A Soul for Trouble Read online

  She played with the gold pendant around her neck. The struggle on her face intensified.

  Her voice quivered. “I have your word?”

  “If you can help him, I don’t think any man here will bear you ill will.” Bynn silently turned on his heel and stormed out of the tent.

  She watched him leave and withdrew her hands from the patient. “Why are you testing me this way? You’re only going to make things worse for the two of us.” She tried to rise, but Kell caught her and held her next to Ortono.

  “Arden, for some reason beyond any of our understanding, you’ve been blessed with an incredible gift. Not me—you. I’d give anything to be able to heal one of my men. Don’t tell me you would selfishly choose to keep this gift all to yourself.” She pressed her lips together in a thin line. “Dev’s not going to like this.” She touched the skin along the wound. “Ortono, will you let me heal you?” Kell sensed a change in the atmosphere. The air became charged like a storm was brewing.

  He could almost taste the thick veil of magic that surrounded them, ready and waiting for her to gather and use.

  The glazed sheen in Ortono’s eyes vanished. “Yes, I trust you.” She nodded. “He’s given his permission. Will anyone stop me?” The tone of her voice issued a challenge to those in the tent.

  Kell looked at Cero. The healer’s mouth hung open, but he backed away with his head lowered. “I’ve done all I can. I turn my patient over to you.” He scanned the rest of room. Cero’s two assistants stood on edge, not sure if they should drag her away from the patient or follow their master’s lead. One nodded, then the other.

  She now waited on him. “You have my word,” Kell said as he released her.

  “Please don’t interrupt me. I need to concentrate.” Her eyes glowed with an intensity that made the hairs on the back of Kell’s neck stand up. All the powers she’d held in check flamed to life within her. The air practically crackled with magic now. She closed her eyes and pressed her fingers into the flesh around the wound.

  He expected Ortono to cry out in pain, but a sigh of relief came from him instead. The ominous atmosphere vanished, replaced by warmth that rivaled the sunniest of days. Unlike the time she healed Dev, she made no effort to conceal the spell she cast.

  Cero’s strangled cry jerked his attention from Arden. The healer pointed a shaking finger at the wound. If Kell wanted proof that she could heal with magic, he had it.

  The discolored skin grew pink, erasing all signs of the gangrenous flesh that rotted away at Ortono’s arm. A river of pus erupted from the gash. Once it flowed away, the wound cleaned itself from the blood and debris, leaving only healthy tissue behind. It knitted together as easily as darned socks. A shiny white ridge of skin covered the opening, sealing it up in a neat scar that the soldier would carry the rest of his life.

  “What are you doing to my soldier, witch?” a voice bellowed behind them. Larenis tore through the tent and knocked her to the ground with the back of his hand.

  Kell reached for his sword at the same time Larenis grabbed his own. The sound of steel against steel rang in the air when he blocked the captain’s blade. A low growl filled the silence that followed as Cinder flashed his fangs at the men gathering outside.

  Arden stared at the ceiling with a blank expression on her face. He couldn’t tell if she was stunned, scared, or still under the influence of the spell. An angry red welt formed on her cheek.

  Kell’s rage threatened to choke him. “How dare you strike her?”

  “She was bewitching one of my men,” Larenis replied through gritted teeth. A vein on his forehead throbbed, and he leaned his weight forward.

  “And how did you know she was here?” Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Bynn hover at the entrance and look away from the scene. An admission of guilt, if he ever saw one.

  “Stop this immediately,” a new voice ordered. Ortono reached between them and shoved them aside with a strength that surprised everyone in the tent.

  Larenis dropped his weapon. His eyes widened like he had seen a ghost. “What kind of spell is this?”

  “One I accepted.” The young soldier stood between Arden and the other men. “She healed me, and I owe her my life. If any man harms her, he’ll feel the edge of my blade.” The captain of the guard backed away, his face sheet-white.

  Dev burst into the tent. “What happened?” He didn’t have to raise his voice to send shivers down Kell’s spine. The low, even tone spoke volumes.

  “She was an angel of the goddess and healed me,” Ortono replied.

  Dev narrowed his eyes, focusing his glare on Kell. “Why?”

  “Because I knew she could save his life.”

  The knight’s fingers twitched, and his gaze flickered to the swords in the men’s hands.

  “I’ll deal with you later.” With a swift grace that humans could only dream of having, he picked up Arden and carried her out of the tent.

  Ortono jumped to his feet and followed them. Any signs of his illness lingered only in the memory of those who had seen him on the verge of death. The newly healed soldier looked like he could take on any member of the Royal Guard and win.

  Kell’s pulse pounded in his ears from the mixture of fear and anger that flowed through his veins. He tightened his grip on his sword’s hilt. “Larenis, I have half a mind to place you under arrest for drawing a weapon against me.”

  Two bright spots of color appeared on his weathered cheeks. “You would be within your bounds to do so, Your Highness.”

  He crossed the tent in three long strides to address the men standing outside. “For those of you wondering what happened, I asked Arden to help one of your comrades. Ortono’s wound became infected to the point that he probably wouldn’t live to see Trivinus again. Any of you who are battle-hardened know what it’s like to watch one of your fellow soldiers die from a gangrenous wound.”

  A few heads nodded in the crowd.

  “Although she had no obligation to help him, she offered to heal him. Ortono gave her permission to use magic on him, and he’s alive and well now because of it. If any of you feel she deserves death for her actions, speak now.”

  Silence answered him.

  “Then let it be known that I second Ortono’s threat. If any one of you so much as lays a finger on her, I’ll make the undead seem merciful.” He turned and went straight for Bynn. “I thought I could trust you.”

  His friend stubbornly looked him in the eyes. “I acted as I saw fit.”

  “So you questioned my judgment and told Larenis what she was doing?” Bynn opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

  “We are treading upon a fragile ledge here,” Kell said. “One false move, and we could all die for it. And you and Larenis just started the equivalent of an avalanche. When she comes to her senses, let’s hope she’s in a more forgiving mood than her protector, or we’ll all know a witch’s wrath.”

  He sheathed his sword and proceeded directly to his tent. His rage waned with each step, leaving just his fear in its wake. He’d sensed her power in the tent, and the intensity of it terrified him. Now more than ever, he needed Arden as an ally, not an enemy.

  But something else bothered him—his growing admiration for her. It took someone with real courage to risk her life to save another. She’d done it twice now, not because she wanted to gain his princely favor, but because it was the right thing to do.

  And that left an odd ache in his chest.

  Chapter 21

  Dev couldn’t decide if the new, self-proclaimed guardian of the Soulbearer was more of a nuisance or an overly eager helper. Either way, he didn’t like the way the young human fawned over Trouble. He glared at the ring on the soldier’s finger. “Don’t you have a wife?” The human had the decency to blush. “Yes.”

  “And what would she think if she saw you looking at Trouble that way?” The color deepened until his ears practically glowed. “She’d probably smack me.” He grunted in agreement and bent over Trouble. Her blue e
yes stared blankly ahead. A curse broke free under his breath. Either Loku had finally pushed her over the edge of sanity, or she was still wrapped up in her casting. And he didn’t want an audience watching when he tried to determine which one it was. “Go get me a cloth and some water.” The soldier jumped to his feet, running to fetch the items.

  One problem taken care of. Now for the next one. He pressed his palms on either side of her face. “Trouble, can you hear me?”

  The rings in her eyes intensified until the green overwhelmed every hint of blue.

  “Worried, Dev?” Loku’s voice said from her mouth.

  Although the rest of his body jerked in response to hearing the chaos god speak, his hands remained fastened to her face. “Let her go, Loku.”

  Her lips curled up in a sly grin. “That’s where you have it all wrong. I’m trying to bring her back, just like you.”

  “Where is she?”

  “Here, but a bit stunned from having her spell interrupted. You know how disorienting that can be.”

  “Enough with the games.” He focused his magic toward her mind, searching for a way to snap her out of her trance. He sensed another magic within her, dark and green and filled with random disorder. They both searched for cracks in her shield, poking at them when they spotted one.

  He closed his eyes, applied more force on a particularly large crack. Arden, wake up, he silently ordered. His heart skipped a beat. He hated to admit how much he worried about her. It made him think irrationally. He almost slaughtered the prince for doing this to her. But once he brought her back to reality, he would settle the score with Kell.

  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.”