A Soul For Chaos (The Soulbearer Trilogy) (17 page)

Arden slid from her saddle. Why do I feel anything but welcome?

The Lord Chamberlain circled past her toward Kell, wrinkling his nose. “And who is this?”

Arden bit back a laugh. She doubted Kell had ever been addressed in such a dismissive fashion.

Thankfully, Kell wasn’t the haughty type. He straightened his shoulders, rising to his full height and stared down the Lord Chamberlain. “I’m Kell, Third Prince of Ranello, here on a diplomatic mission for my father, King Heodis.”

The Lord Chamberlain’s eyes widened, and his face turned a shade paler. “We received no word of your arrival, Your Highness.” His gaze slid toward Dev, his astonishment morphing into thin-lipped displeasure. “I would have hoped Sir Devarius would have been kind enough to send a messenger.”

“And ruin the surprise?” Dev took her hand and began leading her toward one of the side buildings. “We’ve had a long journey, and I need to make sure the Soulbearer is made presentable before she meets the Empress.”

“Of course. You know where the Soulbearer’s chambers are located by now.” She felt his gaze on her even as he said to Kell, “Your Highness, please follow me into the Empress’s private quarters. I’m sure we can find suitable accommodations for you.”

It wasn’t until they were safely out of his sight that Arden lowered her shields. The shadowy interior of the small building was cool and inviting, despite the stark walls. She wiped the sweat from her forehead. “Am I to be greeted that way by every Gravarian?”

“Only the ones in power.” Dev lowered her hood. “Thank you for doing what I asked for once.”

“Trust me, I wanted to get away from that creep as quickly as you did.” She removed her cloak and washed her hands in the small fountain in the entryway. “Who was that?”

“Caz di Milloria, Lord Chamberlain, head of the Milorian clan, and uncle to the Empress.”

“You left out major prick.”

She thought she heard Dev snicker as she washed the back of her neck, but he kept his back to her.

“What is this place, anyway?”

“The Soulbearer’s quarters here in the palace.” Dev draped his cloak over a chest, and Cinder lapped the water in the pool of the fountain, both obviously very much at home here. “This is where we’ll be staying tonight.”

The building was small, consisting of the main room that held the fountain, a fireplace, and table with two chairs. A bench long and wide enough to double as a bed stood beside the lone door in the room. “Where does that go?”

“To your room.” He opened it to reveal another sparsely furnished room with a bed and a washstand.

Arden stepped into it, inspecting every inch of it. It was simple, but clean. “You’d think the Empress would provide better accommodations for someone like me, especially considering the obvious wealth she has on display here at the palace.”

“You haven’t found the mithral jewelry she has here for you. Look at the headboard—there’s a secret panel behind it.”

She followed Loku’s directions and slid the thin piece of wood to the side, revealing a set of chains and manacles. “Care to explain this, Dev?”

Two red spots flared on his cheeks as he rushed over and slid the panel back into place. “How did you know about that?” He took a step back, his fingers curling into his palms. “Never mind—I already know the answer.”

“But you still haven’t answered my question.”

He rocked back on his heels, increasing the distance between them as he edged closer to the door.

Arden slammed it shut with a bolt of magic, followed by a ward around the room. He wasn’t leaving until she had answers to all her questions.

“You know, I liked it better when you didn’t know how to use magic.” He crossed his arms, revealing the outline of the weapons he kept concealed under his shirt.

“I know what you have up your sleeve, and I’m pissed off enough to use it on you.” She yanked the sheet off the bed and used it to pull out one of the manacles. “Now, tell me about this before I let you try them on.”

The corner of his mouth rose in a half-smile. “I’d like to see you try and get those on me.”

“What he really means is that he’d love to wrestle you, to feel your body wiggling against his, getting him all hot and bothered—”

“Shut up, Loku!” As much as she wanted to ignore it, there was a wicked glint in Dev’s eye that warmed her skin and tempted her thoughts into straying in that direction. Her eyes fell on the bed and then back to him.

His gaze followed hers, and he cleared his throat before looking away. “Those manacles are because there have been times when the Soulbearer needed to be restrained.”

“Why?”

“If you listened to me instead of Loku, you might’ve remembered my warning that he drives all of his Soulbearers insane.” He took a step toward her. “Every single one of them.”

Even though her skin didn’t touch the mitral, a shock of cold raced up her arm. “So you bound them up in chains and left them here to rot?”

“No, you’re jumping to the wrong conclusion.” He continued to close the gap between them. “We would restrain them until the Mage Primus could calm them down.”

“And then?”

“And then,” he continued, now only an arm’s length away from her, “once we knew they weren’t a threat to themselves or others, we’d let them go.”

“And then they’d fall on their own sword or jump off a tower or escape to Ranello—you know the rest of the story.”

Loku ran series of images through her mind, all illustrating the grisly ends of her predecessors. Her chest tightened, and her body refused to move. What would happen to her when her time came?

Dev wrapped his fingers around her wrist, pulling her from the nightmare. “Let it go, Arden. We have no use of those things now.” His voice grew husky as he added, “And I pray we never will.”

She let the chain fall to the ground and leaned into him. “How can you be sure, though?”

“I can’t.” He stroked her hair, guiding her forehead into the crook where his neck met his shoulder. “All I can tell you is that I’ll do everything in my power to help prevent that from happening.”

Standing in his arms, the world faded away until nothing was left but the sound of their two hearts beating and the warm scent of his leather jerkin. It steadied her and eased her fears. Dev was a man bound by his word, and if he promised he’d help her, then she knew she could trust him to do it.

A low whisper nudged at the edge of her consciousness. “Are you certain you can trust a man who keeps secrets from you?”

She pulled away from Dev. It didn’t matter if the whisper came from Loku or from her own doubts—it was still enough to set her on edge.

Dev’s hand still cradled the back of her head. “What did he tell you?”

“Nothing.” If he could keep secrets, so could she.

The corners of his mouth tilted down. “Don’t let him have too much sway over you, or you might end up needing these.” He tucked away the chains and manacles, their threat still hanging over her.

A knock sounded at the door, and Dev went to answer it, leaving her alone. Her stomach tied in knots. She wanted to trust Dev, but how could she? Was there anyone here she could trust?

An invisible arm wrapped around her. “You can trust me, my little Soulbearer. Have I not warned you of the dangers here time and time again?”

“Yes, but…” Loku had his own agenda, and she had no idea what part she played in it. He could be just as dangerous as any other enemy she faced.

Dev returned with a woman carrying a small trunk. “Yesenia will help you become presentable for the Empress.”

He held her gaze for a second longer than necessary and sent an unspoken warning. Behave yourself.

Chapter 17

A sharp rap at the door halted Dev’s pacing. He opened it to reveal a world bathed in twilight and a travel-weary Fane. “Back already?”

His friend shoved past him and went directly to the fountain. “You have no idea how much trouble you’ve gotten me into. As soon as I came to the gates, I was informed the Empress wished to see me immediately. Seems she was upset I wasn’t with you when you arrived.”

“And why aren’t you there now, groveling at her feet?”

Fane splashed water on his face and rubbed his hands along his beard. “I’m not going to appear in front of the Empress like this. Besides, the Mage Primus stressed how important it was for me to give you this as soon as possible”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a thin leather cord with a silver charm dangling in the center.

A rush of magic slammed into Dev the second he touched it, raising all the hairs on the back of his neck. There was a reason the title of Mage Primus was given to the most powerful caster in the empire. “What kind of spell did he cast on this?”

“A cloaking spell.” Fane continued scrubbing his hands, the water turning brown from the road dust that had been caked on his skin. “He claimed it was the best he could do on such short notice, but it should keep her hidden from whoever is sending those attacks.”

“But he didn’t have any idea who was behind them?”

Fane paused a half-second. “You know he’s not one to jump to conclusions.”

Dev closed the space between them until he stood mere inches from his friend. “What do you know that you’re not telling me?”

Fane rose to his full height, a full three inches shorter than Dev, but undaunted. “I know nothing. I only have suspicions.”

“And they are?”

Fane gave a nervous laugh. “The law says we are innocent until proven guilty, and I do not wish to spread any rumors until I have more evidence.” He shook the excess water from his hands. “In the meantime, I have to report to the Empress. Make sure the Soulbearer puts that bracelet on—I don’t want to have risked Her Imperial Majesties wrath for nothing.”

He left the building as though Cinder was nipping at his heels, leaving Dev to wonder where his friend’s suspicions led.

“Who was that?” Arden asked from her room.

“No one.” He stuffed the bracelet into this pocket.

“You’re an awful liar, Dev. I know I heard Fane’s voice.”

She emerged from her room, and Dev’s jaw dropped. He’d never seen her more beautiful than she was now. Her golden hair fell straight over her shoulders like spun silk, adorned only with the sapphire comb Kell had given her. She was dressed for the Imperial court in a short bodice that barely covered her breasts and a long flowing skirt. The blue silk matched her eyes, and the outfit left a wide expanse of her pale skin uncovered.

She crossed her arms over her bare stomach. “I feel like I’m naked.”

The only movement he felt as he soaked in her appearance was the quickening of his heart. “You look fine.”

She chewed her bottom lip, squirming under his stare. “This is ridiculous. I’m going to put on the dress I brought from Ranello. At least that covers everything up.”

He caught her before she fled back into her room. “No, don’t.”

The servant who dressed her slipped past them, oblivious to Arden’s desire to change outfits.

By the time Arden released that tortured bottom lip from between her teeth, it was left red, full and temptingly kissable. “Do women really dress like this here?”

His body demanded he touch her, pull her into his arms, and kiss her until her knees buckled. But his mind refused to let that happen. He pressed his arms in at his sides, determined not to give into his desires, no matter how innocently seductive she appeared tonight. “Yes,” he managed to whisper.

“Don’t they catch a chill?”

He shook his head. The evenings were balmy here even in the dead of winter. “Why are you so afraid of trying something new?”

“I’m not afraid—just…uncomfortable.”

He had plenty of reason to be afraid, though, and he knew it. If she dressed like this every day, it would only be a matter of time before his baser instincts took over and made him worse than Kell. But damn, it would be worth it just to spend one night in her arms.

“Dev, are you feeling ill?”

Her question shook him from his thoughts.

She placed her hand on his forehead. “You’re all flustered, and you’re breathing like you’ve run across the palace grounds.”

“No, I’m fine.” Despite his best efforts, his hands found their way to where the top of her skirt skimmed across the top of her hips. The heat of her skin spread through him like a wildfire, sparking his desire. He leaned closer to her to where he could smell the citrus soap used here in the palace rising from her body.

The ring in her eyes flashed, freezing him where he stood. Once again, Loku had witnessed his moment of weakness. But instead of Arden fleeing from him or giggling, she ran her hands up the sleeves of his tunic. “You look very nice yourself.”

Like her, he was dressed in court costume with a long green tunic that buttoned down the front and loose gold trousers than tucked into his polished black boots. Completely impractical on a daily basis, but fitting for the pomp and ceremony the Empress desired. He wanted to thank her, but he didn’t trust what might come out of his mouth if he opened it.

With his hands still planted on her hips, she pressed her body against his and brought her hands up to his chest. Sweat prickled along the base of his spine. A deep ache formed inside his gut, spreading along his groin until he worried there’d be no hiding his desire from her.

She looked up at him through her lashes. “You’re being unusually quiet, Dev. Is there something you wish to tell me?”

Too much. If she kept this up, he’d be renouncing his oath to protect the Soulbearer by dinnertime.

He closed his eyes and straightened his arms, adding some much needed distance between them. “We don’t need to keep the Empress waiting,” he managed to say, his throat tight enough to choke him.

He pried his fingers away from her hips and retreated a few more feet before he dared to open his eyes. When he did, he almost wished he’d kept them closed a few seconds longer.

Her cheeks were still stained pink, her lips still full, but the furrow between her brows spoke of her confusion, and way her bottom lip jutted out told him of her frustration. The impression of his fingers branded her exposed skin, providing evidence to how tightly he’d held her. And the rise and fall of her breasts under that tiny bodice revealed she’d been just as affected by their close contact as he had.