Page 19 of Ransomed to the World
Annora pursed her lips, unable to fault him for his logic…because he wasn’t wrong.
She would’ve done the same in his place, and some of the steam went out of her anger. She rubbed her fingers against her brow, trying to ease the looming headache. Wolves yipped and howled in the distance, and she knew their time was limited. “I guess we now know they never had any intention of handing Mason over without a fight.”
Dark wisps of the afterworld rose and wove between her fingers at the thought of the coming battle.
If they thought she’d give up, they were fools.
She gave a vicious smile. If anything, she was even more eager to level the playing field.
Their conversation was cut short when the rest of the guys blundered into the small clearing. Mason reached her first, plucking her off her feet to crush her to his chest. Annora didn’t fight him, taking advantage of the situation to snuggle closer.
He had partially shifted, standing practically a foot taller, his horns and teeth more pronounced, his hair standing completely upright, his muscles making him nearly twice his usual size.
The rest of the guys were grim as Xander explained what happened.
Only when Mason had confirmed for himself that she was unharmed did he finally lower her to the ground. Edgar and Camden didn’t take their gaze off her the whole time. Neither appeared outwardly disturbed, no anger showed on their faces, but she knew better.
The afterworld clouded Edgar’s eyes until nothing but darkness remained. Tension held him stiff, like he was holding himself back from dragging her into the afterworld he feared so much just to keep her safe. Camden was more contained, but barely, his beast ready to burst out of his skin. Tiny patterns were imprinted across his arms and up his neck, spikes slowly extended from his elbows, but what gave him away more was the way his dark hair turned almost iridescent.
Thankfully, both of them were able to hold themselves in check.
Logan was different, hanging back, his arms crossed. The bitter chill of winter clung to him in his agitation, like he blamed himself for not being there to protect her.
Which was foolish.
It had only been a few weeks since he nearly died. Though he was recovering, it would take time. While his body might be healed, the torture he endured had scarred his soul, and he still had nightmares that only her nearness could calm.
She was afraid today might have set him back.
Shadows darkened his eyes, a muscle in his jaw ticking as he barely held himself in check. She walked to his side, then slipped her hand in his.
And his breath left him in a rush, his shoulders deflating, his grip just short of brutal.
Even with a few inches separating them, she could still hear his pulse thundering in his veins.
When she opened her mouth, he silenced her with a quick shake of his head. “I’m fine. I’llbefine,” he amended quickly, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze, and she believed him.
As the guys continued to talk among themselves, the wolves circled them, standing guard.
When she squinted, she could’ve sworn she saw Prem riding on the back of one of them like he was in a damned rodeo. But when she blinked, the image was gone, and she wondered if she imagined the whole thing.
Camden approached, distracting her from the wolves. Even before he spoke, she knew what he was going to say.
“Annora—”
“We’re not leaving.” She wouldn’t give the trolls the satisfaction. She wouldn’t give them a chance to refute her claim, and object to her taking Mason as her mate.
Camden put on his most reasonable expression, but she held up her hand to halt him. “If I told you I wanted to you stay back while I confront my father—”
“Not happening.” There was no inflection in his voice. The rest of the guys went rigid behind him, their attention snapping toward her.
“I rest my case. You can’t ask me to do less for any of you.” She squared her shoulders, refusing to back down. This battle was too important to lose. “With or without you, I’m going.”
When no one objected, she released a breath, the tension releasing its talons from her spine.
“If we want to reach them before nightfall, then we should get moving.” Mason didn’t look happy at her proclamation. If anything, he was downright pissed. Without looking at her, he stormed back toward camp, moving so fast, he disappeared in seconds.
When she moved to follow him, Logan tightened his hold on her hand. “Give him time.”
