A Soul For Trouble

Chapter 19

"And then Loku could torment someone else."

Dev halted and spun around. "For someone who's collecting death threats, you seem very nonchalant about all this. I'm trying to teach you what I can so you'll stay alive long enough to get to safety."

"And I appreciate it—really, I do." She placed her hand on his arm. "I'm sorry I disappointed you."

His lips curled up into a smile. "I wouldn't say your performance was a complete disappointment, Trouble. I had to keep from laughing when you got the prince in less than a minute."

"So, I'm learning something, right?"

"Yes, you're learning quicker than I thought, which is a good thing, considering you have a necromancer hunting you." A serious expression replaced any mirth that he'd allowed to show on his face. Back to business once again.

He didn't say anything else, much to her relief. Whatever happened between her and the prince was just a one-time thing, and life showed signs of returning back to normal. She sank to the ground by her saddle, reaching for her bedroll. The rush from the battle and almost getting kissed seeped out of her body, taking all her energy with it. She'd sleep well once she quieted her mind.

She had just unrolled her blankets when Dev cursed under his breath.

The prince's right-hand man, Lord Bynn, approached them. "Come with me."

"Both of us?" Dev's sarcasm held an edge as sharp as any blade.

"Just the girl."

Her heart skipped a beat. "He's going to punish me for publically humiliating the prince, isn't he?"

"If he tries anything, I'll make him regret it. Dev probably would, too."

"Why?" her protector asked. His hand slid down his leg to the edge of his boot.

She remembered the slim knife he concealed there from the one night he removed his entire arsenal in front of her. How many other weapons did he still have on his body?

"Prince Kell's orders. He wants to make sure she has a safe place to sleep."

"She's perfectly safe next to me."

A smirk appeared on the noble's face. "I'm afraid the prince disagrees with you."

Arden found a break in the conversation and jumped in with her opinion. "Why? Because he thinks I'll be safer next to him?"

"You won't be sleeping in his tent, if that's what concerns you," came the clipped reply. "You can either come with me peacefully, or I can have the men take you like they tried to last night."

Dev's fingers disappeared into his boot, but she stopped him before he could retrieve the weapon by covering his hand with her own. "It's fine, Dev. I'll take Cinder with me again."

Bynn didn't look very pleased at having to accommodate both her and the wolf, but his annoyance eased when she rolled her blankets back up and stood. Dev's expression, however, remained unchanged; he still looked like he wanted to gut the young lord standing in front of him.

"This way." No thanks for defusing a potentially explosive situation. No mention of her name. Nothing.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll stay in my tent tonight."

Arden dug her heels in. "Listen, I've already told the prince I'm not going to warm his bed, and I sure as hell won't be passed around his friends. You got that?"

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her so his face was inches away from his. "For someone in your position, you have a lot of nerve speaking to anyone that way. I should order you whipped for that arrogant display earlier this evening, witch."