Page 102 of Ransomed to the World
Before she could bound back across the room, Camden snagged her arm, halting her. He reached into his pocket, then held out his hand. Four more coins rested in his palm. She gave him a bright smile and snatched them up, then stretched on her toes and kissed him on the cheek before shooting off into the bathroom.
Edgar cast her a curious look and followed her inside the room, partially closing the door to hang the garment bag on the back. When he turned to leave, panic flared in her chest, making it hard to breathe. “You’ll come back and help me get ready?”
He paused by the door, then gave her a short bow. “I would be honored.”
The door shut behind him with a snick, feeling very much like a cell door closing. She glanced around the room, searching for escape, then forced herself to be still. She wasn’t trapped…it just felt like it.
Deciding to put off getting ready, she dropped the coins on the counter with a clatter…six in total. She opened the cupboard and saw the afterworld staring back at her. She pulled out her grimoire and quickly shut the door with her elbow, then glanced furtively at the bathroom door, as if the guys might bust in at any moment.
When nothing happened, she flipped open the book to the pages Daxion had stolen. How to make a medallion. She translated the page, stilling when she saw that objects could be spelled to take powers instead of giving them—now she knew exactly why Daxion wanted these pages.
Son of a bitch!
He was going to siphon off her power and use it for himself.
She thought about telling the guys, but decided against it. They would only worry, and there was nothing they could do to stop it. Decision made, she spread out the coins and followed the directions in the book, drawing on a tiny thread of dark matter and weaving it around the coins in the pattern indicated, casting knots and tying off straggled ends.
They would be temporary, but they would work for now. When she had more time, she’d make something more permanent.
She paid special attention to the quarter, adding more and more magic until she could barely sense the metal in the coin. By the time she was done, her hairline was damp, and her hands trembled. She wasn’t used to working with the darkness in such fine detail.
She closed the book with a thump and picked up the coins, noticing they were heavier than normal. Darkness made the metal shimmer in the light, and she knew she’d succeeded. Placing the coins on top of the book, she nudged open the cupboard with her elbow and put the grimoire back.
Knowing the guys were waiting and not wanting them to get suspicious, she rushed through her shower. She hopped out and stood dripping on the rug, wrapped up in a towel, not sure what to do next.
At the soft knock on the door, she barely stifled her yelp. She tightened the towel around her and shuffled forward and opened it cautiously to find Edgar waiting patiently.
“Are you ready?” His voice was gruff, his eyes remaining focused on her face.
Annora wanted to say no, but leaving wasn’t an option. She nodded, then stood back and opened the door wide enough for him to get through, then quickly shut it behind him. She fiddled with the edge of her towel, avoiding his gaze until he tilted her face up to his.
Instead of commenting, he was all business as he scanned her face. “We’ll do your makeup and hair first.”
He nudged her toward the mirror, then left her to dig into one of the drawers, pulled out a brush and a dryer and got to work. The combination of heat and the drag of the brush against her scalp was relaxing, and she closed her eyes and allowed herself to enjoy the attention.
When the blow drier went off, she stifled her sigh of disappointment. When he opened another drawer, pulling out hundreds of hairpins, she couldn’t hold back her grimace. For the next hour, he twisted and tugged at her hair, pinning the strands up until her hair was pulled tight. When he stood back, different sections of her hair were woven together into an intricate design that made her look sophisticated, and gems shimmered in the strands like stars. A shiny scar at the crook of her neck made her lean closer to the mirror, and she tipped her head for a better view.
Camden’s bite.
Proudly displayed.
Annora nodded her approval.
She reached up to touch one of the gems, but he caught her hand and pulled it away. “Nuh-uh.”
He turned her until she faced him, and quickly boosted her up onto the counter. She clutched at him, then hastily grabbed her towel when it dipped dangerously low. Giving her privacy, he pulled open another drawer, revealing dozens of bottles and containers of makeup, none of which she had any clue about how to use. “How do you know how to do this?”
His eyes met hers briefly, amusement crinkling the corners of his eyes, then he nudged up her chin and went to work. “My parents weren’t very active in my life, so I was left in the care of my sisters a lot.”
Annora was floored, wincing that she knew so little about his life. “Do you have a large family?”
“Families are different from houses.” Edgar shrugged, focusing on sweeping a makeup brush across her skin. “I grew up in a large family, but when I showed a talent for warfare, I was immediately sent to Daxion House to learn. We cut ties with our families when we pledge to our houses.”
Annora found that incredibly sad.
He tipped her head from side to side as he studied her, then finally nodded. “When you go to the ceremony, you must be prepared for others to test you. They’re going to do their best to make you crack and prove you’re unworthy. Whatever you do, it’s imperative that you don’t retaliate. If two powers collide…it’s like two atom bombs exploding.”
He went to the garment bag and unzipped it, pulling out a pair of shoes and a small package, both of which he set on the counter next to her. He reached down, then helped her scoot off the counter, catching her weight and lowering her gently.
