A Soul For Trouble

Chapter 9

Dev's jaw began to unclench when the next farming town came into view. He had underestimated this necromancer, and Trouble had almost gotten killed because of it. The threat that followed them on the breeze served as a challenge.

A yawn behind him also reminded him that he'd also underestimated the new Soulbearer. It was one thing to shoot a single fireball at an enemy, but six? Either she'd received some training in the magical arts, or she was more powerful than he first thought. Judging by Ranello's hostile attitude toward mages, he placed his bet on the latter. He remembered what Loku had said about being drawn to her power. What did the god have in mind for her?

He shook his head. Too many questions without answers. Fatigue sagged his shoulders, reminding him of how little sleep he'd gotten tonight. Maybe in the morning, the answers would appear more readily than they did now.

Trouble yawned again, and the warm glow of her shield retreated from him. Its absence left a chill in its wake. He savored the remnants that pressed against his back. Yet another thing puzzling him. "Where did you learn to cast a shield?" And more importantly, why hadn't she cast it before the necromancer attacked her?

"Loku taught me." Sleep laced her words.

"Stay awake until the sun comes up. We'll be safe then."

Her arms tightened, but she didn't say anything else. She must be weary not to ask her usual barrage of questions. He slid his hand over hers and let it linger there, enjoying the faint pulsations of her arteries that vibrated through his fingertips. The fact that this naïve little barmaid had managed to stay unharmed so far amazed him.

"Your hands are warm," she murmured.

"Cold?"

"I'm the one without a cloak here."

He chuckled at the return of her sarcasm. "And does Loku have a suggestion about how to get your own cloak?"

A few seconds later, she tugged on the bottom of his cloak. She reached her arms under it and pressed her body close to his back. "Mmmm, better."

"Is this what Loku suggested?"

She paused before drawing out the word, "No."

His curiosity rose, washing the fatigue away from his body for a brief while. "What did he suggest, then?"

"You don't want to know."

The memory of the way her body writhed in bed caused him to inhale sharply. He had a pretty good idea of what Loku suggested. Blood rushed to his groin, and he shifted in the saddle to find a more comfortable position. Why did he torture himself this way? He should know better than to have such thoughts about the Soulbearer. Just because she was a woman didn't change the fact that he was sworn to protect her, not take advantage of her.

In an effort to distract himself from the temptation, he started forming a mental list of things he needed to get when they came to the next market town. Arden needed her own cloak, and they'd reach the coast quicker if his horse didn't have to carry two people. Provisions for the road. Maybe even look into getting her a small sword.

They rode until the first rays of dawn appeared on the horizon. The weak sunlight illuminated the tall red grass that waved in the breeze around them, turning it into a flaming sea. A necromancer's powers weakened during the day, so Dev finally surrendered to his weariness. It would be safe to snatch a few hours of sleep while they could.

He turned his horse off the road and cut through the grass toward a lone fig tree in the middle of the field.

"Why are we stopping?"