Page 90 of Ransomed to the World
Just not in a good way, but she kept those thoughts to herself, waiting for him to show his hand.
His smile brightened, genuinely pleased by her praise. “The council wants to be present for the claiming ceremony…tomorrow evening. You must remain inside until then. Under no circumstances are you to alert them about your abilities. At best, they’ll challenge me for ownership, or worse, they’ll take you apart in hopes of duplicating your skills.”
He was trying to show himself as benevolent, but the muscle twitching near his eye showed he was still furious. He pushed himself away from the desk, tugging down his jacket, and fiddling with his cufflinks as he headed toward the door. “I must make preparations for the ceremony. Try not to do anything stupid, or I might not be able to protect you this time.”
“I’ll do my best,” she responded and bit back her snort—like he’d ever lifted a finger to help her. If he had his way, she’d be ground under his heel and hidden away, just like her uncle tried to do.
Daxion opened the door, indicating she should precede him, and she played her part and obeyed him docilely. He took a key out of his pocket and locked the door behind them, black matter shimmering across the surface of the door when the locks clicked. He turned and strode toward the front entrance, but not before she saw coldness seep back into his expression.
Annora dutifully headed toward the stairs but halted when she saw him pause with his hand on the knob. “I’ll have a dress delivered for you. All you have to do is be ready by tomorrow afternoon.”
He didn’t wait for her confirmation before he left, and she wilted on the steps, sitting with her elbows on her knees. She cast a speculative look at the door of the study when the young soldier came back, took position outside the office door, crossed her arms, and gave Annora a pointed look.
Bitch.
Conceding defeat for the moment, Annora headed back up the stairs to her room. She went to the dresser, hoping to put on something more comfortable, pleased when she saw her own clothes waiting. They were meager compared to what everyone else was wearing, but she was glad to have them. When she reached for them, a hand clamped over her mouth, an arm wrapped around her waist, and she was swept off her feet.
Chapter Twenty-five
“Did you miss me?” Logan whispered in her ear, his voice husky.
Annora was so caught off guard, she hadn’t recognized his touch at first. She wiggled until he set her down, then threw her arms around him.
It was that or smack him.
He nestled his face in the crook of her neck and inhaled deeply, his arms like bands around her as he pulled her close.
“What the hell are you doing here?” She shoved him away, worry churning in her gut. When she saw the open balcony doors behind him, her anxiety threatened to choke off her air supply. She rushed over and peeked outside, expecting to find Daxion or the guards waiting for them.
Only to find the grounds clear.
A movement in one of the trees made her head jerk up, and she spotted Prem perched in one of the branches, hunched down to watch, no doubt reporting back to Edgar. Warmth filled her chest at knowing she’d never been alone. If she’d been in trouble, they would’ve come for her.
She glanced around again, hoping to catch sight of them, but they remained out of sight.
Except for Logan.
Sheer stone walls led up to her balcony, and she could only imagine how he got to her second-story room. Shifters were stronger and faster than any other species, so she didn’t doubt that he ran and jumped the distance, then pulled himself up the rest of the way.
The stupid fool.
She whirled to give him a piece of her mind, but he tugged her away from the window before she could say anything.
“I came to make sure you’re all right.” He closed the door and flipped the latch, pulling the curtains closed. “I saw Daxion leave, and he’s furious. So I was concerned.”
She bit her tongue against the need to scold him…for all of two seconds. “I can take care of myself. If he caught you…” She shuddered. “You mustn’t take unnecessary risks, not here.”
“I’ll always come for you, no matter what.” Shadows haunted his crystal blue eyes for a heartbeat, and her stomach clenched.
Annora walked toward him, stopping when only an inch separated them, not wanting to push his boundaries. Standing close to others used to make her stomach turn…until she met her guys. His breathing deepened at her approach, and she waited for him to adjust to her nearness.
Instead of being repulsed, he picked up her hand and placed it on his chest—and only then did she notice he was wearing a guard’s uniform. She plucked at the jacket and raised a brow at him. “And where did you get this?”
Logan gave her a smirk, keeping her hand pressed to his chest. “The guy wasn’t using it. He was taking a nap, so I thought I’d borrow it.”
Her eyes widened at his devilish grin, his daring stealing her breath. “Logan, when he wakes up—”
“He didn’t even see me, I promise.” He lifted up his hands, giving her his very best innocent expression.
