A Soul for Trouble

by Crista McHugh

  “In here,” the steward ordered.

  The room was hardly more than a closet, but the same silk cushions from the night before waited for her on the floor. A lit candle flickered on the small stand with a pitcher of water and basin. A sigh of delight escaped her when she spotted the cake of soap sitting near it. Now she could scrub away the mud that matted her hair and darkened her fingernails.

  “I’ll fetch you in the morning.” The door slammed shut, followed by the click of the lock.

  Panic rose into her throat from the thought of being trapped in this room, but she swallowed it down. I’m still a prisoner, after all. And being treated very well for one, I suppose.

  “If you had agreed to warm the prince’s bed, I bet you’d be on your way to Boznac in the morning.”

  “I’m not going to stoop to that level.” She poured the icy water into the basin and reached for the soap.

  Chapter 18

  Kell sat at the head table and surveyed the great hall. The soldiers’ plates rattled above the din of their voices, but his attention focused on one person in particular. The Gravarian knight sat alone in his corner, his gaze fixed on the main doors while he ate his breakfast of bread and cheese.

  He’d taken a gamble last night by accusing Dev of plotting to escape, but the way the elf scouted the keep when they arrived roused his suspicions. Luckily, he’d been right.

  Arden entered the great hall behind Pryan’s steward. The morning sunlight fell on her hair as she passed under a window, making it flash like polished gold. Porcelain skin that had been hidden under layers of dirt now glowed from a fresh washing. She stood out like a rare bloom.

  One he would’ve wanted to possess if he didn’t know how dangerous she could be.

  “See something you like?” Bynn teased.

  “Possibly.”

  “You’re playing with fire, Kell. She made it quite clear last night she’s on to your games.” The sting of her refusal resurfaced. Years had passed since a woman had denied him, and no one had ever done it like that in front of a crowd. Despite that, she still intrigued him.

  “What if I want to play a new game?”

  “What are you suggesting?”

  “First, I need to earn her trust.”

  “Then what?”

  “Then we’ll see what happens.” He nibbled on a piece of bacon and grinned. The order of his plans varied with his moods, but they all involved convincing her to stay in Ranello long enough to help him defeat Sulaino.

  The steward led her to the head table. She stood in front of him with a mixture of curiosity and resentment in her face. “Good morning, Your Highness.”

  “Good morning, Arden. Please join us.”

  Her deep blue eyes flickered to her protector. “If you please—”

  “That was an order, not a request.”

  For a second, he wondered if his imagination played a trick on him. The pale green halo in her eyes flashed, and her upper lip curled slightly. By the time he blinked, however, a smooth mask of composure had settled over her features. She sank into a chair, her gaze never leaving him.

  Sweat prickled his skin. He’d never had a woman’s unwavering attention fixed on him like that; or at least, not with his knowledge. What was worse, he wasn’t sure if his attraction toward her or his fear of her power added to his unease. The weight of Dev’s glare only added to it. He was a prince, damn it. He should be used to being the center of attention.

  He pushed the discomfort to the back of his mind and flashed his most charming grin.

  “What would you like to eat?”

  She surveyed the offerings on the table, then looked behind her. “I’ll have what Dev’s having.”

  “You wouldn’t like a bit of bacon or perhaps a bit of preserved fruit to put on your toast?” He imagined licking the remnants of the sweet berry preserves off her lips, and his hunger grew. But not necessarily for breakfast.

  The pink color in her cheeks deepened. “I’m not on the menu, Your Highness, so you can quit looking at me like that.”

  Bynn almost choked on his food from laughter, and embarrassment killed any desire Kell felt for her at that moment. “I could have your head for speaking to me like that.” She shrugged, reaching for a piece of bread. “Beheading is more merciful than being burnt at the stake.”

  “And you think by antagonizing me, I’ll be more merciful?”

  “I’m not purposely trying to antagonize you, Your Highness. I’m just treating you like I would anyone else. We aren’t exactly schooled in how to address members of the royal family where I come from.”

  He leaned forward. “And where is that?”

  “Wallus.” She folded her bread around a slice of cheese. He had to wait until she finished chewing her bite before she continued. “It’s a small village in the southwest corner of the kingdom. You’ve probably never heard of it.”

  “And who’s your blood there?”

  The bread and cheese slipped from her fingers.

  Bynn exchanged a knowing look with him. No wonder she clung to Dev like she did. He was the only one who would claim her. “Why were you cast aside?” The rosy flush deepened into red anger. “Who says I was cast aside? Did it ever occur to you that I left home because my blood mistreated me?”

  “Your father mistreated you?”

  She threw the remains of her meal on the table and rose from her chair. “I don’t like the way this conversation is heading.”

  Although she kept her voice low, her actions attracted attention from those around him. He gestured for her to sit. “If I promise not to ask any more about your father, will that convince you to finish your meal without making a spectacle of yourself?” She slumped down into her seat and reached for a piece of bacon.

  He waited a few seconds for her to calm down before asking, “How did you meet Dev?”

  “He came into the inn where I worked and saved my life when the necromancer attacked it.”

  Two pearls of information from her response. First, that Sulaino had spread the reach of his attacks further south that he’d realized. Second, that Dev found her in Ranello. It almost made his story of being her protector a bit unbelievable now. “How did he go from saving your life to becoming your protector?”

  She cast another glance in Dev’s direction. “I think he’d be the best one to explain that.”

  “You’ll blindly follow him without completely understanding your situation?”

  “I never said that, Your Highness. I understand my situation all too well, both now and before we ran into you the other night.”

  “Then why won’t you answer my question?”

  “Because it’s none of your business.”

  Bynn had the courtesy to cover his mouth this time when he snickered. The sassy witch had provided enough fodder for his friend to tease him with all the way to Trivinus.

  “Fine. You’re dismissed.” He’d reached his limit of humiliation for the day.

  “Thank you, Your Highness.” The deepness of her curtsey matched the sarcasm dripping from her voice.

  When she joined Dev, Bynn released the laughter he’d kept bottled up inside.

  ***

  The soldiers set up camp as the last rays of the autumn sun filtered through the red and gold canopy of leaves above them. Despite their injuries, Kell didn’t notice much of a disruption in the way they worked. They were all seasoned professionals, the elite of the royal guard. And he thanked the Lady Moon he’d only lost one of them during their skirmishes with Sulaino.

  His attention turned to Arden. If she hadn’t unleashed her magic against the undead… A shudder disrupted his thoughts.

  She reclined back on her elbows, soaking up the last of the sun’s warmth. With her eyes closed and a blissful smile on her face, she almost resembled the paintings of the goddess he’d seen in the temple.

  “Now I’m being ridiculous,” he muttered, retreating into his tent. It was one thing to concede she was pretty in her own way and to
be in awe of her power. It was another to give her a divine association.

  “Any changes in your plans for the witch?” Bynn asked the moment Kell sat down.

  “Admit it—she proved to be a bit more difficult than you suspected.” The muscles in his neck began to twitch. “Patience is all it takes.”

  “Like you have any.”

  “Considering the circumstances, I’m willing to gain some. She’s like a siege. It won’t be easy to break through her defenses.” He massaged the knots forming in his shoulders.

  Bynn poured a glass of wine and handed it to him before pouring his own. “And I suppose your usual strategy of sneaking past those walls and undermining her defenses isn’t going to work like it usually does.”

  He snapped his head up. “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “It means you’ve finally met a woman who won’t fall victim to your charms, which has you more riled up than you care to admit. Look at you. You can’t get comfortable, and you can’t get her off your mind.”

  “She’s a woman,” he replied with a laugh.

  “She’s a challenge.”

  “Sooner or later, she’ll cave. I just need to find her weakness like I found the knight’s.”

  “What if he’s her weakness? Have you ever thought of that?” The image of Arden and Dev lying in bed together caused his stomach to tighten. He remembered the way she rushed to find Dev when she woke up in his tent and her demands that he be left unharmed last night. He stood and paced the room, trying to ease his discomfort.

  “She’s been cast aside, and he’s the closest thing she has to blood now. Of course she attached to him.”

  “Attached? Or something more?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out. If I know their connection, I know how I can use it to my advantage. In the meantime, I plan on keeping them separated as much as possible.

  Dev’s waiting for the right moment to grab her and run for the borders.” Bynn swirled the contents of his glass and stared at the resulting vortex. “And why should we stop them, other than the brief humiliation that you let them escape?” Kell stopped and turned on his heel. “Do you seriously think we can defeat Sulaino without her?”

  He looked up from the wine. “I think you’re pinning all your hopes on a witch instead of coming up with an alternative. How do you know we can trust her?”

  “Why would she come to our aid if she meant to harm us?”

  “Dozens of reasons. She could’ve had it out for Sulaino and wanted to defeat him so she could eliminate a rival. Hell, she could be in league with him, and the other night was all just a show so she could infiltrate our group and gain access to the palace.” He placed his glass on the ground. “Have you even considered that?”

  Kell took a deep breath and tilted his head back. Could the two prisoners be underhanded enough to plan such a thing? “No, I haven’t,” he admitted.

  “Your Highness, may I enter?” a man’s voice called from outside, interrupting their conversation.

  “Enter.”

  The flustered captain of the guard strode in with a snatch of weeds in his fist. “Your Highness, I caught her trying to poison us with this.”

  “I was doing no such thing.” Arden came in right on his heels, not pausing to ask permission. “I simply wanted to add some herbs to the meat to make it taste better.” Kell studied her face, looking for the slightest tell of a lie, but found none. “Let me see them.”

  Larenis released the greenery. Bynn came over to sniff a sprig with green, needle-like leaves. “Rosemary.”

  Picking up a different one, Kell held it to his nose and inhaled its slight lemony scent. “Is this wild thyme?”

  “Yes,” she replied with a hint of irritation on her voice. “It’s not my fault your men can’t recognize basic herbs.”

  He examined the rest of the bundle to make sure she didn’t slip something else into it but found nothing. “Larenis, you have nothing to worry about. These are herbs, just as she said.” The captain stared at the ground. His voice trembled slightly when he said, “Yes, Your Highness. I apologize for the interruption.” He didn’t wait to be dismissed before hastening out of the tent.

  Arden took the bunch from his hand. “Thank you, Your Highness.”

  “Wait a moment.” She stopped, and he closed the space between them. “Where did you learn to recognize wild herbs?”

  “I’m a woman. Normally, we amuse ourselves with things like cooking, in case you failed to notice. But I guess the ladies of the court aren’t as well-versed in this subject because they have servants who tend to these mundane matters for them.”

  “For someone who claims to be baseborn, you seem to know quite a bit about life in court.”

  Her face scrunched up like she’d just eaten a lemon. “My mother used to work at the palace.” She lifted the flap and disappeared before he could ask more questions.

  Another gem of information. Kell turned to Bynn to discuss it but paused when he saw the frown on his face. “What’s wrong?”

  “That’s only a taste of what’s going on out there. The men are on edge. They don’t trust her or Dev. If you’re not careful, you may have a mutiny on your hands.”

  “They wouldn’t dare disobey my orders.”

  “So I hope.” His shoulders slumped as he crossed the room. “I’ll speak to Larenis and some of the other men and reassure them. Maybe that will keep them from using your witch for kindling.”

  “You think I’m wrong to keep her alive, don’t you?” Kell held his breath, hoping to keep his doubts to himself.

  Bynn shook his head. “I have my concerns, but no, I don’t think you were wrong to spare her life. It was a tough decision to make, and I’m not sure I would’ve had the courage to do the same.”

  His friend’s words echoed in his mind for the next few hours. Anxious to be free from his doubts, Kell stepped out of his tent to get some fresh air. Outside, the men gathered around the large bonfire, watching two figures in the center. The light from the fire silhouetted them, obscuring their faces, but their graceful movements hypnotized him as they had the others.

  “Who’s giving the swordplay demonstration, Larenis?” he asked once he neared the captain.

  “The two prisoners, Your Highness. Seems the knight demanded he continue the witch’s lessons.” He spat on the ground. “It’s bad enough that she’s a witch, but now he’s trying to teach her how to use a sword. You wait and see—tomorrow morning, we’ll all be slit from nose to navel by the two of them.”

  “I seriously doubt that. If they wanted to kill us, they would have done it already. Or better yet, left us alone in the first place so Sulaino and his undead could do it.” Larenis’ jaw dropped. “Are you saying that we couldn’t have handled them on our own, Your Highness?”

  “You were there. How well did you think we were doing?” When the captain closed his mouth and crossed his arms, Kell knew he’d discussed this long enough with him. “By the way, what did you think of dinner tonight?”

  “It was better than usual,” he begrudgingly admitted.

  “Yes, I agree. The herbs added a nice touch to the meat.” One battle down for the night. If he could convince Larenis that Arden wasn’t a threat, maybe the rest of the men would follow.

  He moved around the crowd until he could see her face. She remained focused on her mentor and the stick in his hand, expertly blocking his blows with her own. A smile stretched her lips to their limits, plumped the apples of her cheeks.

  Something strange curled in the pit of his stomach as he watched her glee from the swordplay, but he couldn’t place it. Fear? Admiration? Envy?

  Dev lunged for her, but Arden danced away and whacked her stick against his neck.

  “Gotcha.”

  Although they both gulped for air, Dev gave his one note laugh. “Finally.”

  “That had to be one of the most impressive displays of swordsmanship I’ve seen in years,” Kell said as he waded through the crowd a
nd approached them. “I hope maybe we can engage in a little match once we get to Trivinus.”

  “Why wait until then?” Dev tossed his stick to him. “You verses Trouble.” Snickers rippled through the men until he glared over his shoulder at them. “You’re asking me to fight your apprentice?”

  “Yes, I am.” The knight moved to the edge of the circle and sat next to his wolf. “She needs all the practice she can get.”

  “What’s the matter, Your Highness?” Arden teased. “Scared to take on a girl?” His answer became choked in his throat. Dev had purposely insulted him by declining his challenge in favor of Arden. If he backed down, he’d lose his men’s respect. “I’m worried that I may harm you.”

  “These are sticks, Your Highness, not real swords.”

  “And don’t worry about her,” Dev added. “She’s tougher than she looks.” Although he had his doubts, he raised his stick and stood en garde. “I’ll try to be easy on you.”

  She laughed, mimicking his stance.

  When she didn’t move, he swung his stick. She blocked his attack with the speed of a master swordsman and continued with the momentum of the maneuver, twisting away from him. The shadows on his peripheral vision hid her. He turned to follow her, only to feel the sting of her stick as it slapped against his chest.

  “Gotcha.” Triumph glowed from her face, and her lips twitched as if she was trying to stifle her laughter.

  Kell’s face burned. The last time an opponent had taken him down in under a minute, he’d still had his nanny present in the room. This time, he didn’t have the excuse of his youth. And he’d lost to a woman.

  He thought he saw an odd green light flash in her eyes before she spoke again. “In all fairness, Your Highness, you were going easy on me. Shall we say best two out of three?” Her offer gave him a chance at redemption. “Sounds fair enough.” They both took the ready positions again. Someone behind Kell whispered his prediction of this match to a comrade—less than one minute again, but with the same result. Anger and pride swirled together in his gut and shot out to his muscles, giving them the fire he needed.