Page 38 of Shackled to the World
For some reason, Annora never considered that Edgar might have a life before they met, and she was more than a little curious about what he was like then.
Well, of course he had a life before her. She rolled her eyes and wanted to smack herself. She just never expected it to come back to bite her on the ass.
“Look, I don’t give a fuck about your problems. I’ve got enough of my own.” Annora rubbed her brow, wishing she knew how she got herself into such a mess. She just wanted a simple life, but it seemed that wasn’t in the works for her. “I have no intention of releasing Edgar. If he wants to leave, he’s more than capable of making that decision for himself.”
Sadie gave a maniacal laugh. “You don’t get it. People like Alcott and I don’t get a choice. Phantoms are under tight control. We’re never allow to leave our realm. They can’t risk our powers falling under anyone else’s control. That’s why we keep to ourselves. While it might be dangerous for us if people find out about us, it’s infinitely more dangerous to the ones who discover us.”
Sadie came to a stop in front of her, all artifice gone. “Alcott is too powerful to be allowed to live away from the phantoms. The others will find him, and they will force you to comply or kill you. That’s your choice. Would you really risk his life for something as stupid as love?”
The last time he’d been given the choice, Edgar chose death by walking into the banished land.
He was never meant to survive.
“It’s fine if you want to kill yourself, but don’t get Alcott killed for your delusions of love.”
“You love him.” Annora’s heart sank at the realization. She could fight other phantoms for a chance at a future with him, but she wasn’t sure the fragile love she felt for Edgar was enough to keep him by her side.
“May the gods save me from delusional humans.” Sadie plunked her fists on her hips and rolled her eyes dramatically. “Phantoms don’t marry for love. Our betrothal is a union between houses. He was raised to rule. I won’t allow him to throw away all our careful planning over some stupid human who doesn’t know better.”
In a burst of particles and smoke, Sadie seemed to fold into herself, then vanish in a puff of dust that glittered as it floated to the ground.
Leaving Annora standing out in the cold, her insides feeling like ice after everything she just learned.
Edgar was betrothed.
If he had the option to return, would he take it? He turned down ruling the phantoms once, entering the banished lands to escape, and suffered for it.
Could she ask him to give up even more to stay with her?
Then a more troubling thought popped in her head—if he was the heir, her father would be coming for him as well. He would never let Edgar go, especially not a second time.
Would she and Edgar be strong enough to hold out against her father and his phantom army?
Chapter Eleven
When Annora entered the house, she registered that the guys were preparing supper. Edgar was setting out dishes, seeming almost bemused to find himself doing chores among the men, and she realized that he probably never had to set a table before.
Needing time to process what she learned before she took any action, she stepped into the kitchen. “What can I do to help?”
“Feeling better?” Camden studied her face, then pulled out a chair for her. “The food is almost done. Sit.”
The ferret scurried past her, reaching her chair first. He jumped on the bottom rung, then pulled himself up onto her seat. Then he whirled and hauled himself up along the back, before jumping on the cupboard and making a mad dash for the food dispenser Mason had installed.
Instead of going for the button to release the food, the little shit leaned down and wiggled his arm up into the device to pull out his own helping, chittering happily at his bounty. It didn’t take long for his cheeks to be full, and she smiled at his antics, foolishly glad to have the little beastie back.
As everyone sat down and ate supper, she studied each of them in turn. They asked her to fight for a future with them. Annora had no problem fighting. She’d been doing it her whole life, struggling to survive one day at a time.
But she never had to worry about others when she fought.
She’d already failed Logan.
What if she failed them as well?
But as she looked around the table at her men—if she was brave enough to claim them—she realized something important.
They were worth fighting for.
She didn’t want to live in a world that didn’t have them in it.
