A Soul for Trouble Read online

  Her heart jumped into her throat as she searched for the glowing red eyes of the undead.

  She rubbed her arms, hoping to warm them.

  “Arden.” The voice carried on an invisible breeze, but she immediately recognized it.

  “Get out of my head!” She struggled to raise her shields.

  “I’m coming for you.” The voice invaded her mind like a pack of rats searching for any glimmer of fear to feast upon. “Soon, Loku will be mine.” A pair of blood-red eyes as large as her head raced toward her through the fog. She held her hands up to her face and screamed.

  ***

  The scream still echoed off the walls when Arden bolted up in bed. Sweat dripped down her face and neck, soaking the nightgown. Sweet Lady Moon, it was just a dream.

  A pair of strong arms pulled her against a firm chest. The familiar scents of smoke and spice comforted her. Dev was here.

  “Another dream?” he asked.

  Wetness gathered in the corners of her eyes, and she nodded.

  “Sulaino?”

  She nodded again. “How did he get through my shields?” Dev’s arms tightened in response. “Did you let them down at any point?”

  “I don’t think so.”

  His silence left Arden swimming in a sea of doubt, but as long as she could cling to him, she refused to go under. Minutes passed before her breathing slowed and the awkwardness of remaining in his arms stole upon her. She pressed her hand against his chest. His heart beat faster than hers, although she had no idea why. When she lifted her eyes, some sort of internal struggle tightened Dev’s face as he stared off in the distance. “What’s wrong?” Her question jerked him from his thoughts. His face relaxed. “Nothing for you to worry about, Trouble.”

  “He’s getting stronger, isn’t he?”

  “Perhaps.” He stroked her hair, and she nestled back into the confines of his embrace, relishing the soothing safety it offered. “Tell me what you saw.”

  “Fog, mostly. Very dense so that only a few beams of light broke through. And at the end…” The memory of the undead eyes racing toward her sent a shiver down her spine. “He’s coming for me.”

  “Over my dead body.”

  The fierceness of his voice, coupled with the possessive nature of his hold on her, sent another shiver down her spine, but this time, in anticipation rather than fear. Dev would draw blood if Sulaino came for her. He’d protect her to his last breath. Knowing this chased away her dread of the necromancer and left an odd feeling behind. What would she do without Dev?

  “Would you miss him, my little Soulbearer? Are you really that attached to him?” Her heart thudded three times before she answered, “Yes, Loku, I’d miss him dearly.”

  “You have Kell.”

  “But I trust Dev. He’s the one person I’ve come to count on during all this craziness.”

  “You underestimate your abilities. You don’t need anyone. Everything you need is inside you.”

  “You mean you?”

  “No, silly girl. Why do you think I chose you as my Soulbearer? Because you’re the one person I’ve met in the last few centuries who can survive being alone.”

  “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

  “I agree,” Dev replied with a grim smile. He loosened his arms. “Feeling safer now?” Dev sat on the edge of the bed next to her, still dressed in his clothes from the night before. A flush crept along her skin. She pulled the covers up over her nearly transparent nightgown. “Are we still prisoners?”

  He chuckled. “For now.”

  “How did you get into my room?”

  “Do I have to reveal all my secrets to you?”

  “Maybe.” Something hard and cold bumped against her thigh. She reached down and traced the outline of a large coin in his pocket. Her fingers wrapped around it, weighing its heaviness. “What did you give the king last night?”

  He pried her hand away from the contents of his pocket. “You can call it my ace of spades.”

  “Or maybe a lucky pair of dice,” she added, picking up on his gaming reference.

  “It came in handy last night when I gambled with King Heodis.”

  “What exactly happened between you two?” When he started to rise, she pounced on him and pushed him back into the pillows. “Please tell me.” He wrapped his fingers around her wrists like he wanted to yank her off him, but instead began massaging tiny circles into her palms. A strange sensation zinged up her arm, causing her nipples to form stiff peaks under the thin linen gown. His eyes flickered briefly to them, but otherwise, his gaze remained locked with hers. An eddy of veiled emotions swirled in the dark green depths in perfect rhythm to the motion of his thumbs.

  The current traveled into the lowest part of her stomach. She gasped at the throbbing response. The only other time she felt this way was when Kell kissed her, and Dev recreated the same effect just by looking into her eyes and rubbing her skin. What would happen if she dared kiss him? She lowered her lashes and leaned forward to find out.

  Dev tossed her aside and jumped off the bed like it was made of steel blades. He pressed his fingers to his temples. “Do you have to know everything, Trouble?” She pulled the covers back up to her chin, hugging her knees to her chest. What the hell just happened?

  “Dev has issues with conveying his emotions.”

  “But he threw me aside like I repulsed him.”

  Loku laughed. “More like his own reaction to you repulsed him. Or, to be entirely truthful, it scared him.”

  She studied the two bright spots in his otherwise pale cheeks and the agitated way he paced the room. “I don’t believe you. He won’t even look at me.”

  “You are so delightfully naïve.”

  She sat quietly until Dev calmed down. Cinder licked her cheek, and some of the tension eased from her muscles. At least the wolf still liked her.

  Dev sank into the chair by her bed. “Sorry.” That was it. No explanation, no excuse. Just a grumbled apology.

  The morning’s early light filtered through the thick fog outside the window, and Arden shivered as she remembered her dream. “Do you think the king will let us go now that you’ve shown him that large coin?”

  He pulled it from his pocket. “It’s a seal.”

  “May I see it?” She waited until he nodded and studied it like an eager treasure hunter. On one side, a large symbol dominated the face of the seal. On the other, three symbols surrounded by interlocking loops rose from the shiny gold surface. She recognized one as the royal crest of Ranello. “What does this stand for?”

  “Read the writing.”

  Shame burned her cheeks. She turned away and gave it back to him. “I can’t read.” He took it and pressed his lips together in a thin line. “That’s something we’ll have to remedy soon.” He pointed to the large symbol. “This is Loku’s mark. It identifies me as the Soulbearer’s Protector.” Then he flipped it over. “These are the symbols of Ranello, Gravaria, and Thallus. They’re meant to remind others of the treaty forged over five centuries ago.”

  “What treaty?”

  “It was the last time all three countries agreed on one thing.”

  “Which was?”

  The corners of his mouth rose slightly. “Do you really need to ask?”

  “Those bastards got together and figured out a way to trap my soul,” Loku hissed. His anger rolled over like a lit torch. “If I could go back in time, I’d fry them all in their cradles.” His rage continued to grow as he shouted threats into her mind, and Arden slipped further and further under his control. Trying to stop him felt like grasping water. Fear churned in her stomach, and bile rose into her throat. She cast one desperate glance at Dev before a red haze settled over her vision.

  A pair of icy hands clamped around her cheeks. “Stop it this instant.” Dev shook her like a rabbit caught in a wolf’s mouth. “Let her go, Loku.”

  Fire raced down her arms and gathered in her fingertips, ready to be unleashed at a moment’s notice. Her pul
se pounded in her ears, but that didn’t stop her from hearing the deep voice that came from her moving lips. “Or you’ll what?”

  “Help me fight him, Arden.”

  Dev’s plea came seconds before a soothing breeze rushed along her skin. It cooled Loku’s ire long enough for her to start squeezing him deep into the center of her consciousness. Her sight cleared, and when everything came into focus, Dev’s strained face loomed in front of her.

  She reached up to touch his hand. “He’s gone.”

  He released the breath he’d been holding. The cool breeze vanished, but he didn’t let go of her face. “Is he really?”

  She nodded, and he pulled her back into his arms. His heart thudded through his chest. The salty taste of sweat clung to her lips. Her body trembled, and a sob threatened to force its way out of her throat. “Thank you,” she whispered as hot tears leaked from her eyes.

  Dev rocked her back and forth, and they both struggled to catch their breath. “Shh, relax.”

  “I don’t know if I can. He came up on me so quickly…”

  He brushed the wetness from her cheeks. “He’s like that. Now you know why we have to get to Gravaria—so he won’t do this to you again. Imagine what would have happened if he had stayed in control.”

  Images of blood-splattered walls and torn bodies littered her mind. A creature crouched in the room, licking claws as long as her arm. She gasped and buried her face in his chest again.

  “Loku, how could you?”

  No answer came, and for once, she was glad not to feel the presence of the chaos god.

  Losing control of her mind terrified her more than anything she’d ever known, even Sulaino and his horde of undead.

  He began prying her away. “I hear voices outside.”

  She choked back a laugh. “I suppose you don’t want to be caught in the same room as me.”

  The corners of his mouth twitched. “I’ll be back later. Ask your maid for some ink and paper, and I’ll start teaching you your letters. It’s the only practical education I can give you here.”

  Excitement dried her tears, filled her with the promise of better things. “You’re going to teach me to read?”

  “You need to learn.” He let go of her and took a few steps back. Shadows darkened his face, making him appear every minute of his three hundred years. “Don’t lose hope, Trouble.” Katie’s voice came through the door, and he bolted for the wall between their rooms. Her breath caught when he disappeared through it like it wasn’t there.

  Cold crept up her nightgown and rose from her thighs up to her breasts. She crossed her arms over her chest. “You can’t see through there, can you?” Dev’s one-note chuckle answered her.

  The doorknob turned, and a cheery Katie entered with a steaming breakfast tray. “Good morning, m’lady. Sleep well?”

  Until Sulaino invaded her dreams, she’d slept very well. Now, after her strange reaction to Dev and Loku’s stunt, she was left feeling more confused than ever. She cast one more glance at the portal before answering, “As well as can be expected.” Chapter 29

  Arden finished copying the last letter in the sentence and frowned. Her writing appeared as awkward and clumsy as a newborn foal compared to the sleek, flowing lines of Dev’s. “I’m done with this passage.”

  He peered over her shoulder, nodding. “Getting neater. Can you read it aloud now, too?”

  “The cat ran to the girl.” For the past two days, she’d soaked up Dev’s reading and writing lessons. He’d write a sentence, read it aloud to her, let her copy it, and then make her repeat it back. Now, she was beginning to recognize common words and sound out the ones she didn’t know. It made the day go by faster.

  “Good.” He bent over the desk, sending a wave of his scent in her direction. A spark of attraction raced through her body. “Try this sentence.”

  “What does it say?”

  A grin broke the harsh lines of his face. “You have ink on your cheek.” She glanced down at the letters before the realization of his sentence hit her. Blood rushed to her cheeks. “Where?” she asked, grabbing a mirror.

  “Here.” He brushed his thumb across her cheekbone. “And here.” He rubbed another spot on her forehead. “Don’t worry, though. I’ve cleaned them up.” Her skin tingled where he’d touched her. When she checked her appearance, the smudges were gone. “How did you do that?”

  “Magic.” He wiggled his fingers in front of her. “Now, back to your lesson.” Her concentration wandered while she copied the sentence. It drove her crazy that Dev seemed so calm and collected when she could barely control her reaction to him. But what really had her off-kilter was Loku’s absence. Who would have thought she’d miss his endless stream of lewd comments?

  “Dev, what did we do to Loku yesterday?”

  He stiffened. “We contained him.”

  “But he’s still inside me, isn’t he?”

  “Yes. The only way to be rid of him is death.”

  A ripple of unease flowed through her. “And how long will he be contained?” Dev frowned. “I can’t say. This is the first time I’ve ever tried to contain him, and I couldn’t have done it without your help.”

  She returned to the piece of paper in front of her, not wanting to dwell on this any longer.

  “Next sentence, please.”

  “Insatiable, are you?”

  “I want to learn all I can.”

  The corners of his mouth twitched. “You’re learning quicker than I expected.”

  “I’m not a child. I hope I’d grasp certain concepts faster than one.”

  “No, you’re definitely not a child.” The tone of his voice made both her breath and her pulse hitch. He stared at her for a moment. The only sound in the room was the air entering and leaving their lungs. Sweat prickled at the base of her neck from the hungry intensity of his gaze. Then his usual cold mask of composure slipped back into place. “Are you up for a challenge?”

  He would tie her stomach in knots at this rate. At least she knew what Kell was thinking.

  Dev remained a riddle that she never discovered the answer to. “Of course.” He grabbed the piece of paper and laid it on top of a book. The quill in his hand practically flew with each deft stroke. A playful glint appeared in his eyes when he handed her the paper.

  “Read this.”

  A mash of lines, curves, and dots formed strange symbols on the page, none of which resembled the letters he’d made her copy over and over again yesterday. “Is this some kind of trick?”

  “No, those are words.”

  She raised one brow and wondered if he’d lost his mind.

  “In Elvish,” he added.

  She studied the new form of writing. “I have to learn another set of letters?” A faint smile appeared on his lips. “Only if you want to. Most of the documents in Gravaria are in Human. There aren’t many elves left to make a difference.” A hint of sadness peeked through his mask, tugging at her heart. “What happened to them?

  I thought elves lived a long time.”

  “We do, but many have died off or mingled their blood with others. Some just disappeared over the mountains.”

  “Why?”

  He shrugged, but the tightness in his shoulders told her he knew the reason.

  His sober expression sucked the happiness out of her, and she changed the subject. “But back to this—what does it say?”

  “Nothing.” He snatched the paper from her and tore it in half. “Let’s start with a new sentence.”

  A lump formed in her throat. Every time she felt like she made a new discovery with him, she only scratched the surface. The man was far more complex than she ever imagined.

  A knock on the door spared her from his brooding. Kell stuck his head in. “Am I interrupting anything?”

  She grinned. At last, some company. “Dev has been teaching me to read and write.” Dev said nothing. He crossed his arms and gazed out the window.

  “The guards let him in?”

  �
�Well, um…”

  “Yes,” Dev answered for her.

  Kell’s eyes flickered between them, narrowing. He suspected something but didn’t press the issue. Instead, he approached her and nodded at the crystal vase on her desk. “I see you got the roses I sent. I remember you showed a particular interest in these.” The sweet scent of the crimson roses reminded her of his careful restraint that night. “Yes, thank you.”

  “Any news from your father, Your Highness?” Dev’s clipped words sliced through her thoughts like an ax.

  “I heard him mention something about wanting to speak to you again.” Dev turned away from the foggy landscape outside the window. “He’s reached a decision?”

  “If he has, I know nothing about it.”

  “I’d think you of all people would be privy to your father’s thoughts.”

  “The old man still keeps some secrets from me. The contents of your previous meeting with him, for example.”

  The corner of Dev’s mouth quirked up into a smirk. “Irritating to be left in the dark, isn’t it?”

  A knock sounded from the other room. A few seconds later, a string of curse words erupted from whoever entered the room.

  “Guess they found you missing?” Kell heaved a dramatic sigh. “I suppose I’ll clear up this mishap, but you owe me.” He stepped outside.

  Dev grabbed her arm as soon as they were alone. “Be careful with him.” Arden focused her fire under his fingers, causing him to release her with a yelp. “I’m getting rather tired of you ordering me around. I trust Kell. In case you haven’t noticed, he’s the one person in this place who wants us to get out of here alive.” Dev shook his hand to cool his singed fingertips and scowled.

  “Here we are.” Kell opened the door wide to reveal a very pissed-off looking Captain Larenis.

  “How did he get in here? My guards had specific orders to keep them apart.” Dev’s scowl melted into a mocking grin. “Are you sure they’ve been paying attention?” The captain’s hand gripped his sword until his knuckles whitened, pushing all the blood up into his florid face.