Page 42 of Ransomed to the World
Annora gaped after the troll, then turned to face Mason. He looked like he’d been kneed in the balls. Concern trickled through her. “I don’t understand. What’s wrong?”
Mason turned toward her almost mechanically, then seemed to come to himself when he gazed down at her. “She used to be the matchmaker of the tribe. It’s rare for her to give her blessings anymore. It’s considered a great honor.”
He held out the bracer he’d created. The metal was black except where some of the tree branches were carved into it, while others were twisted around the stone to secure it in place.
Annora didn’t hesitate and held out her arm.
He clasped it over her arm, then slowly crushed the ends of the metal together, leaving only a small gap where her tattoo remained visible. They looked so natural together, she’d swear that they were designed specifically for her, a matching pair just waiting for her to show up.
She touched her mark and immediately felt the turmoil from the rest of the team.
Trouble was brewing.
“We need to go.” Annora dashed for the entrance. Mason paused and snatched up the bowl of gems, then followed her a step behind.
She burst out of the bazaar at a dead run…and right into chaos. She paused at the edge of the cave to see the trolls and wolves were gathered around Edgar and Xander. Willa and Loulou, who had Prem on her shoulder, were cheering. Both were yelling and trash-talking with the best of them as the two men faced off against an enormous troll—the biggest one she’d ever seen.
He was a burnt orange, and damned if he wasn’t well over eight feet tall. His emerald green hair was in a mohawk that bristled with aggression, and he was covered with scars. Menace oozed from him as he battled the two men.
Xander and Edgar paired off against the big ape, and almost faster than she could track, they attacked. Xander practically danced on air, while Edgar faded until he was a ghost of himself. They worked in tandem like they’d been training all their lives. While the beast tried to fend off Xander, Edgar attacked, the combination bringing the troll to his knees.
She walked blindly forward, awed by the sight, and ran smack into Logan. Before she could rebound off him, he grabbed her close, then buried his face in the crook of her neck. She wrapped her arms around him, worry clenching her gut at the way he trembled. She spied Camden looking at her over Logan’s shoulder.
He blew out a heavy breath, the tension oozing out of him, and gave her a small smile. “We thought you might need a rescue, but we were forbidden to go after you.”
“So the others—”
“A distraction.” He rubbed the back of his neck a bit bashfully. “Living with a troll, you learn that there’s nothing they love more than a challenge.” He shot a concerned look at Logan, then pointed over his shoulder. “I’ll go break it up.”
“I’ll help.” Mason kissed the top of her head and joined Camden as they walked back toward the makeshift fighting ring.
“Logan?” She rubbed his back, then frowned when he stiffened in her arms. “Are you okay?”
He leaned back and cupped her face, giving her a heart-melting, sweet kiss. She could do nothing but hold on to him when her knees went weak. When he pulled back, she groaned in protest, and he chuckled. It was all she could do not to smack him for teasing her…or reclaim his lips for another kiss.
“I was worried about you.” He pressed his forehead against hers, his eyes searching hers. When she leaned forward to cuddle up with him, he pulled back. “We have company.”
Annora jerked back, so caught up with him, she was a little unnerved to discover they were surrounded. Heat crept up her neck, and she pulled back to find Queen Nerilla waiting for them with a big smile.
“I must say, I’m surprised you both made it out alive.” Nerilla glanced down at the bracer, her smile growing. “Mason made a wise choice in selecting his mate.”
Mason came to stand at her side, his hair swaying around his head in contentment, and he handed over the skull bowl. The joy of being able to claim him as a mate faded under the gravity of what happened.
Not wanting to drag it out, she flipped off the shirt to reveal the assortment of gems. Nerilla’s expression flattened, her eyes hardening. When the queen clenched her hands into sizable fists, Annora hurried to explain how they came into possession of them. “Flora has been ambushing the trials. Probably has been for years.
“She was down in the tunnels, waiting for me…along with a half a dozen or so other trolls. She was controlling them with these.” She tipped the bowl until the light caught the stones and shimmered. “My guess is she got a taste for bossing people around when she tormented Mason while he was growing up.
“She planned to take over your tribe, but Mason’s return upped her timetable. She couldn’t resist getting revenge on him for daring to leave.”
“Stupid fool refused to listen when I spoke of the old traditions. She thought it was a weakness.” Nerilla shook her head, her straw-like hair drooping, her gaze dropping to the gems again. Then she pursed her meaty lips until she resembled a cow trying to give a kiss. “What will you do with the stones?”
Anticipation and dread thickened the air. Only Mason’s steady hand stopped Annora from recoiling. Nerilla’s calculating eyes studied her, weighing the odds of which one of them would win if it came down to a challenge.
Bile rose in her throat at the thought of being in charge of the tribe, and she quickly shoved the bowl toward Nerilla.
The troll’s eyes widened in surprise, and she automatically accepted the offering. “I…don’t understand.”
“Tradition is worth observing.” Annora glanced at Mason over her shoulder and gave him a small smile. “I only need one troll in my life.”
