A Soul For Chaos (The Soulbearer Trilogy) (26 page)

Arden shoved him away. “You knew, didn’t you? You knew my father was an elf.”

Dev leaned back on his heels and ran his hand along his face. Confession time had come, and he wasn’t sure how much she already knew. “Yes. I noticed the scars the first morning I spent with you.”

“And you didn’t tell me?”

“Would it have changed anything?”

Her chin quivered. Then she jumped to her feet and ran down the stairs.

By Jussip, he was going to have to lock her away and throw away the key if he ever wanted to have a moment of peace. If she ran into Caz, it would be the perfect culmination to this shitstorm that had been brewing since they got off the ship.

He chased her down the stairs and caught her at the halfway point, pushing her against the wall. “Will you get ahold of yourself before you get into even more trouble?”

“How much more do you know? Do you know who that bastard is?” Her boot connected with his shin, but he held on to her wrists, pinning her to the wall as she thrashed to get free. “Is he one of your elf buddies? Is that why you’ve been hiding him from me?”

“Will you listen to yourself?”

Her attacks grew weaker. “I’m tired of you treating me like a child.”

“Then stop acting like one.”

The fight left her, and her head dropped down. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

He released her wrists and let her body slump against him, his arms wrapped around her. His heart ached for her. He knew the power a memory could have, how it could weigh on the soul until it squeezed out every drop of joy. “Look at how much pain this one memory has caused you. I just wanted to protect you.”

“You can’t protect me from the truth. It will eventually come out. It always does.”

He nodded and stroked her hair. “I was a fool to hope I could keep this knowledge from you forever.”

She looked up at him, her tears dying up. “Why would you even try?”

“Because I’m your Protector, Arden.” He ran his finger along her wet cheek to the place where her tears pooled along her jaw, wiping them away. “I would slay all your demons for you if you’d let me, just so you’d never have to cry again.”

She laced her fingers through his, her eyes softening. “You would?”

He nodded. “Until I draw my last breath.”

A hesitant smile drew up her lips. She leaned her head toward him.

His pulse quickened. If she kissed him, he didn’t know if he could stop himself from kissing her back.

“Is everything alright?” Sazi called from above.

They jerked away from each other, both of them breathing heavier than normal. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. It was getting harder and harder to hide his feelings from her, to deny her touch. And if she continued to look at him that way, he wouldn’t be able to resist her any longer.

“We’re fine,” Arden called back.

But when she stared at him, he felt like his whole world was unraveling. He meant what he said about wanting to slay all her demons, and as long as they existed—real or otherwise—he couldn’t let his guard down. And the fact he felt her pain from a distance worried him all the more. It spoke of the growing bond between them, one that could further compromise his duty. How could he keep a clear head when his thoughts constantly revolved around her?

He offered a shaky hand to her. “We’d best go back inside Sazi’s tower before one of the Lord Chamberlain’s men find you.”

“I suppose you’re right.” She took his hand and followed him upstairs, saying along the way, “Thank you, Dev, for wanting to protect me.”

Chapter 22

Kell followed Fane through the nearly deserted streets of Queembra. It was the middle of the afternoon, when the heat was at its peak, and most of the citizens had retreated to the cool shade of their homes. He wiped his brow. “Where are you taking me?”

“This way,” the knight replied and pointed down the street.

In the distance, the steady clang of metal being shaped under a smith’s hammer answered. They followed it into a nondescript alley where the blast of the bellows stirred the air from the workshop housed inside.

The smith had his back to them, but stopped his work when they approached. “You’ve brought me a visitor, Sir Fane.”

“Indeed, I have, Foresco. I hope this is not an inconvenient time.”

“Not at all.” The man turned around, his sightless eyes clouded white, and nodded to them. “I’ve been expecting you, Prince Kell.”

A shiver of unease raced down his back, making him forget about the oppressive heat. He’d mentioned to Fane a couple of weeks ago that he wanted to meet the elven swordsmith and ask about his weapon, but nothing could have prepared him for this.

Foresco laid his hammer aside and moved to a barrel of water, splashing it on his face and silver hair. Then, using the wall as his guide, he ventured into the hidden courtyard tucked away on the other side of his workshop. “Please join me, gentlemen. I had my apprentice fetch us some chilled wine.”

Kell exchanged a glance with Fane, silently asking if what he was seeing was real. The knight nodded, encouraging him forward, and they sat at the table beside a gurgling fountain.

“I appreciate you receiving us without warning,” Fane said, taking the glass of wine that Foresco offered him.

The elf laughed. “I had plenty of warning. Ivis gave me sight beyond sight for a reason.”

Kell’s brow puckered. “Ivis? Is she another one of your Gravarian gods?”

“The only goddess as far as I’m concerned.” Foresco’s serene smile softened the harsh whites of his scarred eyes. “You may know her as the Lady Moon.”

Finally, a deity he was familiar with. He rested his hand on the hilt of his sword. “I wanted to talk to you about the sword you made for my father years ago.”

The elf shook his head. “No, I made it for you, Prince Kell. My creations are meant for one person, and I take extra care to ensure that only that person can use it.”

So far, he backed up what Dev had told him. “But I was a mere child when you created this. How did you know to create a sword that would feel so perfect in my hands when I hadn’t even reached my adult years?”

He tapped his temple. “Ivis showed me all I needed to know. When she grants me a vision, I am bound to her request.”

None of this made any sense. He was talking to blind man about visions from the Lady Moon and ending up with more questions than answers. “Are all your creations based off your visions?”

“Ivis guides my hand and my hammer, shaping the weapon I cannot see, all to fulfill her glory.” Foresco smiled, his face creasing to reveal his age.

“It sounds all well and good, but I’m still puzzled why she would ask you to create a weapon for me.”

The elf leaned forward, his smile broadening. “You want me to reveal the visions she gave me, don’t you?”

Kell gulped. Something in Foresco’s expression warned him about the dangers of knowing too much about his future. But curiosity got the better of him. “If you feel comfortable telling me what you saw.”

His smile dimmed, and he reclined back in his chair, his hands folded on his stomach. “You are wise to be cautious, Prince Kell. Only a fool wishes to ignore the gifts of Ivis when presented to him, but you are also wary of the power they contain.”

The swordsmith was giving him one more chance to leave without knowing his future, of what the Lady Moon had planned for him, but he remained determined. “Is there a reason why you made his sword able to pierce magical shields?”

“Have you not already witnessed the benefit of that spell?”

“Yes, I have.” When Sulaino attacked Trivinus, it was his sword that managed to breech the shields around him and bring an end to the necromancer’s life.

“Then you do not need to ask why I gave that particular quality to your sword.”

“And is that all I’ll need it for?”

Both of Foresco’s brows rose. “Are you asking if you’ll be tested again?”

Kell’s palms grew damp. The sharp edge in the elf’s voice warned him that he might not like what he heard. But as the seconds ticked by, he came to his decision. His father always stressed the importance of thinking three steps ahead, and if he knew what trials were in store for him, he’d be better prepared. “Yes.”

Foresco’s eyes shimmered, turning silver like the largest moon. “Ivis has shown me many things about you, Prince Kell. You’ve just begun your journey, and although you will know disappointment and heartache, if you remain faithful to her, she will reward you in the end.”

Frustration rankled inside his gut. The man spoke only in riddles. “Is there anything specific I should know?”

The elf’s sightless eyes rolled toward Fane. “He is quite determined, isn’t he?”

The knight laughed. “You haven’t witnessed his conversations with the Empress lately.”

“Let me pray on it then.” Foresco closed his eyes, his lips moving in a wordless conversation with the Lady Moon. When he opened them again, he said, “Ivis has granted me permission to tell you these things.”

The glow of his silver eyes seemed to tear straight through Kell. “You will see your dream of a new Ranello take shape, but not without sacrifice. You will know defeat. You will lose those you hold dear. But in the process, Ivis will bless you. You will help destroy a god, and you will save your homeland yet again.”

Kell’s stomach dropped. He’d asked to know more about his future, but now that he had that information, he wished he hadn’t. It raised too many questions. Who would he lose? How will he be defeated? Was Loku the god he would destroy?

The light faded from Foresco’s eyes, leaving them the dull scarred white color they were before. “Please do not ask for more, Prince Kell. I have shared all Ivis will allow me.”

Fane let out a low whistle. “And now I know why I’ll never ask for information about my future.”

Kell sat with his head down, dissecting the prophetic declaration. He’d been so focused on the negative that he almost forgot the first thing Foresco had shared with him. He would bring change to Ranello, and a sensation of peace washed over him. As long as he knew the end result, he could face the challenges ahead of him. “Thank you, Foresco.”

“It is not me you should be thanking, but Ivis.”

If he lingered any longer, he’d be tempted to pry one more answer out of the seer, one that involved Arden. As much as he missed her, he wasn’t sure he wanted to hear what Ivis had planned for them. The mention of heartache already had his guard raised.

He stood and bowed to Foresco. “We’ve kept you from your work long enough.”

The other two men rose from their seats, and their host extended his hands. “Please, may I hold the sword once again? It is like saying hello to an old friend.”

Kell pulled the sword from the scabbard and handed it to the elf.

Foresco ran his fingers along the blade, a wistful smile on his lips. “I remember this sword very well. It’s one of my finest creations.”

The blue light infused the blade as its creator continued to inspect it with his hands. When it faded, the metal shimmered with a mirror-like polish.

Foresco returned it to him. “I pray it will continue to serve you well. Take good care of it, for you’ll need it in the days ahead.”

“I will.” Kell slid the sword back into its scabbard, but his fingers remained on the hilt.

“This way, Your Highness.” Fane ushered him back through the workshop and into the alley.

“One more thing,” Foresco called out to them. He moved toward them, his steps unhampered by his blindness, and rested his hand on Kell’s shoulder. “Remember what I said about remaining faithful to Ivis. Trust in her plan, no matter how different it is from what you desire now.”

His stomach dropped again. The thing he desired most was Arden. Would he lose her through all this? He removed the elf’s hand. “I will bear that in mind.”

Chapter 23

Arden sat atop an outcropping along the edge of the Conclave, letting the wind ripple her hair. There would be no lessons today. Sazi had been called back to her home deep within the mountains, and Arden was determined to enjoy the warm spring day after spending weeks cooped up in the cold tower room.

Cinder lifted his head from where he sat beside her and growled.

Raggia slowed her steps toward them, lifting the hem of her skirt. Her smile seemed forced. “Oh, Cinder, stop being silly. You know me.”

The fire wolf lowered his lips but not his hackles.

“I’d follow the wolf’s lead,” Loku said. “She’s up to something.”

It was the first time Raggia had come near her since the day of the testing. Arden raised her shields. “Good morning, Mage Sextus.”

“Finally free of Sazi?” She climbed up the rock, her feet slipping out from under her, and her body wobbling with each step. “Could you give me a hand?”

Arden cast a glance to where Dev stood talking with his father about a hundred yards away. If Raggia tried anything, they would be close enough to intervene.

“Or you can just let me take care of her for you,” Loku offered.

Raggia still waited on the ledge below, her hand outstretched. Her smile was beginning to fade into a look of pure desperation.

Arden helped her up to the top of the rock. “Why are you seeking me out?”

“Are Ranellians always this blunt?” Raggia tucked her skirts under her as she sat. “I wanted to apologize for putting you through such difficult tasks during your testing.”

Arden followed her gaze to where Dev and his father stood. Raggia seemed more interested in them than her. She was probably trying to get back into their good graces. “Apology accepted.”

Arden had hoped her clipped reply would be the end of the conversation, but Raggia wouldn’t take a hint. “How well do you know Dev?”

I’m done playing nice. “If you’re trying to get on my good side to get to him—”

“On the contrary, I wanted to tell you a little bit more about the man charged with protecting you.”

A thread of doubt wove itself into the back of Arden’s mind. She’d been trying to learn more about Dev’s past for months, but Raggia didn’t strike her as the most reliable source of information. She agreed with Loku—the Mage Sextus was up to something. “What do you wish to tell me?”