A Soul for Trouble

by Crista McHugh

  “A few. I need to see the layout of the land first.”

  “I thought you were an all-seeing god.”

  “And you’re a cheeky little barmaid.”

  Her giggle caused both her companions to turn and stare at her as if she was losing her mind. Kell shook his head and continued down the tunnel, but Dev lingered next to her, studying her like a scholar would a book. “Are you sure you want to do this?” She nodded, and pushed past him.

  He grabbed her arm and tugged her back. His breath tickled her ear as he said, “Is this your decision or someone else’s?” His eyes flickered to Kell.

  “You heard him earlier. He wanted me to leave.” She shook her arm free. “This is my choice, Dev. Not his. Not Loku’s. Mine.”

  Her words bolstered her courage for a moment, and she strode down the tunnel like she was going to a reception in her honor instead of her possible execution. A few feet later, she ended up chewing her bottom lip and playing with her pendant. “Loku, are you sure we can do this?”

  His laughter vibrated through her body and chased the chill away. “If you can believe Dev’s story, I almost destroyed the world once. Even if Sulaino’s a necromancer, a mere mortal doesn’t stand a chance against me.”

  “But you had your own body then.”

  “Yes, but if you’re a willing conduit for my power, then it’s almost the same thing.”

  “Almost?”

  “Well, I didn’t have tits then.”

  A slight breeze blew across her breasts, and her nipples hardened. She crossed her arms over them. “You’re such a pervert.”

  “I don’t think you mind.”

  The tunnel ended abruptly in a narrow alley that was barely big enough for one person to fit in. “This is it,” Kell whispered.

  “Is there a way for me to see what’s on the other side?”

  “Here.” He slid a metal slat to the side, and the rotting corpse smell rushed into the small space. Even Kell looked slightly green in the torchlight. He squeezed past her to other end of the alley. “Have a look.”

  She stood on her toes to peer out the small opening. Dozens of red eyes illuminated the landscape. Only two of the moons shone overhead, but they gave her enough light to survey the land. “What do you think now, Loku?”

  “I think it’s time we test your elemental power with earth.”

  “What?”

  “We need to get outside to where you can touch the ground.”

  “And then?”

  “Then we give those living corpses a proper burial.”

  “What about Sulaino?”

  Loku took longer than expected to answer that question. “We may need help with him.” She turned back to the other two. They’d retreated from the wall and sought the cleaner air back in the tunnel. “If Loku and I get rid of the army and distract Sulaino, do you think you can finish him off?”

  Dev stared at Kell’s sword. “Is that the same one you had the night we first met?” He nodded. “Why?”

  “Because it can pierce magical shields. Nine to one, Sulaino will have one in place, making my spells and weapons useless until he lowers it. You would have to make the first strike before I could do anything.”

  “So we have a plan then?”

  The men exchanged glances, and each nodded.

  She took a deep breath and wondered where all her spit had gone. “Good. I’ll go out and do my part. When you see a chance to go after Sulaino, take it.” Dev held her shoulders and pushed her against the wall of the tunnel. “You’re not going out there alone, Trouble. I won’t allow it.”

  Her heart pounded from the intensity of his expression. It felt like he wanted to bend her to his will with only his eyes. “You have to. I don’t want him to know about you and Kell until you’re right on top of him. Please, it’s the only way this plan will work.” A muscle rippled along his jaw before he looked away and released her. “Fine, but I’ll be right behind you.”

  She drew another breath. This one shook her to her very core. It was time to see what she could do with the god inside her. “How do I get to the other side?” Kell held up a large key. Rust roughed its surface, and when she took it, flakes crumbled into her hand. He covered her hand with his own. “I meant what I said about not wanting to lose you, Arden,” he whispered low enough so only she heard him.

  Her heart did a little flip-flop. “Stick to the plan, and we won’t fail.”

  “You could have been an actress, my little Soulbearer. You have them convinced that you know what you’re doing, and this whole time, you’re so terrified, you’re about to wet yourself.”

  “Shut up, Loku.” She entered the alley alone. After some pressure, the key fit into the lock and groaned to a click. She closed her eyes and counted to ten before pushing the hidden door in the city wall open.

  “Shields up.”

  She followed Loku’s instructions and took a step out.

  The undead that milled around the wall parted and let her pass. Their expressionless, half-rotted faces bore little resemblance to what they must have looked like alive. Her heart ached for them. Where they as tortured as Dev said they were?

  “Are you ready, my Soulbearer?”

  “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

  “Then let’s begin.” Magic gathered deep inside, pushing against the confines of her body and threatening to explode.

  She gritted her teeth, tried to contain it until the right moment.

  “Don’t fight me. Give yourself to me, and we can defeat him.” She nodded and surrendered to the chaos god inside her. The magic pulsed stronger and stronger with each beat of her heart, coming in like waves crashing against a dam. Now was the moment. “Sulaino,” she shouted into the crowd, “if you want us, come and get us.” Her voice deepened with each word until it was no longer her own. Loku now controlled her. Her vision blurred, and the last thing she remembered was slamming her palm against the ground and the rush of magic that poured from her fingertips.

  ***

  The first roll of the land caught Kell off balance. The second one knocked him off his feet.

  “Sweet Lady Moon, what’s she doing?”

  Dev snatched him by the collar and dragged him out of the way from the showers of rock that crumbled from the walls. “Earth magic.”

  The next wave collapsed the tunnel behind them. The bitter taste of fear filled his mouth.

  His heart jumped into his throat. “Let’s get out of here.”

  “For once, I agree with you, Your Highness.” Dev shoved his shoulder against the door, opening it just wide enough for them to pass through one at a time. “After you.” He fell through the opening and landed face-first in the mud. Disgust oozed from him like the muck between his fingers. Some way to treat a prince. If they survived tonight, he needed to have a talk with the arrogant elf.

  When he lifted his eyes, his jaw dropped. Arden crouched less than ten feet ahead of him.

  Waves of bright green magic pulsated from her hand into the ground, each one turning into a rumble of the earth that radiated out like ripples in pond. As the first waves struck the undead, they knocked them to the ground. Then the subsequent waves formed large clay hands that sucked them deep into the earth. The land outside the city instantly turned into a mass grave.

  “Look out!” Dev jumped in front of him and rolled him to the side. A warm blanket of magic wrapped around him, deflecting the boulder-sized chunks of the outer wall that fell around them.

  Magic crept along his skin, but it no longer unnerved him like before. “You’re using one of those shield things, aren’t you?”

  “Yeah, but I sometimes wonder why I bother. You seem to be in a hurry to have your head cracked open.”

  “Remind me to thank you later.” His stomach heaved as if he were on a boat in rough seas.

  He closed his eyes until the waves became less violent.

  The earth storm waned after several agonizing minutes, and when he opened his eyes, only two figures stood in fr
ont of him: Arden and Sulaino.

  “Ready?” Dev released him and reached for his sword.

  The film of magic that surrounded him retreated, exposing him once again to the icy chill that sucked all the happiness from him. He pushed himself up from the ground and noticed that the mud hardened and cracked as though it had been frozen. His fingers wrapped the hilt of his sword as he focused on the necromancer in the distance. “Ready.”

  “Remember, you have to strike first.”

  He nodded, casting a glance at Arden. She’d risen to her feet now with her arms outstretched in front of her, aiming the tendrils of green magic at Sulaino. Her grimace revealed her efforts to keep fighting, but the slump of her shoulders showed that she had almost reached her limit.

  Ahead, a small mound of earth encased the necromancer’s lower body. The same clay hands that effortlessly sucked the undead underground minutes before clawed at his arms and his robes. They tugged at him, but he shrugged them off. Jagged red streaks of light that shot out from his fingers pummeled an invisible wall a few feet from Arden. With each second, they pushed it further back.

  Kell tightened his jaw. “Let’s get him before he hurts her.” He sprang to his feet and raced toward Sulaino. Footsteps crunched against the hardened clay behind him, letting him know Dev was right on his heels. He raised his sword, ready to strike as soon as he got close enough.

  The necromancer turned to him with shock clearly on his face. The red magic dimmed from his fingers, and the earthen mound climbed up his chest. A snarl curled his lips as a bolt of magic snaked across the field at him.

  Another blanket of magic encircled Kell, but the blow still knocked him off his feet as if he’d been punched in the gut. The taste of blood filled his mouth.

  Dev grabbed his arm and pulled him up. “Keep running. I’ll protect you from him.” He looked back and saw Arden drop to her knees. His mouth went dry, and his throat constricted. The wall now only stood inches from her face. He fought the urge to turn around and protect her.

  “Stop wasting time,” Dev growled behind him. “If her shield breaks, she’s dead.” That was all the encouragement he needed. He dug his toes into the ground and ran until his lungs felt like they were going to burst. More bolts of red magic bounced helplessly off the shield Dev cast around them as they closed the distance between them. Time to kill that bastard before he took the one thing on this earth that he cared about. He aimed the tip of his blade straight at Sulaino’s heart and didn’t slow down until the crunch of bone vibrated up his arm.

  Arden’s cry of exhaustion echoed across the plain in harmony with the necromancer’s death shriek.

  Kell threw the weight of his body behind his sword and continued to press through Sulaino’s flesh until the bloodied tip appeared on the other side. He stared into the face of the man who caused so much terror and destruction through his kingdom. “Time for you see what waits for you in the void,” he spat with one final shove of his sword.

  Sulaino’s mouth hung open, and his eyes bugged out. A spasm racked his body. His one hand grasped Kell’s. “Fool…”

  “Step back, Kell,” Dev ordered. His sword sliced through the air and lopped off the necromancer’s head in one clean swing.

  Flames engulfed the beheaded body, forcing Kell to jump back before they ignited his clothes. The ashes disintegrated and dispersed in the wind. Now there was nothing left of the necromancer.

  Relief surged through him. They’d done it. All three of them. Sulaino was nothing more than a memory.

  An eerie silence hung in the air as if everyone inside the city was scared to breath. His lungs burned, and a stitch in his side reminded him of how hard he pushed himself tonight. But there was still one more thing he needed to do. He sheathed his sword and stumbled back to Arden.

  She lay face-down on the ground. When he rolled her over, her pale face appeared grey in the moonlight. He gathered her into his arms. Seconds ticked by as he watched for the subtle rise and fall of her chest, fearing the worst.

  “She’s not dead,” Dev said as he approached. The necromancer’s head dangled from his hand. “I would know it if she was.”

  “How?”

  “I’m her protector.” If he knew his vague answer perturbed Kell, he didn’t show it. His lean face seemed tense when he knelt next to them. “She needs to sleep for a day or two, and then we’ll know more about her condition.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I warned you that if she channeled Loku, there could be dire consequences, and I didn’t mean the collapse of the outer wall.” He visibly struggled with the next sentence. “She may not be the same person when she awakens.”

  Kell traced the outlines of her cheekbones and jaw. She appeared to be the same as before, no different than the first night he saw her. Just a skinny girl with hair the color of sunshine.

  His chest tightened, and he pulled her closer until he felt her warm breath on his neck. He had to hope for the best. “She’ll be fine, Dev. You’ll see. She’s stronger than we give her credit for.”

  Chapter 37

  Dev stared across the sunny room at Kell. The young prince rubbed his sagging eyelids for the third time in the last five minutes, but he refused to leave Trouble’s side. “Get some sleep.

  She’s not going to wake up any time soon.”

  He shook his head like a stubborn child. “I want to be here when she does.”

  “I’ll send for you the minute she stirs.” It was a lie, but one he wanted the prince to believe. He didn’t want Kell to witness her mental deterioration before he had a chance to evaluate her. After her display of power last night, she could’ve well turned into Robb. His gut clenched at the thought.

  “You promise?”

  The corner of his mouth twitched. “I give you my word as a knight.” Kell snorted. “We both know what kind of knight you are.” He brushed a stray piece of hair off of her face. “But unless I can crawl into bed next to her…” Dev crossed his arms. He’d allowed the prince’s doting so far, but he drew the line with him sharing Trouble’s bed. A twinge of guilt stabbed him when he remembered how much he enjoyed lying next to her, but he saw no reason for Kell to know about that. Instead, he glared at him until the prince retreated from her.

  “Fine, I’ll sleep in my own bed. But remember, you’ll send for me the moment she starts to wake up.”

  “Of course, Your Highness.”

  Kell bent over and pressed his lips to Trouble’s forehead, causing something to clench in Dev’s gut. He envied how freely the other man could show his affections for the girl. But he knew the reason why more than ever now. If he’d allowed his feelings for Trouble to get the better of him last night, they’d all be dead. His head, not his heart, had protected them from Sulaino’s magic. He just hoped he’d made the right decision letting her fight Sulaino instead of locking her up in the dungeon.

  “I’ll be back in a few hours, then.”

  Dev nodded and waited until he was alone before he sat in his chair next to the bed. Dark smudges circled the lower half of her eyes, creating a stark contrast to her waxen complexion.

  If he didn’t see her breathing, he would have sworn she was dead. He resisted the urge to hold her in his arms while she slept. Was it selfish of him to want to be the first person she saw when she opened her eyes?

  She sighed softly and nestled deeper into the pillows. A smile played on her lips.

  He tensed, preparing to send for the prince, but when made she made no movement afterward, he relaxed back in the chair. A dream. That’s all it was. He wondered what it was about. Hopefully, nothing like the dream Loku sent him. He didn’t know if he’d be able to resist this time.

  “What do you have in store for her, Loku? You’ve won her over. How much further are you going to push her?”

  The god didn’t answer.

  He pressed his knuckles into his chin. Even if she was awake, the king still declared them prisoners. After last night, no one would deny that she
was a witch. The entire city watched her destroy the necromancer’s army. It took a small band of men surrounding them to get them through the city streets and back to the palace. People pressed up to them, their cries of gratitude mingling with their cries of fear. He balled his fingers into a fist. Yes, the Ranellians were happy to be alive, but they didn’t want to thank the witch that saved them.

  Even the king shared their reaction, only he seemed more troubled. Bynn and Ortono had brought Gandor and Larenis to him before she saved the city. He’d seen their battered and burned bodies and knew the savior of the kingdom had also attacked his heir and the captain of the guard, two symbols of his authority. Heodis spent most of the night with his gaze flickering back and forth between her and Sulaino’s head while he listened to the series of events. The first rosy fingers of dawn had pierced the sky before he waved them away, saying he needed to sleep before he reached a conclusion.

  Dev rubbed his temples. At least Heodis wasn’t making any rash decisions. He just wished time wasn’t ticking against them. Thick frost covered the land and coated the windows this morning. Storm season would be coming early this year.

  He mused over their situation until the sun rose higher in the sky. A beam of light crossed the window, flashed on her pendant when she rolled her head to the side. He waited for a few seconds to see if she stirred again before placing the flat gold square in his palm. She’d always kept it hidden from him, but now he had a chance to study it.

  His eyes widened when he saw the Elvish writing on one side. No wonder she just dismissed it as random etchings. He peered closer at the inscription. “To Alisa, the brightest star in the sky.” He flipped it over. His blood turned to ice when he saw the Milorian Rose, a symbol of one of the oldest Elvan families in Gravaria, on the back.

  He released the pendant as if it burned him. The room swayed, forcing him to close his eyes. How could she be connected to the Milorians? She was just a barmaid from a remote corner of Ranello. The political ramifications alone boggled his mind.