Page 40 of Ransomed to the World
He caught her look, but the twinkle in his eye said he didn’t mind. “Trolls only like one thing more than fighting.”
Fucking.
She didn’t bother to hold back her chuckle at his boast.
Because damned if the man didn’t have plenty of reasons to brag.
She dressed, grumbling to herself at how unsteady her legs were. She needed to work on her muscles if she wanted to keep up with him, then practically trembled at what the thought of keeping up with him would entail.
As they headed topside, despite having to fight for their lives in the cave, she was sad to be leaving the safe haven of Mason’s arms. She feared it’d be a long time before she found that peace again.
Chapter Eleven
“She’s still alive.” Logan glared up at the troll queen, who blocked him from going after Annora. “You have to let us search for her.”
They’d been arguing for the past ten minutes. The allotted twenty minutes for the test had come and gone, and neither Mason nor Annora had returned.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t allow that. The underground cities are reserved for the hunt.” Nerilla crossed her massive arms. “If either of them is alive, they’ll return when they can. It’s a maze down there, and if you try to search for them, chances are you’ll never return. You’re welcome to stay until morning, but then you must leave.”
Before Logan could launch himself at the bitch, Xander grabbed his arm and wrestled him back. Camden took over the argument, which was probably for the best.
“Walk it off.” Xander watched Logan carefully, then his eyes flickered toward the sky.
Logan looked up—and did a double take.
It was snowing.
Big flakes came down hard and fast, swirling around them until the outside world was obscured. Temperatures dropped to the point where a gust of icy fog escaped him with each ragged breath. He scrubbed his hand down his face, his chest heaving with the urgent need to find Annora.
She was in trouble.
“Logan,” Xander snapped, tension holding him rigid. “You need to focus.”
Xander’s duster fluttered behind him from the wind…or maybe he was as unnerved about Annora’s absence as him. Whether he admitted it or not, Xander didn’t like being away from her either. Memories of the last time they were separated were still seared into his memories, and his gut churned with dread. “We can’t leave her down there. She’s in danger.”
“I know,” Xander grunted, his face hard.
Everything inside Logan stilled at Xander’s vicious tone, and the anxiety threatening to cut off his air finally eased enough for him to push past the panic. “You have a plan.”
It wasn’t a question, because no other answer was acceptable.
Xander gave a short nod, a savage smile twisting his lips. “We won’t leave without her.”
Although Annora was anxious to return to the guys, she followed Mason through the bazaar.
He practically dragged her behind him in his excitement, heading toward a small stall in the back corner. Trolls gave them startled looks, but most of them seemed more amused than disapproving now they’d both emerged from the tunnels relatively unscathed.
Annora wasn’t sure she trusted the drastic change.
Mason must have sensed her caution and shot her a huge grin over his shoulder. “Trolls admire strength and cunning more than anything. They won’t bother us anymore, not when you managed to defeat a troll in battle. You’re one of the tribe now.”
As they came to a stop in front of the last stand, Annora decided she wasn’t sure it was such a good thing to be considered one of them, not after the way they treated Mason for years, just for being a half-breed.
Flora had tormented him relentlessly, and she could only hope that with that bitch gone, things would change. The atmosphere already seemed lighter, trolls slapping Mason on the back and heaping him with congratulations.
Mason surveyed the wares on the table, his demeanor changing from joyous to downright serious. To her surprise, he passed over the rings, his hand hovering over a short bracer, a combination of black and silver metal swirled together in an intricate design.
It looked dainty and elegant in his large hands.
