Page 34 of Shackled to the World
Edgar blinked down at her, then shook his head. “Because I can’t do what you do. While I might be powerful, I can’t manipulate the afterworld the way you can.”
Annora stared at him for a heartbeat longer, unsettled to realize he was telling her the truth. “That’s the real reason why you think my father will allow me to live, isn’t it? How many people can actually ghost the way I do?”
Only very reluctantly did he respond. “A handful of people, most of them elders who’ve accumulated their powers over centuries.”
Which meant that she was screwed.
Even if she fought her way free of the phantoms, they would always come for her, wanting to control her…unless she found a way to make them regret coming after her in the first place.
Acid churned in her guts as the answer came to her—she was either going to have to go to war or find a way to kill her father.
Fuck!
Chapter Ten
Annora didn’t say anything after they breached the last room. The fight was intense and brutal, and though they managed to escape, they’d taken serious damage in the process. The guys were sweaty and covered in an assortment of colors from the paintballs.
While none of them took enough to die from their injuries, it left them weak.
Open to another attack.
As the guys talked strategies, she headed off to the showers, since it was too late in the evening to run through the pit again.
“Hey, wait up!” Loulou bounced into view, her energy boundless, her smile bright and cheery. She was splatted everywhere with paint, but instead of looking defeated, she wore them like badges of honor. Her almost-white hair was piled on top of her hair in a messy knot, making her too-large blue eyes appear even bigger and brighter. “Where’ve you been the past week? I’ve been trying to get ahold of you. Don’t tell me the guys are keeping you prisoner, not when I know you can slip away to say hello to your bestie.”
Annora had to look away from her earnest expression, guilt piling up around her like thick sludge that made walking, even breathing, a chore. “I’m sorry. It’s been a rough week.”
Sympathy oozed from Loulou for all of two seconds, when her eyes narrowed to dangerous slits. “That better be the answer. If you’re trying to push me away because of the danger, you can forget it. I’m not going anywhere.”
The stubborn little rabbit crossed her arms defiantly, her pointy chin hiked up in the air, her hair practically quivering in outrage.
“The danger—”
“Fuck the danger.” She skipped ahead, then turned around until she was walking backwards, forcing them to walk face-to-face. “Some things are worth the risks.”
Annora studied her fierce little friend and realized she meant every word. Her throat tightened, and she had to swallow the surge of emotion threatening to drown her. When she said nothing, Loulou smiled, her grin spreading across her face while she did a bouncy victory dance.
“I knew you’d see things my way.” She twisted around, not missing a beat and began walking next to her again. “Next time, you call me.”
She bumped shoulders with her, the girl nothing more than a ball of fluff. Then what Loulou said registered, and Annora narrowed her eyes. “Someone called you.”
Loulou suddenly found the concrete walls fascinating. “I have no idea what you mean.”
“Mmm-hmmm.” Annora didn’t believe her for a second. Right before they passed through the doorway, she flung her arm across the path, blocking the exit. “Spill it.”
Looking guilty for a second, Loulou blinked up at her with those big eyes of hers, lips quivering, and Annora snorted. “Don’t work your wiles on me. I’m not falling for it.”
But she did have to look away.
Loulou sighed and grumbled. “Figured you’d be the one who could withstand my special allure.”
Annora smothered her laugh, not willing to admit how close she came to cracking. “Spill.”
“Edgar showed up out of the blue.” Loulou ducked under her arm and continued out the door. “And I mean literally. Poof!” She flung out her hands like an explosion, humor making her eyes honest-to-gods twinkle. “I thought Lionel and his men were going to have a heart attack.”
Annora’s mind went completely blank. “He did?”
“Uh-huh.” Loulou nodded like a bobble head, her hair flopping as she practically skipped down the hall. “He was worried about you.”
