A Soul For Chaos (The Soulbearer Trilogy) (22 page)

The bed had the same paneled headboard as the one in the palace. “I’d feel better if the mithral chains were removed.”

“If you behave yourself, they won’t be needed.” He carried in a pitcher of water and a small basin. “We have a few minutes to get ready for dinner.”

“I don’t have to wear that ridiculous dress again, do I?”

A flicker of amusement glowed in Dev’s eyes, and she saw a hint of a smile playing in his lips. “That was a formal dress for court. It’s not necessary here unless you choose to wear it.”

“
What he means is that he wouldn’t mind seeing you in it again.
”

Arden was tempted to call Loku a liar, but the mirth in Dev’s eyes darkened into something more primal that left her feeling flushed. “It’s probably best I don’t wear it again.”

“Probably.” He took a step toward the door, then paused. “Kell really didn’t propose to you today, did he?”

“He did.” She started unpacking her bags, hoping he’d take a hint and end the conversation.

A muscle flickered along his jaw as he took a deep breath. “You’re not going to accept it, though.”

“I haven’t decided.”

“Yes, you have.” He closed the space between them. “If you truly loved him, you would’ve said yes right away.”

She froze, her dress in her hands. With just a few words, he’d stripped her defenses and left her feeling alone and exposed. “That’s none of your business.”

“Everything about you is my business. I’m your protector, and I’d like to know if I need to practice bowing before a future queen.” He demonstrated the motion in a mocking manner before exiting the room.

Arden bunched the dress up in her fists, her blood seething with anger. Maybe it would be worth accepting Kell’s proposal just so she could appoint a new protector.

“
Dev has his faults, but would you prefer one of your backward Ranellians over him?
” Loku asked.

Based on Kell’s reaction, they’d be more likely to stab her if they witnessed Loku take control of her. At least Dev was familiar with the chaos god’s antics.  “
I suppose I’m stuck with him.
”

“
Then perhaps he’s the one you need to learn how to control instead of me.
”

Arden laughed to herself as she changed. “
I need to learn how to control both of you if I ever want some peace.
”

Dev hadn’t changed when she emerged from her room. A pang of disappoint reverberated through her. She liked the way he looked last night. Perhaps too much. The rich green tunic had matched his eyes and molded to the lean muscles of his body. Now, those muscles were concealed by the thick leather of his jerkin.

His gaze flickered over her, devoid of any emotion. “That dress will announce to everyone that you’re a Ranellian from the moment you enter the room.”

“But I am a Ranellian.”

He came up to her and tucked her pendant into her bodice. “Keep this hidden for now.”

“Why?”

His mouth widened into a wry smile. “Are you going to question everything I tell you to do?”

“Are you ever going to tell me why you want me to hide it?”

He seemed to ponder her question for a moment. “I’ll tell you more once I hear from the Mage Primus.”

“There’s something about this necklace that bothers you, isn’t there?” She covered the pendant with her hand, pressing its cool surface into her skin. “Is it because my mother was cast aside by my father?”

“Partly.” He drew in a deep breath and looked like he wanted to tell her more, but stopped himself. “Again, I don’t want to jump to any unnecessary conclusions until the Mage Primus tells me more. But suffice it to say, there are several powerful people here in Gravaria who could use that pendant against you.”

She tightened her hold of the necklace through her dress. “I’m not taking it off. It’s all I have left of her.”

“Then, please, keep it hidden.” Dev pried her hand away from her chest and looped it through his arm. “Now, let’s have dinner with the Mage’s Council, and try not to get us into any more trouble.”

The dining room was as warm and inviting as the rest of the Conclave appeared to be. The tapestries on the walls glowed with richly colored flowers embroidered from vibrant silk threads. The silver place settings on the table twinkled under the chandeliers, and the rich hum of voices didn’t falter when they entered the room.

For the first time in her life, she wasn’t the object of everyone’s attention. She blended in with crowd. It was unsettling at first, and she kept waiting for someone to notice her and point her out to everyone else. But as the Mage Secundus broke away from conversation to greet them, she relaxed and prepared to enjoy the evening.

Dev, however, tensed from the moment they walked into the room. A blanket of magic wrapped around her. His attention roamed across the room, his face a mask of concentration.

“Is something wrong, Dev?”

“Whoever tried to kill you was a very powerful mage,” he said so softly, she strained to hear him, “and we’re in the company of nine of the most powerful mages in Gravaria. Until I know for certain none of them cast the spells, I’m taking extra precautions.”

An icy thread of fear wormed its way through her gut. “But you said I would be safe here.”

“You are. The magics of the Conclave will disrupt any malicious spells, but it still doesn’t mean you’re not dining with your enemy.”

And just like that, he’d managed to douse any warm, comforting thoughts about the Conclave.

The Mage Secundus took her hand and led her to the group of men and women gathered in the room. “Everyone, I’d like to introduce the new Soulbearer, Arden.”

One by one, she was introduced to the member of the Mage’s Council in the order of their importance, starting with the Mage Tertius and ending with the Mage Decius. They greeted her with the same warmth as the Mage Secundus, welcoming her to the Conclave.

All except the Mage Sextus. She coolly assessed Arden before turning her attention and overly warm welcome to Dev. Arden’s breath quickened as the other woman adjusted her already revealing bodice to exposure more of her cleavage. When the Mage Sextus laid her hand on Dev’s arm, the raging desire to slap it off filled Arden.

“Dev, you poor thing. Another Soulbearer, and a Ranellian at that. You must have had a trying time with her.”

Dev smiled at her and looked toward Arden. “You have no idea.”

A well of magic rose up inside her, threatened to spill over. If that woman didn’t stop flirting with him…

“
Jealous, my little Soulbearer?
”

Arden studied the Mage Sextus, noticing the fine wrinkles crinkling around her eyes and her large, hooked nose. “
Hardly
.”

But the magic still roared inside her as Dev and the Mage Sextus continued their light-hearted banter.

Dev glanced at her, his smile fading. He leaned toward Arden, so close his scent of leather and evergreens filled her nostrils, and hissed in her ear, “Behave.”

“I’m trying.”

“Try harder.” He jostled her arm, disrupting her magic as he led her away from the other woman.

A servant approached them with a tray containing two tiny glasses filled with a deep red liquid. She followed Dev’s lead and took one, sniffing the contents and wrinkling her nose from the sickeningly sweet scent. “What is this?”

“Selgian cordial, a delicacy here.”

Her fingertips burned from touching the glass, and ripples danced across the surface. She sniffed it again, trying to figure out what was so special about it. “It smells horrible.”

“Just drink it when they raise the toast.”

The Mage Secundus interrupted them by tapping on his goblet before she could ask what he meant. “I wish to raise a toast to welcome Arden, our new Soulbearer, to the Mage’s Conclave. We are honored by her service to the land and will strive to assist her any way we can.”

Judging by the expression on the Mage Sextus’s face, she wouldn’t mind assisting Arden off a cliff.

The mages and Dev raised their glasses and downed the cordial. Arden bought her glass to her mouth, but a twinge of warning kept her from consuming the contents. “I can’t drink this,” she whispered to Dev.

He moved in front of her, blocking her from the others. “It’s rude not to.”

“But what if—”

“By Jussip, Trouble, why do you have to be so difficult?” He switched glasses with her and gulped the contents. “There.”

When he moved away, she lifted her empty glass to the room and forced a smile on her face. What a strange place this was where they’d be offended if she didn’t drink that cordial. Furthermore, the sinking sensation in her gut told her there was something different about it, although she couldn’t imagine what.

She didn’t dare ask Dev about it as he escorted her to the table. The scowl on his face told her he was still pissed off that she refused to obey him. He held out a chair for her, his anger waning into impatience. When she moved in front of it, he pushed it into the table so quickly, her knees buckled under her, and she fell back into the seat.

“
Someone’s in a bad mood tonight
.”

She adjusted her skirts and sent what she hoped was her most scathing look to him. “
That makes two of us.
”

The Mage Secundus sat next to her and tapped her hand. “So, tell me my dear, have you had any formal training with magic?”

“Only what Dev’s taught me.”

Dev didn’t elaborate, preferring to eat his meal in silence.

“And what has he managed to teach you?” the Mage Secundus continued, ignoring Dev’s sullen behavior.

She started listing the spells she knew, the Mage Secundus nodding with each one. “Dev tells me this is the place where all the mages in Gravaria are trained.”

“Well, this is where they all get their start. When a child demonstrates magical ability, they are brought here for testing. Then, based on the results, they are assigned to a course of study.” He chewed on a bite of meat before adding, “I’ve arranged for you to have your testing tomorrow.”

Her shoulders jerked back. “I’m to be tested? Dev, why didn’t you warn about this?”

“It wouldn’t have done any good,” he replied with a shrug. “They want to test your potential, not what you already know.”

“Precisely.” The Mage Secundus took a long drink from his wine goblet and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “And the Mage Sextus has volunteered to carry out your testing tomorrow morning.”

Arden fought back a groan, especially when she noticed the other woman smirking across the table. Somehow, she didn’t think she’d receive the same sort of testing the others experienced.

Loku hummed with pleasure. “
Should we plan a little surprise for her?
”

As tempting as it was, she wouldn’t put it past the Mage Sextus to retaliate in some fashion. The woman was the sixth most powerful mage in Gravaria, and even with the power of a god behind her, Arden didn’t want to cross her unless she knew she would come out on top. “
Let’s wait and see what she does first
.”

Loku sighed. “
You’re no fun. He’s been rubbing off on your too much.
”

She knew he was talking about Dev. She dared another peek at him and noticed his mood had changed. Gone was the thin line of his mouth and the firm set of his jaw. He talked to the mage next him with more animation than she’d ever witnessed. It was like she was seeing a different side to him, one that was comfortable and at home with the others in this room.

He turned to her, his smile widening. “Is everything alright?”

The transformation left her speechless. Where had this Dev been hiding all along? She managed to nod her head.

His hand rubbed her thigh under the table, sending a bolt of heat straight to her lower stomach. “Then enjoy the meal, Arden.”

Sweet Lady Moon, did Dev just change personalities with Kell? Dev had stared at her enough times with lust in his eyes for her to know he was attracted to her, but he’d never done a thing to act on it. But now, his hand remained warm and solid on her thigh, making her wish she didn’t have the thick fabric of her skirt between them. Her mind strayed to the base desire that he’d touch other parts of her body.

She shook herself out of it. This was Dev, after all. The man who’d never let himself neglect his duty. The man who’d told her that nothing could ever happen between them because she would be a distraction.

Yet his hand started massaging her thigh, slowly working up from her knee toward her hip. Her skin flushed, and she stilled, not sure how to react to him. Part of her wanted to yank his hand off before she embarrassed herself by releasing the moan building in her throat. The other part of her wanted to enjoy the sensations he awoke in her body, to indulge in them as long as she could.

She dared to meet his eyes once again, and her breath hitched. His pupils were wide and filled with desire as he stared at her, an unspoken plea she’d seen plenty of times before with Kell. But she also noticed the two blotches of color in his cheeks, the glaze in his eyes and the mild slurring of his words. She released her breath. This was all too familiar to a girl who grew up in an inn that served more ale than food.

Dev was drunk.

She glanced at his still full wine glass. “
That cordial must have been more potent that I realized.
”

“
Yes, so it seems,
” Loku said. “
Perhaps you had best get him back to your room before he ravishes you in front of the entire Mage’s Council.
”

That was the last thing she needed, especially when she had to face the Mage Sextus in the morning. She covered Dev’s hand with her own and pulled him closer to her. “I think we need to retire for the evening.”

A slow, easy grin spread across his lips. “I think that’s a good idea.”

She murmured an excuse to the Mage Secundus, saying she was tired from her travels, and rose from the table. Dev followed, his hand resting along the small of her back and moving dangerously lower once they left the dining room. She darted to the side and caught it in her own hand.

“Dev, which way do we need to go?” she asked, hoping the task would distract him long enough to get him to his bed.