Read Online A Soul For Chaos (The Soulbearer Trilogy) by Crista McHugh - Free Book Online
Authors: Crista McHugh
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protector, and it’s my duty to keep her from harm.” He paused and lifted his eyes to the prince. “Including the threats she’s too blind to see.”
Kell stopped and curled his fingers into fists. “Admit it, Dev. You’ve never liked me.”
He chuckled and gazed down his blade, admiring how razor thin the edge was. “I wouldn’t go as far as to say that, Your Highness. You have a few redeeming qualities.”
“Just none when it comes to Arden, right?”
“You make a good nursemaid.” The calmer he remained, the more agitated the prince became. Thank Jussip age and experience had tempered him enough not to let his emotions get the better of him. In a couple of weeks, he’d be able to take Arden to a place where Kell couldn’t follow them. Until then, he needed to resist the temptation to lock her in her room for the rest of the voyage.
“Damn it, Dev, I will not have you mock me.” Kell’s cheeks flushed with anger, and his knuckles blanched. “I care about her, which is more than I can say about you.”
Dev froze, waiting to suppress the storm of emotions raging inside him. This was precisely the reason why he couldn’t allow himself to get close to her. He feared turning into some jealous lover that would run any man through for looking at her the wrong way. Or worse, become so ensnared in her wiles that he let his guard down.
He stood, sliding his sword back into its scabbard, but his hand never left the hilt. “Don’t presume you know anything about me, Kell.”
“I base my judgment on what I see before me.”
“As do I.” His fingers itched to grip his sword, to show the bratty young princeling a lesson. But instead, he drew in a deep breath and let his hand fall lax. “Your father never sent you on this diplomatic envoy, did he?”
Only the slightest widening of Kell’s eyes revealed the truth. Dev had spent years watching card players for their tells, and he knew from the moment Kell told his tale that he was lying.
“I know for a fact the last diplomatic envoy ended on a bitter note,” Dev continued, “and the last thing I see your father doing is re-establishing ties with Gravaria.”
Kell’s chest rose. “Perhaps he’s come around in his old age.”
“Or perhaps you’ll make up any excuse to be with Arden.” He caught a flicker of movement along Kell’s jaw from the tightening of the muscle—another tell that he was right.
“Things are changing, even now.” Kell didn’t blink as he spoke. “When I’m king, I’ll shape Ranello into the kingdom I envision it can be.”
“And I bet you’d love to have a powerful witch like Arden in your arsenal, just like you did when Sulaino was threatening your kingdom.” Dev took a step toward him. “You have no idea of the magic you’re playing with, nor the consequences it can bring.”
“If you’re going to tell me that nonsense about it driving her insane, I don’t believe it. I saw with my own eyes what she did.” Kell narrowed the space between them. “And I saw she suffered nothing more than exhaustion afterwards.”
“We were lucky then.”
“Or maybe you were wrong about everything.”
Dev opened his mouth to reply, but a shock raced down his spine. His stomach turned, and the overwhelming sense of foreboding quickened his pulse. The air grew heavy with magic. Strong, dark magic.
Even Kell’s breath caught. Panic filled his eyes.
This type of magic only meant one thing. Arden was in danger.
Dev raced for the door, the sound of footsteps telling him Kell was close behind. He flung it open to witness a giant watery hand splashing onto the deck toward Arden.
The boat lurched to the side. She fumbled for a nearby rope, her eyes wide as she slid toward the sea. The watery hand wrapped around her ankles, pulling her closer to the edge. She reached for him. “Dev!”
He dove toward her. Their fingers brushed. Heart pounding, he tried to grasp her, but she slipped away through the railing
The ship
Kell stopped and curled his fingers into fists. “Admit it, Dev. You’ve never liked me.”
He chuckled and gazed down his blade, admiring how razor thin the edge was. “I wouldn’t go as far as to say that, Your Highness. You have a few redeeming qualities.”
“Just none when it comes to Arden, right?”
“You make a good nursemaid.” The calmer he remained, the more agitated the prince became. Thank Jussip age and experience had tempered him enough not to let his emotions get the better of him. In a couple of weeks, he’d be able to take Arden to a place where Kell couldn’t follow them. Until then, he needed to resist the temptation to lock her in her room for the rest of the voyage.
“Damn it, Dev, I will not have you mock me.” Kell’s cheeks flushed with anger, and his knuckles blanched. “I care about her, which is more than I can say about you.”
Dev froze, waiting to suppress the storm of emotions raging inside him. This was precisely the reason why he couldn’t allow himself to get close to her. He feared turning into some jealous lover that would run any man through for looking at her the wrong way. Or worse, become so ensnared in her wiles that he let his guard down.
He stood, sliding his sword back into its scabbard, but his hand never left the hilt. “Don’t presume you know anything about me, Kell.”
“I base my judgment on what I see before me.”
“As do I.” His fingers itched to grip his sword, to show the bratty young princeling a lesson. But instead, he drew in a deep breath and let his hand fall lax. “Your father never sent you on this diplomatic envoy, did he?”
Only the slightest widening of Kell’s eyes revealed the truth. Dev had spent years watching card players for their tells, and he knew from the moment Kell told his tale that he was lying.
“I know for a fact the last diplomatic envoy ended on a bitter note,” Dev continued, “and the last thing I see your father doing is re-establishing ties with Gravaria.”
Kell’s chest rose. “Perhaps he’s come around in his old age.”
“Or perhaps you’ll make up any excuse to be with Arden.” He caught a flicker of movement along Kell’s jaw from the tightening of the muscle—another tell that he was right.
“Things are changing, even now.” Kell didn’t blink as he spoke. “When I’m king, I’ll shape Ranello into the kingdom I envision it can be.”
“And I bet you’d love to have a powerful witch like Arden in your arsenal, just like you did when Sulaino was threatening your kingdom.” Dev took a step toward him. “You have no idea of the magic you’re playing with, nor the consequences it can bring.”
“If you’re going to tell me that nonsense about it driving her insane, I don’t believe it. I saw with my own eyes what she did.” Kell narrowed the space between them. “And I saw she suffered nothing more than exhaustion afterwards.”
“We were lucky then.”
“Or maybe you were wrong about everything.”
Dev opened his mouth to reply, but a shock raced down his spine. His stomach turned, and the overwhelming sense of foreboding quickened his pulse. The air grew heavy with magic. Strong, dark magic.
Even Kell’s breath caught. Panic filled his eyes.
This type of magic only meant one thing. Arden was in danger.
Dev raced for the door, the sound of footsteps telling him Kell was close behind. He flung it open to witness a giant watery hand splashing onto the deck toward Arden.
The boat lurched to the side. She fumbled for a nearby rope, her eyes wide as she slid toward the sea. The watery hand wrapped around her ankles, pulling her closer to the edge. She reached for him. “Dev!”
He dove toward her. Their fingers brushed. Heart pounding, he tried to grasp her, but she slipped away through the railing
The ship
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