanted what was best for our people.”
Annora believed Sadie…to a point.
As soon as the young phantom discovered someone or something that was better for her people, Annora would be persona non grata.
“If he catches you—”
“I’m dead.” Sadie smirked as she bounced on her feet, expertly slashing her sword through the air. “But he would have to catch me first.”
