A Soul For Trouble

Chapter 5

Dev inspected the tunics and leggings the innkeeper provided for him.

"He outgrew them so fast, they didn't have much time to get holes in them. The boots, too."

The fabric showed some signs of gentle wear, but the innkeeper was right. No holes. He held one of the tunics up in front of him, trying to imagine Trouble wearing it. She was thin, but also tall for a Ranellian woman. The young man's outfit should fit her well enough until they got to Gravaria.

"I'll take them." Dev pressed another coin into the man's hand. "And I appreciate your assistance on this matter."

He turned to walk away when the innkeeper said, "She ain't really your apprentice, is she?"

Dev stiffened at the suggestive tone in the man's voice. "I'm not sure what you're implying."

The innkeeper held up his hands and took a step back. "No offense intended, but it's not often I get a man claiming to have a female apprentice, especially one looking like her. I don't doubt a few noblemen out there wouldn't mind bedding a young girl with hair the color of gold. Lord Yessling, for example, has been known to have exotic tastes in women, if you're looking for a place to sell her."

"Things are handled differently in Gravaria." The growl in his voice made his annoyance very clear to the innkeeper, judging by how the sly smile slipped from the man's face. "Women are not bought and sold like cattle and, more importantly, they are educated to the fullest of their abilities, unlike here."

The man's Adam's apple bobbed up and down several times before he found his voice again. "Very good, sir. Will you and your apprentice be eating tonight?"

"Yes. After she's done bathing and dressing, you can send some food up." Thank the gods this conversation was almost over.

"Of course, sir. Oh, and my daughter reminded me that the young lady might want a comb and a mirror." The innkeeper placed the items on top of the pile of clothes then returned to the main room.

Dev climbed the back staircase, grateful he didn't have to cross the main room again. He tended to draw stares wherever he went in this kingdom for always wearing his cloak and hood in public, but it was safer than letting the people see his ears, especially in this remote corner of Ranello. They'd probably kill first and ask questions later. Or burn him at the stake like Trouble mentioned earlier.

He paused in front of the door, listening. Claws scratched against the floor on the other side, letting him know Cinder was moving away from the door. But no muttering or one-way conversations yet. Unfortunately, it was just a matter of time before she slipped into that.

A shriek filled the room when he opened the door. Trouble reached for the towel and draped it over her chest and the top of the tub. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking?"

"I wanted to prove how easily a killer could sneak up on you." He dumped the clothes on the bed, along with the comb and the mirror.

"Point made. Now let me finish my bath."

"You look like you're almost done to me." Her skin glowed pink, and her wet hair hung down her back in golden waves. The faint scent of roses lingered in the air.

She pulled her hair over her shoulder and twisted it, wringing out the remaining water. The sharp edges of her shoulder blades winged from the movement, and he counted each of the prominent vertebrae along her spine. She needed to be eating, not lingering in a tub. His eyes travelled farther down until he saw the black lines etched onto the small of her back. Loku's symbol. If the greenish-gold ring in her eyes hadn't already marked her as the Soulbearer, this confirmed it. He'd lost count of how many times he wished it wasn't her burden to bear.