Page 88 of Ransomed to the World
They walked down the hallway, along carpets so lush her feet didn’t make a sound. It was unnatural. Sadie stopped at a far doorway and opened it up. “This is your room, reserved for family members.”
Annora stepped forward and peered inside, unable to hide her grimace. While everything was beautiful, she was afraid to touch anything and sully it. “There is nothing less…”
“Snobby?” Sadie snorted and followed her inside. “It’s all about perception. You’re one of the few survivors from the Daxion bloodlines, even if you are tainted.”
Annora resisted rolling her eyes. “How did the council figured out my status so quickly?”
“That you’re a half-breed?” Cedwyn asked as he strolled around the room, picking up things at random. “Because when a phantom becomes pregnant, they must report it to their families and the council. Breeding is big business.”
He plucked up an apple from a bowl on a side table near the balcony and tossed it in the air. “Not to mention…” He cast her a look, waving his arm up and down to indicate her.
Annora glanced down with a frown, not seeing what he was indicating. “What do you mean?”
“He means that phantoms flaunt their powers—kind of like guys who are proud of their dick and can’t wait to share it with everyone.” Sadie smirked when Cedwyn scowled and took a bite of his apple. “You don’t draw the power toward you like the others who wear it like a cloak. You’re—”
“More like a witch, where you struggle to even cast the simplest of spells.” He smirked, like he’d given her the greatest of insults.
Sadie burst out laughing, leaning against the dresser when her legs weakened. “Why do you think she presented herself to the council, you idiot?”
Cedwyn straightened and glanced between the two of them, his amusement falling away. “Fuck…you’re the captain’s mark, aren’t you? How is that possible?”
Sadie straightened abruptly, glaring at them both. “What the fuck is going on here?”
The two of them stood opposite each other, both scowling, neither bending. Annora didn’t have time for it. “You’re the contact the captain said would find me?”
Cedwyn stared at her, his gaze skeptical, but he nodded. “He said you were the key. That you needed to be found and protected. I was expecting…” His lips twisted in derision. “Something more.”
“Oh my god, you’re as big an idiot as the council.” Sadie threw up her hands in exasperation. “She’s as powerful as Daxion. With more training, she could defeat him.”
“Bullshit!” Cedwyn laughed. “She—”
“She pulled Alcott out of the banished lands. By accident. Without even trying.” Sadie gave Cedwyn an amused smile when he blanched, obviously enjoying his discomfort.
Annora grimaced when Sadie mentioned Alcott’s name, hating the reminder that she knew him first. That they were betrothed at one time. But to Annora, he would always be Edgar.
“That’s impossible.” He speared his fingers through his hair and began to pace, his eyes locked on her the entire time, as if he’d seen a ghost. “No one returns from the banished lands.”
“One of the women in the wards said I’m what they used to call a bridge.” Both Sadie and Cedwyn stilled completely, and she wondered if she should’ve kept her mouth shut.
“Holy fuck!” Cedwyn’s voice was hoarse. “Does your father know?”
Annora pursed her lips. “It’s possible. The only reason I’m here is because Daxion threatened my mates. He said he’d report me and have them killed unless I complete a task for him. To counter his threat, he was to claim me in front of the council so they wouldn’t hunt us down.”
“And this task?” Cedwyn propped his hands on his hips, his expression grim.
“Go into the afterworld and kill his wife.”
“Fuck me!” Cedwyn rocked back on his heels and gave an incredulous laugh. “That’s a death sentence.”
“Unless she’s a bridge,” Sadie countered. “Daxion knew she could cross over, so he must have suspected the truth.”
“I don’t understand why this is so important. What exactly is a bridge?” Annora wished Edgar was here so he could explain it to her. She trusted him to tell her the truth.
Both of them stared at her like she was some kind of idiot, then Sadie spoke slowly. “It’s exactly like it sounds. You’re able to cross over to the banished lands and take people with you.”
“I get that part.” Annora rolled her eyes. “I meant, is that not normal? Can’t you bring people with you?”
Cedwyn laughed, which turned into a cough when he realized that she was completely serious. He thumped a fist on his chest a couple of times then cleared his throat. “Most phantoms never enter the banished lands. Ever. The risks are too high. A few warriors have the skill and strength to ghost, move from one spot to the next, but they never fully enter the other realm. You can compare it to dipping a toe into a pool of water versus learning how to swim.
