A Soul For Chaos (The Soulbearer Trilogy) (16 page)

“Stop it—you’re making me homesick.”

Although Kell laughed as he said it, something in his voice pulled at her. It had been over a month since they’d seen home, and the novelty of Gravaria was fast losing its appeal. “We’ll be back home before winter.”

“You sound so certain.”

“I refuse to stay here any longer than that.”

Kell squeezed her hand. “And what of this training they keep telling us you need?”

“I’ll just train extra hard.” She squeezed his hand back. “We need to get you home as soon as possible.”

“I’m not leaving without you.”

And just like that, he managed to reopen the fresh wounds in her heart. “Kell, please—”

He released her hand. “I know—you need some time. It’s not like I haven’t been there before.”

She almost told him that her feelings for him were not as intense as his and he needed to move on to someone new, but she managed to catch herself in time. There was no reason to break his heart when she still wasn’t sure how she felt about him. “But this time it’s different. It’s not me that needs to come around.”

“
You’re a coward,
” Loku hissed as she got up from the table and went toward the front door.

“
No, I’m not. I’m making sure I don’t lose a good friend and lover.”

“We both know he’s not the man for you. Settling for him will only bring both of you more pain.”

“When I want your advice on my love life, I’ll ask for it. Until then, shut up.”

The morning sun caught the red in Dev’s hair and made it burn like fire. She stopped and watched the graceful way he saddled the horses, the way his lean muscles flexed under the weight of their gear. When he caught her with his intense green eyes, her breath refused to leave her lungs. She’d always considered Dev attractive, but something about him this morning awoke the desires she’d tried to ignore since he told her months ago there could be nothing between them.

At last, she managed to clear both her mind and her lungs. “Why are you being so helpful to Kell?”

“Just because I don’t particularly care about his intentions toward you doesn’t mean I don’t respect his intentions as a prince. He has a chance to change things back in Ranello, and I want to make sure he succeeds.”

“Why?”

Dev stopped tightening the strap around the horse’s stomach. “Maybe because I want to make sure it will be safe for you to return home someday.”

She placed her hand on his arm. The warmth of his skin permeated through the fabric of his shirt and wound its way up along her hand, past her wrist and elbow, and into her chest. The rest of her body longed to touch him, to feel the strange reaction her arm enjoyed. She longed to press her lips against his, to see if it further ignited the fire burning within her. She inched closer to him, her gaze locked with his. “Thank you.”

His pupils widened, and his breath quickened.

Her pulse jumped as she watched him. Could he be experiencing the same thing I am?

“You’re welcome,” he replied in a gravelly voice and then removed her hand.

The heat fled her veins, leaving a teeth-grinding chill in its wake. Every time she thought Dev felt something for her, that she was closer to solving the riddle of him, he always managed to pull away and leave her more frustrated than ever. Just once, she’d like for him to forget his duty so she could know his true feelings for her.

Kell came out from the safe house. “Are we ready to go?”

Dev finished cinching the saddle to the last horse. “Ready when you are. I’ll take the lead with Arden riding between us.”

The morning dragged along as the horses navigated the treacherous series of switchbacks climbing up the cliff. The soft rock may have been accommodating for the rooms carved out of it, but it made for a fragile road. Arden offered a silent prayer to the Lady Moon that they’d make it all the way to the top without it crumbling out from underneath them.

At last, they came to a thick wall that stretched around the edge of the cliff. A massive gate with bronze panels stood in front of them. She barely had time to glance at the images embossed on the metal before the doors opened. “What is this?”

“The entrance to Queembra,” Dev replied and urged his horse forward.

A new world unfolded as they passed the gates—one of stark white buildings shining in the sun, flat roofed homes with trees growing on them, and baskets of flowers spilling out from every window sill. Although the roads were wide enough for the three of them to ride side by side, the height of the buildings and their vegetation kept them in the cool shade. By contrast, the streets of Trivinus appeared dark, dingy and crowded.

Kell’s gaze turned from side to side, taking it all in. “I never imagined such a magnificent city. I must build something like this when I return to Ranello.”

Dev laughed. “You haven’t seen the Imperial Palace yet. By the time you leave, you’ll understand why I called your kingdom primitive.”

Arden already understood why. Every few blocks, the road offered her a glimpse of small squares tucked away along the side streets. The people gathered around the gurgling fountains in the centers, filling their pots with the day’s water and chatting with their neighbors. Everything felt safe and serene here.

“Yes, it’s almost too perfect, wouldn’t you say?”

“Are you suggesting there’s something I’m not seeing, Loku?”

“If you’re not willing to wait until we meet the Empress, then just tilt your head to the sky.”

Arden lifted her gaze and caught a flash of red wings through the canopy flying high above them. A minute later, she realized it was some sort of winged creature circling above them, following their trail through the city. “Dev, what is that?”

Dev followed her finger to the creature in the sky. “It seems our arrival has captured the attention of the Ornathians.”

Kell’s jaw dropped as he noticed the winged sentry above. “The what?”

“Ornathians. They are a race of people with wings.”

“And talons,” Loku added, sending a shiver down her spine. Based on the wingspan alone, she didn’t want to come face to face with one.

“They tend to stay in their home deep within the mountains to the north,” Dev continued, not showing the least bit of worry. Too bad she couldn’t take a bit of his calm demeanor for herself. “They must be very curious about you, Trouble, to come this close.”

The Ornathian swooped toward them, its sleek body forming a tight spiral. The wings were the deep color of rubies with a blaze of white adorning the tips. Under different circumstances, their beauty might have captivated her, but their power kept her on edge. “You mean I won’t have to meet one?”

“You sound like you’d prefer they stay away?”

“They look…” Foreign. Different. “Dangerous.”

Dev nodded. “They can be very dangerous, if necessary, but most of the time, they prefer to keep their distance. When they get too close to a person not of their race, they get a glimpse into that person’s soul. I’ve been told that the amount of darkness they see in most souls troubles them. Only a few Ornathians have mastered the art of blocking those visions.”

“Do you think my soul would be full of darkness if they looked into it?” Arden knew her soul bore the weight of many things—grief, sorrow, anger—but she didn’t think they were in danger of consuming her.

Dev let his head drift to the side, lost in thought. “I can’t say. The trouble with you is that they would see Loku’s soul as well, and his may overshadow yours.”

“As well it should,” Loku said with a huff. “I am a god, after all. You’re just a mere mortal.”

“They’ve had issues with prior Soulbearers, though,” Dev continued, “so they may ask for a glimpse into your soul.”

Arden tightened her cloak around her and pulled her hood up. The idea of another person peering into her soul sounded invasive, unwelcome, and slightly rude. She reinforced her shields. “And what if I refuse?”

“You wouldn’t want to do that, Trouble.” Dev stared straight ahead, but his tone made it clear she’d better pay attention to what he said. “If an Ornathian wants to peer inside your soul, he or she will do so by any means necessary.”

“Including bringing you to the brink of death.”

She toyed with the idea of turning her horse around and catching the next boat back to Ranello. “And if they don’t like what they see?”

Dev shifted in his saddle. “Let’s hope we don’t have to have that discussion. As long as you don’t let Loku gain control over you, you should be safe.”

“Why didn’t you warn me about them sooner?” Dev had always kept secrets from her, and the longer she knew him, the more she realized he was hiding from her.

“Why are you reinforcing your shields?” Dev, always so in control, rarely let his emotions get the better of him, but there was no mistaking the irritation in his voice. “It seems someone has been telling you you’re in danger.”

“I am in danger, in case you haven’t noticed by the three attempts on my life. Maybe your friend, Fane, has poisoned your mind so you wouldn’t suspect him. Maybe that thing flying above us is responsible for them.”

“Now you’re being ridiculous. Fane is an honorable knight who is currently helping me find a way to better protect you, and as for the Ornathians…” He paused and watched the one circling above them. “They are mostly peaceful. That being said, if they were out to hurt you, you’d be dead now.”

“Well, that’s a comforting thought.”

Dev answered her sarcasm with the glare that told her she’d successfully managed to test his patience once again. What was his tie to the Ornathians that he would defend them so vehemently?

 She ground her teeth together. One day I’ll solve the mystery of Devarius Tel’Brien.

Until then, she had to settle for any clue he let slip out.

Kell came alongside her and bumped her elbow. “Don’t worry, Arden. If it decides to attack, I’ll defend you.” His words, an attempt to comfort her, also served as a swipe at Dev.

“And I’ll end up getting both of you out of trouble, as usual,” her protector replied with an exaggerated sigh.

Arden glanced up once again. The Ornathian had disappeared above the clouds, and her pulse slowed to a steady pounding that fell in time with her horse’s hooves.

A new gate appeared at the end of the street. It was every bit as grand as the first one, but now, the panels appeared to be made of pure gold. And unlike the prior gate, they didn’t automatically open for them.

Dev lifted a knocker the size of her head and let it drop three times. A small window opened in the middle of one of  the panels, and Dev produced the large seal he carried designating him as the Soulbearer’s protector. The person on the other side shut the window. A few seconds later, the hinges of the gates groaned, and the doors parted to reveal two rows of soldiers on horseback clad in golden armor.

“Welcome to the Imperial Palace,” Dev said before he rode forward.

The soldiers surrounded them as they followed, their metal plates clanking with precise synchronization. They obscured her view of the grounds, but what she managed to see took her breath away.

Hundreds of fountains squirted into the air, creating a fine mist that cooled her flushed skin. Dozens of different flowers lined the pools that dotted the garden, their perfume more enticing than any she’d smelled before. White marble statues glistened under the sun as they peered down on the party.

But nothing compared with the palace itself. The massive structure seemed to rise from the rock. The center building was capped with a white dome striped with gold. Scores of smaller towers surrounded it like children gathered around a parent, each adorned with brightly painted tile borders that ran along the connecting walls. It wasn’t until she was almost on top of it that she realized the palace was a series of walls and courtyards, all leading up to the main building at the heart of the complex.

With each layer she crossed, she came closer to the mysterious Empress and further away from the familiar. She doubled her shields, unwilling to let anyone breech her mind. This may have been different circumstances than when she entered the palace in Trivinus, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was still a prisoner, trapped and completely at the mercy of some monarch she’d never met.

“But things are different this time. Here, you will not be accused of being a witch and burned alive for your powers. Here, you are the Soulbearer, someone who should be revered and worshipped—a guest of honor, not a prisoner.” Loku’s voice hardened as he added, “And if anyone tries to treat you otherwise, then we shall set them straight.”

Her confidence rose, and she lifted her chin as the soldiers in front of her split, revealing to her the opening of the main hall.

“Keep your hood on and your mouth shut,” Dev whispered to her.

An elf with long blond hair came out to greet them. He looked down his nose at their party. “Sir Devarius, it seems you bring us a new Soulbearer once again. Perhaps one day you’ll actually perform the second half of your duty and become the Soulbearer instead of letting Loku inhabit the body of yet another unsuitable person.”

Dev’s expression darkened. “Perhaps Loku’s finally found a suitable Soulbearer, Lord Chamberlain.”

The elf moved toward her, and a set of invisible hands pried at the contents of her mind. Arden poured another surge of magic into her shield, strong enough to make the man balk. He clasped his hands behind his back and focused his penetrating blue eyes on her. “It seems you’ve already started her training.”

“I had to teach her something while we were stuck in Ranello.” Dev dismounted and took her horses reins. “I hope to get her to the Conclave as soon as possible so she can continue it.”

The Lord Chamberlain gave him a thin smile. “Yes, I’m sure the Mage Primus would love to get his hands on her.”

“Better than you,” Dev muttered under his breath and nudged her leg, indicating that he wanted her off the horse so they could end this conversation as quickly as possible. 

“On behalf of Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Marist, I welcome you to Gravaria, Soulbearer.” The Lord Chamberlain bowed his head to her. “Your actions have already caused quite a stir here, and the Empress is eager to meet you this evening.”