Page 56 of Ransomed to the World
Annora swallowed back the bile that threatened to rise, then narrowed her eyes on him, not sure if he was telling her the truth, his face giving nothing away.
“There’s Xander.” Mason picked up his speed, heading down the path to the right, away from the commotion of the stalls, and the rest of them kept pace.
Annora angled so she could see around Mason and spotted Prem draped over a sign above a doorway that said Ariel Arms. He rocked back and forth like it was his very own swing set. He was covered in orange dust, a nearly empty bag of chips in his hands. She wasn’t sure where he’d found the bag, probably stolen if the way he was shoveling them into his mouth as fast as he could and the way his cheeks were bulging were any indication.
She tore her gaze away from Prem’s shenanigans, relieved to see Xander standing in the doorway, talking to a man who had his back to her, so she couldn’t see him clearly.
Something about Xander’s posture put her on alert.
Something was wrong.
She picked up the pace, urging Mason to hurry, anxious to reach them. As if sensing her nearness, he looked up and locked eyes with her. Without missing a beat, he gave a brisk nod to the other man, dismissing him, then began to walk toward her.
She tried to see where the stranger went, but he was quickly swallowed up in the crowd. She scanned Xander carefully, but he gave nothing away, and she couldn’t get over the feeling that trouble was breathing down her neck, just waiting to pounce.
She barely resisted marching up to Xander and demanding answers, conscious of the people watching them. She didn’t want anyone else to hear their private conversations—especially since she suspected she wasn’t going to like what he had to say.
“I’ve booked us a single room.” Xander directed the comment to the others, but his focus remained on her. “It’s best that no one wanders off alone. Despite the patrols, the streets aren’t safe at night when the predators roam free.”
Edgar grunted in agreement. “The ship will be here a few hours after sunrise. It would be best if we avoid getting into any trouble, if possible.”
“We need to eat.” Mason nudged her toward the inn, and he brushed his fingers lightly along her temple. “It will help get rid of her headache.”
Annora tipped her head back, gaping at him. “How did you know?”
He gently rubbed a single finger between her eyes, his voice deep and resonant. “You get a cute little furrow here when you’re exhausted.”
Of course Mason would know.
The man noticed everything.
“I’ll go with you. I don’t trust other phantoms not to report you if they find you alone. We don’t need the added trouble of them discovering her too soon.” Edgar nudged her toward the door, continuously scanning their surroundings like he expected phantoms to pop out of nowhere at any second.
Then she winced when she remembered theycouldactually pop into existence at any time.
Annora wasn’t sure how she felt about meeting her own kind, and a mixture of excitement and a healthy dose of dread swirled in her stomach. Her mother spent her whole life protecting her, keeping her away from the phantoms for a reason.
They didn’t approve of her existence.
She was a half-breed.
Inferior.
Beside Edgar and her father, Sadie was the only phantom Annora had ever met. And if Sadie’s reaction was any indication, most phantoms would kill her on sight. The threat tingled along her spine, the need to protect her mates a demand she couldn’t ignore.
Not wanting to be taken by surprise, Annora ignored her throbbing head and opened up her senses. Dark particles stirred to life under her skin and rose to the surface—not enough to slip into the other world, but enough that she could sense magic around her.
Only she misjudged how much magic existed in the world.
Her surroundings blazed to life, power practically vibrating from everyone in the crowded bazaar, even crawling along the walls. She quickly muted it before she was overwhelmed, blinking away the spots that flashed in front of her eyes.
Edgar’s lips twitched. He knew exactly what she’d done, and she huffed under her breath. He reached forward and opened the door for her, then murmured in her ear when she passed. “You’re trying to locate magic…try looking for the absence of it. Where do the dark particles flow?”
A drone of voices distracted her from their conversation. As she entered the tavern, Prem dropped down on her shoulders, curled around her neck, and passed out in a food coma. The place was bigger and much older than she expected, a haze lingering in the air from a fireplace that rested along the back wall. The interior was crowded with shadows, magical in nature, intentionally obscuring the occupants.
A dozen tables and booths were spread out across the room, the dark decor giving the inn an ominous atmosphere, and she suspected some of the stains on the floor were actually blood. A wooden bar stretched along one whole wall, packed with a small crowd at least three people deep.
Camden took the lead and headed toward a booth in the back, clearing off the table before ushering her to sit and taking the seat next to her.
