A Soul for Trouble (21 page)

The shield shattered, and she bolted from the ground. He didn’t move fast enough to avoid the collision of their heads. The impact sent a jolt of pain from his forehead all the way down his neck.

She moaned and covered her temple. “I knew you had a hard head, but I never realized how hard.”

He mirrored her posture. “I could say the same for you.” The soldier returned with a water skin and a damp cloth. When he saw Trouble sitting up, a huge grin split his face. “You’re awake,” the man said, offering her the cloth.

Much to her credit, she smiled back at him and pressed the material to her forehead.

“Ortono, right?”

“Yes, m’lady.”

Dev raised a brow at her new title.
If he only knew how little of a lady she really was.

“Is your arm better?”

He opened the slit in his shirt and proudly displayed the neat scar snaking along his bicep.

“Better than it’s ever been, thanks to you.”

“Will one of you please explain what happened?” Dev sat back on his heels so the smell of gangrenous flesh that clung to the soldier’s clothes wouldn’t overwhelm him.

“Prince Kell asked me to heal Ortono.”

“And why did you agree to do a foolish thing like that?” Ortono looked pissed off enough to punch him, but one touch from Trouble calmed him.

She moved the cloth to the handprint on her cheek. “Because it was the right thing to do.”

“You and your overpowering sense of morality,” he muttered under his breath. “One day, it’s going to cost us our heads.”

“And you call yourself a knight.” Ortono almost spat the words.

Dev could barely resist the laughter welling up inside him from the young soldier’s disgust. “Once again, I think you Ranellians have a different code of behavior when it comes to knighthood.” He reached out and ruffled Cinder’s fur. “Then what happened?”

“Captain Larenis struck her, but Prince Kell stopped him from killing her.” Now that was an odd twist in events he didn’t expect. Maybe he should thank the prince for protecting her. After he roughed him up a bit for placing her in that situation to start with, though. “So the prince was the good guy here?”

Ortono nodded. “Everyone else wanted to cut my arm off, but he wouldn’t let them. Then he brought this angel of the goddess to my aid.”

The cow-eyed admiration with which he looked at Trouble broke all restraints. Dev laughed long and loud enough to earn an ill-tempered swat from her. “Trouble? An angel of the goddess? That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard in over a century.”

“Just because you consider me the bane of your existence doesn’t mean everyone else shares your opinion.” She tried to stand but swayed as soon as she got to her feet.

Both he and Ortono reached out to steady her. “I think I have her under control,” Dev told the solider. “Don’t you have to report back to duty?”

“From now on, I’m not letting her out of my sight.”

Trouble’s cheeks turned a tempting shade of pink, and he wanted to wrap his arms around her and claim her as his. “Um, that’s really not necessary. Dev’s my sworn protector and—”

“He can’t be everywhere at once.”

“True, but—”

Ortono shook his head. “I feel obligated to repay you.” She bit her bottom lip and turned to Dev for assistance.

He pulled her closer to him, her skin still too clammy for his liking. “I have her for now.

You can help by keeping your eyes and ears open. If you so much as hear a whisper of someone wanting to hurt her, let me know.”

She nodded. “If you can help us get safely to Trivinus, that will be thanks enough.”

“Are you sure? What about tonight?”

“We’ll deal with tonight when it comes.”

Ortono nodded. “Of course, Sir Devarius.”

As soon as he turned to leave, Trouble rested her head against Dev’s chest and sighed.

“Don’t say it. I already know what kind of a mess I’ve gotten us into with this one.” He loosened the tie at the end of her braid, combing his fingers through it. The faint scent of roses filled his nose. If he could just hold her and ignore the rest of the world, life would be near perfect. “You’ve earned his respect and admiration. That’s nothing to apologize for.”

“So I was just imagining the annoyance in your expression?”

“You never cease to amaze and frustrate me.”

She lifted her face. “Is that meant to be a compliment?” His lungs stopped moving as he stared at her. The back of his mind screamed at him to stay in control, but his body savored the way her curves hugged his body. The contact between them stirred something inside of him. She was like a siren calling to the very depths of his soul.

If he gave into temptation, would he regret it?

He closed his eyes and took a steadying breath. There would be time to think about such matters once they were safe in Gravaria. Until then, he couldn’t let his guard down for any reason, even if it meant pushing her away. “If you consider the fact that you’ve caused me more headaches than your previous two predecessors combined, then yes, you can consider it a compliment.”

Her eyes narrowed, and she shoved him away. The magic of the moment passed, much to his relief.

***

Dev leaned against the wall of the inn and watched Ortono run back and forth across the great room. Despite her reassurances she didn’t need anything, the young soldier insisted on fetching Trouble’s meal and a blanket to drive off the night’s chill. Dev bit back a grin. As soon as she sat down, she curled up in a ball and fell asleep.

“Lady Arden, I brought you…” Ortono’s voice trailed off when her eyes didn’t open. “Is she lost in another trance again?”

“No, this is just the usual exhaustion that comes from using magic.”

“But she needs to eat.”

“You’re welcome to try and wake her, but I doubt she’ll be in a pleasant mood.” His head sagged, showing the subtle signs of the soldier’s own weariness. “What am I going to do with her meal?”

Dev took the bowl. “I’ll eat it.”

“Where do you want me to stand guard?”

He gritted his teeth. Ortono took his vow to protect her a bit too seriously. And as well-meaning as the human was, Dev couldn’t afford to have him nearby if he wanted his plan to work tonight. “Perhaps you should mingle with your comrades and make sure they aren’t plotting anything against her. We’re indoors tonight, so I won’t have to worry about something sneaking out from the trees.”

“Good idea.” He joined several other soldiers at a table. They regarded him with a bit of suspicion at first but then welcomed him into their conversation, playfully ribbing him a few times.

Dev reached into his pocket, pulling out a small piece of chalk. Time to show Kell he can’t keep Trouble hidden from him every night. After he drew a circle on the floor, he recited a spell in a murmured rush of words. The circle flashed in response.
Let’s see Kell’s sword try to
get through this.

Full and sleepy after eating the stew, he was preparing his own bed when Kell dragged a chair over to his corner. A curse flew from Dev’s lips, and the prince balked for a second.

“I take it you don’t want to deal with me at the moment?” Kell’s dark eyes danced in amusement, much to Dev’s annoyance. He would have to do a better job of intimidating him in the future.

He wrapped his cloak around him, covering the front of his body. “I’m not sure I even want to look at you. It might upset me.”

“I’ll take my chances.” Kell flipped the chair around and straddled it. “How’s Arden?”

“Sleeping, and you’re not going to wake her.”

“But I have a nice room set aside for her.”

“Not a chance, prince-boy. She’s staying with me tonight. The last thing I want is for you to test her magic again so someone else can smack her around.” Kell looked away, but not before Dev caught a glimpse of some of the shame that hung on his features. “If I’d known that was going to happen, I would’ve taken more precautions.”

“Well, it did happen, and she’s sporting a nice bruise on her cheek to show for it.” Kell’s whole body winced. “I’ll have Larenis standing guard duty for a month for that.”

“That still doesn’t change the fact that you used her. From now on, she isn’t leaving my side. I have an idea what your plans are for her, and I don’t like them.” He glanced down at the circle, wondering if it would crumple like his shields if the prince drew his sword. “If you want her, you’re going to have to take her from me.”

“You’re challenging me?” His fingers curled into fists, and his jaw hardened.

“Call it what you want, but I have my duty, and no one—not even a self-absorbed Third Princeling—is going to get in my way.”

Kell jumped out of his chair and lunged at him, only to have a spark of lightning send him sprawling across the floor when he reached the circle’s barrier. The nearby soldiers rose and drew their weapons. He lifted his head, wiping the blood away from his mouth. “You think you’re pretty clever hiding behind magic, don’t you?”

“You’re the one who attacked. If you could control your temper, you wouldn’t have a busted lip right now.”

“Your Highness, are you all right?” a soldier asked.

“Fine, just fine.” Anger burned in the prince’s face. “I fell out of my chair.”

“Are you finished, Your Highness?” Dev grinned and reached up his sleeves under the cover of his cloak. His fingers caressed the daggers hidden there.

Kell righted his chair and sat in it. “No, I was just getting started. I want to know more about Arden.”

“I’ve already told you more than enough.” He withdrew his hands from his sleeves and relaxed.

“What happened to her after she healed Ortono? I was worried.”

“You have an odd way of showing your concern, considering you waited until now to inquire about her health.”

“I saw you had things under control.”

Dev snorted. In truth, he was glad Kell didn’t witness his brief conversation with Loku. If he had, they’d be roasting now. “If someone interrupts a caster in the middle of a spell, it continues to draw energy from that person, even if the spell is complete.”

“Is that why she didn’t move after Larenis interfered?”

“Yes. It’s also why she’s sleeping like the dead, so I hope this settles your curiosity for now. Good night.” He tried to lie down, but Kell didn’t get the hint.

“Will she be like this every time she casts a spell?”

The damn prince almost treaded upon his last nerve. He took a deep breath and counted to ten before he answered, “Why the sudden interest in her magic?”

“I’m worried I asked too much of her this morning.”

The concern in Kell’s voice seemed too genuine to keep Dev’s rage burning. “I’ll try to make this as simple as I can so your Ranellian mind can understand it. Think of magic as a well you can draw on. Some mages have deeper wells than others, meaning they can cast more powerful spells.”

“And Arden’s well is shallow?”

Dev chuckled. “On the contrary, she has one of the deepest wells I’ve come across in years. If she’d been born in Gravaria, she would’ve started training at a young age and would probably be a member of the Mage’s Council by now.”

“Then why does she have trouble keeping her eyes open after she casts?”

“Because she’s still learning to efficiently draw magic from her well. Remember when you first learned how to wield a sword. A few minutes of combat probably left you sore and winded. But as you practiced and increased your stamina, you were able to fight longer and harder. Using magic is similar to that.”

“Do you think she’ll be able to repeat the ice storm again if Sulaino attacked?” Dev’s shoulders tensed.
So that’s what he wants to know, huh?
“The ice storm was a dangerous spell for her to cast.”

“Why? Because it would dry up her well?”

“None of your business. I’ve already told you more than you need to know.” Kell rubbed his chin. “Do you really think she won’t be able to take on Sulaino, despite how powerful she is?”

“She’s not the weapon you want her to be, and I won’t let her take the risk.” He jerked his head up. “Just because you’re her Protector doesn’t mean you can control her decisions. She seemed perfectly capable of making up her own mind this morning.”

“I’m charged with keeping her safe and bringing her back to Gravaria. I’m sorry if this interferes with your plan to bed her and then use her to fight your battles for you.”

“You overstep your bounds, knight.” His face twisted into a snarl, and he almost lunged for Dev again. “And you assume too much.”

“No, I know exactly what you want from her. Don’t think I missed the little exchange you two had the other night. She’s naïve enough to be led astray, but I’ll be watching you. And now that I have Ortono as backup, I don’t think you’ll be getting her alone any time soon.”

“And I think you underestimate your ward.” A cocky smile smoothed over any traces of the prince’s anger.

Dev’s fingers reached for his dagger. As much as he wanted to lodge it in the middle of Kell’s throat, a soft sigh stopped him. They both watched as Trouble rolled over on her back and smiled in her sleep. He swallowed his rage, removing his hand from his sleeve once again.

“This is the last time I’ll warn you, Your Highness. Stay away from her. You have no idea what you’re messing with.”

“Worried I might steal her from you, Dev?” The swagger returned to his step as he crossed the room and climbed the stairs.

Dev rolled over and watched her dream. Worried was putting it lightly. Terrified would be more accurate. And if he didn’t lose her to Kell, Loku could always claim her if he wasn’t careful.

“What am I going to do with you, Trouble?”

Chapter 22

Arden awoke to an arm tightening around her waist. This was the second morning in a row that she’d found herself wedged in between Dev and Cinder, but she didn’t complain. Their warmth drove off the damp chill of the river fog that swirled around them. She snuggled closer to Dev.

“Cold?” His sleepy voice startled her, but his arm kept her from rising.

“A little.”

“Here.” When he wrapped his cloak around her shoulders, his hands left a trail of heat along her arms. “Better?”