Page 54 of Shackled to the World
She just had to pray she’d be able to make it work when it was needed.
While she put the book away and took a quick shower, Edgar went down to apprise the guys of her lack of progress. If she wanted to meet Willa at the café, she was going to have to haul ass. She grabbed the newel post just before she was about to head downstairs, then backtracked and snatched the blades out from under her pillow.
They were a gift from Logan.
She hadn’t worn them since he’d been taken, but she didn’t want to leave the house without them, especially now her father was actively hunting her. She strapped them on under her shirt, touching the placement of the knives to make sure she could get at them easily, then tucked her shirt in again before heading downstairs.
Wearing them made her feel closer to Logan.
As she headed into the kitchen, she found Terrance in deep discussion with the rest of the team. They broke apart when they saw her, and she crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at them. “Just tell me. I’m going to find out eventually.”
Terrance was the first to break. “I got ahold of my brother and warned him we were coming. I told him to be ready and do his best to locate Logan.” He ran his hand over his hair, flipping it out of his face. “He says that while they want the book, they want you more. They’re willing to trade the kitsune for you.”
Even before she had a chance to open her mouth, the guys exploded.
“You’re not fucking doing it.” Xander looked ready to tie her to a chair.
Mason’s hair was standing on end, fairly vibrating with his growl, his frame bulking up, ready to go to battle, as if he knew she would fight him on it. What worried her more was that Camden remained mute—which didn’t mean he had any intention of letting her go. No doubt he was ready to drug her at the first opportunity.
When she glanced at Edgar, he raised a brow and shrugged. “I’m with them. It’s too dangerous to try a trade. They’d never keep their word.”
“So what do you expect me to do? Wait for them to eventually capture and kill every one of you? Because that’s what they’ll do. What happens to me when you’re all dead?” Annora wanted to stomp her foot or just ghost them and finish the job herself, but the stubborn bastards would only follow her and get themselves killed.
“Did Edgar tell you I haven’t been able to get the locator spell to work?” She gazed at each of them, her heart threatening to break. “This is our only way inside, and you know it. Don’t ask me to give up on Logan. I don’t think I’d survive it.”
A muscle jumped in Camden’s jaw, fire blazing in his green eyes until they appeared to glow. He marched toward her, his hands fisted at his sides, looking ready to throttle her. He then leaned down, his eyes narrowed in warning. “If we do this, then we do it my way. No sacrificing yourself. The only thing getting yourself captured will do is ensure that we’ll kill ourselves trying to get you out. You will do exactly what I say. Do I make myself clear?”
Annora swallowed hard at the threat, her chest aching at the idea of a world without them to keep her sane, and nodded up at him.
If she fucked up the rescue, they would die, and she refused to allow that to happen. “Understood.”
Chapter Fifteen
As Annora left the house to meet up with Willa at the café, she couldn’t have been more surprised when Camden volunteered to be her escort. “You don’t want to stay behind and plot our course for tonight?”
He just shrugged as he surveyed the campus for any threat. “We’re as prepared as we’re going to be. The rest of the guys are going to scout for reinforcements.” He glanced down at her, his expression as serious as she’d ever seen it. “We want Logan back as much as you do, but sacrificing you isn’t an option. Trust us to know what we’re doing.”
They were the best of the best, having spent most of their lives training for this kind of situation. Annora leaned into him, resting her head against his shoulder. “I do trust you. If I didn’t, I would have already tried to get him myself.”
Camden heaved an exasperated sigh that was part laugh. When she tipped her head back to smile up at him, he brushed his lips against her forehead so lightly she barely felt it, and she wanted to cheer at the small victory. A few weeks ago, he would’ve cringed away from even allowing her within touching distance.
As they entered the café, Loulou popped up from her seat like she’d been launched from springs, and practically skipped over to them with a bright smile, her nearly white hair streaming behind her.
Lionel, her wolf protector, was only a few paces behind, a menacing presence poised to beat the shit out of anyone who dared threaten his mate. Where there was one, the other was sure to follow. She had to marvel that the guy had the energy to keep up with the high-octane bunny who didn’t seem to know the meaning of slow or calm.
Loulou threw her arms around her. “I’m so glad you came.”
Before Annora even had a chance to return the hug, Loulou jumped back and dragged her over to their table. “How did you even know I would be here?”
The rabbit looked at her over her shoulder, her large blue eyes a little too big for her face, and she shook her head pityingly. “Girl, nothing that happens on campus is a secret.”
When Annora glanced around the café, she decided Loulou was right. The place was packed with an equal variety of shifters and witches, until it was almost standing room only. A glance out the window showed even more people were scoping out the place.
“Great.” She resisted the urge to sigh while she wove through the tables after Loulou, doing her best to avoid touching anyone, still unused to being around crowds. While she hated her lonely childhood, her skin practically crawled at having so many eyes on her.
Camden pressed closer, guarding her back, and her unease lessened a fraction. Most gave him wide berth. A few curious people wandered a little too close, and he deliberately brushed against them. It didn’t take long for their curiosity to fade to confusion after being dosed by his toxic touch, and they wandered away.
As they took their seats in the corner booth, Annora glanced around the cafe. The magic in the room was almost a living thing, it was so potent. It swirled and eddied like ribbons weaving between people, as if on the hunt or possibly trying to pick up her magical trail.
