Page 37 of Ransomed to the World
“Why?” His voice was a low grumble, his expression puzzled as he peered down at her from his heavy brow and deep-set eyes, his powder blue skin making her stare a little bit longer.
Annora looked down at the bones scattered around the cave, the loved ones that they had lost, and shook her head. “You already lost too much.”
“But we attacked you.” One of the women stepped forward, cradling her fist against her chest, the stone practically glowing between her fingers. The troll was bruised and battered, one of her eyes nearly swollen shut, her lip busted, her leg bleeding heavily where a small bone stuck out of it.
Annora couldn’t tell if the troll was happy or pissed or just plain suspicious. She studied each of them, picked up some distrust, curiosity, and a load of apprehension, but no outright hatred.
“Why did you stop trying to kill us?” Annora finally asked.
The trolls glanced at each other, as if not understanding her question.
Mason snorted, a protective presence at her side. “I can answer your question. The instant you stopped attacking, she stopped seeing you as a threat. She has no use for you or your stones.”
One of the smaller, dark purple males scowled at them. “No one would give up that kind of power. If you kept the stones, you’d have an army of trolls at your beck and call.”
Annora looked up at Mason for reassurance, and he smiled down at her. He snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her against his chest, then answered the question without looking away from her.
“What you saw…she was holding back. My guess…she didn’t mean to actually kill Flora. She just wanted my heart stone. When Flora threatened me, she signed her own death warrant.” Mason straightened to his full height, his head held high, pride shining on his face. “It’s just a fraction of what she can do. If she wanted, she could’ve destroyed the whole village in minutes.”
Annora glanced at the others, expecting to see fear…and was shocked to see only admiration.
Trolls—she didn’t understand them.
Aggression was revered. Do a nice thing, give them back their gems, and they look at you with distrust. Kill one of them, and they respect you. She shook her head, beginning to worry about how phantoms would view her.
Based on Sadie’s reaction—one of the few phantoms she’d encountered—Annora was going to be lucky if they didn’t kill her outright like they did other half-breeds. Thanks to her dear old dad, she was protected to a certain extent…until he got what he wanted.
All she had to do was find his dead wife, who was now a reaper, and kill her.
Easy-peasy…yeah, right.
“We should be heading back.” She sighed, not wanting to leave the safety of his arms. “The others are waiting for us and probably worried out of their minds.”
Mason grunted his agreement, his arm tightening around her for a moment before he released her, then held her back while the rest of the trolls trudged out of the cave.
Not quite trusting them not to double back to harm them, Mason and Annora waited until they could no longer hear them before heading back themselves.
When they reached the big cavern where they both entered, Mason stopped her, took the small bowl of stones, and carefully placed them on the ground. His movements were controlled and measured. He straightened, then turned her and began to inspect every inch of her for injuries. Annora held still, letting him do what he wanted, knowing she wouldn’t be able to dissuade him, not until he could confirm for himself that she was okay.
She shivered at the way his fingers glided over her skin. With each touch, each caress, the troll in him ceded back control. When he took a deep breath, his chest expanded and dark lines shimmered on his chest like liquid metal. Annora peered through the gap of his shirt, then gasped in surprise.
The mating tattoo on their wrists was now etched into his chest, directly over his heart. The roots almost appeared to be digging into his skin. As if basking under her attention, it almost seemed to glimmer in the dark light, the branches swaying. “What…?”
Mason tore off the remains of his shirt, then touched the mark reverently, a huge smile crossing his face, his lavender eyes shining bright with awe. “Trolls must earn their tattoos, each meaning something different. The darker the lines, the more tattoos, the stronger the troll. The mark directly over the heart is saved for our mate, when we’re deemed worthy.”
Annora leaned closer and lightly traced the lines, the thing the size of her hand. As soon as she touched the tattoo, the connection between them hummed to life, and a pleased sound vibrated in his chest. “When you had the chance to kill me, even under the influence of the potion, you stopped. You actually fought to save me. You were always worthy in my eyes, long before we entered the caves.”
His chest expanded, his smile more relaxed than she’d ever seen it. Annora reached inside her shirt, then pulled out his stone, rubbing her thumb over it before she held out her hand and offered it to him. “I think this is yours.”
His smile faded as he glanced down at the stone in her hand. He reached out, but instead of taking the stone, he curled her fingers over it. “Keep it.”
Her brows scrunched at his soft tone. “But I thought…I don’t want to control you.” She shuddered and thrust her hand out to him, wanting nothing to do with it. “Take it back.”
“It’s a claim of ownership, a thing of pride, similar to how humans wear wedding rings. It’s also a sign of protection. No other trolls will touch you.” Mason gave her a crooked smile, then lifted up her hand and kissed her palm next to the stone. “Think of it as a piece of my heart. When we reach topside, we’ll stop by the bazaar and find a ring to set it in…if you want it.”
The idea of wearing the stone, holding a part of him close, thrilled her, and she closed her fingers around it. Her throat tightened with emotions, so she could only nod. Not wanting to lose it, she shoved it into her front pocket. At the hopeful look on his face, her heart swelled, joy spilling through her, and she smiled. Her voice was firm when she said, “Yes.”
She’d never been so sure of anything in her life.
