A Soul For Chaos (The Soulbearer Trilogy) Read online

  A Soul For Chaos

  by

  Crista McHugh

  Book 2 of the Soulbearer Trilogy

  A Soul For Chaos

  Copyright 2012 by Crista McHugh

  Edited by Rhonda Helms

  Copyedits by Nicole Dyakanoff

  Cover Art by Phat Puppy Designs and the Bookish Brunette

  Formatted by IRONHORSE Formatting

  Kindle Edition

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author or publisher except for the use of brief quotations in critical articles or reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events or locales is purely coincidental.

  ISBN-13: 978-1479236817

  Acknowledgements

  Thank you to Rhonda and Nicole for helping me polish this manuscript through the many rounds of edits.

  Thank you to Claudia at Phat Puppy for creating the gorgeous artwork, and thank you to Ashley at the Bookish Brunette for formatting it into a cover.

  And thank you to all the readers who told they couldn’t wait to read what happened next.

  Table Of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Epilogue

  A Soul For Vengeance

  A Note to Readers

  Author Bio:

  The Tears of Elios

  Tangled Web

  Praise For Crista McHugh

  Books by Crista McHugh

  Chapter 1

  From the dark recesses, he watched them enter, the torch light flickering across their golden masks as they filed into the main chamber. Tonight, the Tribunal of the Gods would meet for the first time in over a decade. Tonight, they would discuss the fate of the newest threat to their power.

  He adjusted the mask of Nelos, concealing his face from everyone. It didn’t matter who he was, only the god he served. And he did more than just serve Nelos—he was his voice in this realm. Out of all the priests and priestesses in the chamber, only he spoke with the true authority of a deity. Only he could channel the God of Law’s power. And only he could lead them on the crusade to rid the world of the god of chaos, Loku, once and for all.

  He waited until everyone else had arrived before he made his grand entrance. With a flick of his hand, the torches brightened, bathing the main chamber in light. The jewels that adorned the wall winked at him as if they already approved of his plan.

  “So nice of you to join us,” the priestess wearing the mask of Ivis said as he entered. “We could have done without the theatrics, though.”

  “The light of the Law will drive the darkness of Chaos away,” he replied, quoting the teachings of Nelos. As he sat in his appointed chair and draped his silver robe across the seat, he surveyed the other eleven members of Tribunal, trying to pinpoint each of their weaknesses. “After all, that’s why we’re here—to discuss what to do with Loku.”

  “In a way, yes.” The Priestess of Ivis narrowed her eyes as if to challenge him.

  He muffled his snort. Ivis may have the most followers in Gravaria, but she was a weak goddess. Too kind, too merciful, too aligned with the so-called “Lady Moon” worshipped in Ranello.

  The Priestess of Ivis finally turned her gaze away from him. “Loku has a new Soulbearer.”

  “Why should it concern us?” the Priest of Jussip asked as he toyed with the golden battle ax dangling from his belt. Like the god he served, he was a soldier, a man of action. He was probably wishing the Tribunal to end as quickly as possible, but he would also be the easiest to sway to Nelos’ plans.

  “Agreed.” The Priestess of Sulia twirled her hair around her fingers. “Loku has had many Soulbearers, and they all suffer the same fate. Why is this one any different?”

  He leaned forward. Did they really not know? Had they all turned a deaf ear to the rumors coming from Ranello? “For starters, she’s a woman.”

  One of the other priestesses gasped, and every pair of eyes behind the golden masks focused on him. Nelos had told him everything about her, every detail about the girl known as Trouble. For once, he had the upper hand, and he would use it to bend the others to his will.

  The Priestess of Sulia stopped playing with her hair. “But Loku’s never had a female Soulbearer.”

  “She’ll probably succumb to the madness sooner than a man.” The Priest of Jussip fidgeted in his chair. “Is that why you called this meeting, Ivis? To mark this milestone in Loku’s regression?”

  “No.” Ivis’s voice echoed off the wall, and a current of magic rippled through the air.

  A shiver raced up his spine, and his muscles locked. Could she have the ability to channel her deity as well?

  “Do not fear her, my servant,” the familiar voice of Nelos whispered in his mind. “She is the one resorting to theatrics. Ivis doesn’t hold her in the same regard that I do you. You are my chosen one. You are the one who will bring peace and order to this realm.”

  He relaxed back against his chair. “She’s a Ranellian.”

  Once again, he held their attention, and the Priestess of Ivis appeared slightly perturbed by it. “Correct. And since you know so much about her, Nelos, do you care to offer a guess why I’m so concerned?”

  A smile curled up behind his mask. “Unlike the others, she’s used Loku’s powers for something other than personal gain.”

  “So I’ve heard.” Ivis addressed the other members of the Tribunal. “Arden Lesstymine is the girl’s name. From the reports I’ve been given, she channeled Loku’s powers to destroy a necromancer that was terrorizing the kingdom.”

  “But magic is outlawed in Ranello.” The Priest of Kylow, god of the sea, rubbed his chin. “King Heodis will order her burned at the stake before she’s a threat to us.”

  “Or he will use her against us and try to conquer our Empire.” Jussip grabbed his ax and jumped to his feet. “I say we destroy her before she crosses the border.”

  Several others echoed his sentiments. It was all too easy to get them riled up. Yes, they served their deities, but in their hearts, they were all staunch Gravarians.

  All but him. He served a higher calling. Out of all the priests in the empire, Nelos had chosen him to help usher in a new age of peace.

  “Silence, please.” Ivis’ voice boomed over their shouts, and once again, another burst of magic blew through the air. “Heodis knows of her abilities and has even bequeathed a title upon her for her efforts. But I do not think she will be manipulated by him.”

  “Is Devarius Tel’brien still the Soulbearer’s protector?” The Priestess of the Ornathian goddess, Lireal, startled everyone with he
r question. Normally, she remained silent, following the nature of the goddess she served. On the rare occasions she spoke, people listened.

  Jussip chuckled. “Poor Dev. Always the protector, never the Soulbearer. How’s that for a never-ending punishment?”

  “Yes, Sir Devarius is still her protector,” Ivis replied in a tight voice, ignoring Jussip’s snide remarks.

  “Then we have little to fear from her.” The winged Ornathian priestess sank back into her silence and let the others dwell on her statement. The knight had a reputation of keeping the Soulbearers under control, never mind his unwavering loyalty to the Empire. They almost seemed convinced that the new Soulbearer was not a threat as long as Devarius remained in the picture.

  Rage boiled up inside him. He needed to renew his momentum. He needed to convince them that she was as dangerous as the god living inside her. “Perhaps, but from what I’ve heard, she’s channeled Loku numerous times and has not shown any signs of madness. Could he be trying a new strategy? One where he could manipulate his Soulbearer into doing his bidding without raising any of our suspicions?”

  “What are you suggesting?” Jussip’s knuckles turned white as his grip tightened around his battle ax.

  “She was a witch before she became infected with Loku. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s stretching his influence over her in a different way. Instead of turning her mad like he did the others, perhaps he’s seducing her into becoming a willing servant. Loku didn’t open the portal to the Realm of Chaos without help from his followers.”

  His threat had the desired effect. Doubt filled all of their eyes.

  All except Ivis. She lifted her chin in defiance. “Your point is made. We should watch her as carefully as we have other Soulbearers in the past. Spring is near, and Sir Devarius will bring her here as quickly as he can. Once she is encased in the Mage’s Conclave, we will have ample opportunity to study Loku’s influence over her.”

  The others nodded their heads in agreement, but Nelos curled his hand into a fist, banging it on the armrest of his chair. “We’ve only seen a glimpse of what she’s capable of doing, and look what she did to her home kingdom. She leveled the city walls of Trivinus. I say we strike now before she brings chaos to Gravaria.”

  Ivis stood, her unwavering gaze fixed on him. “Would the God of Law sentence someone without having absolute confidence she has broken any laws?”

  “She has broken laws, or have you forgotten magic is outlawed in Ranello?”

  “But not here.” She moved to the center of the circle, turning slowly to speak to each of the priests and priestesses in turn. “We have little concrete information on this new Soulbearer other than the rumors that have made their way here. I urge all of you to pray to your deities for guidance on this matter, but do not act until we have all the facts. If she has managed to resist the madness thus far, then perhaps we have found the most powerful Soulbearer yet.”

  She finally came to him. “Does that sound agreeable to you, Nelos?”

  Inside, he seethed. She had somehow managed to turn them all against him, to reduce them to cowards that would rather wait until the threat was on their soil before they struck.

  “Patience, my servant. You do not need their help to dispose of Loku. I am all the power you need.”

  His god’s word soothed him, and the red faded from his vision. “I will pray on the matter,” he replied in an even tone. And strike when he tells me to.

  Chapter 2

  “Where are you taking me, Kell?”

  The Third Prince of Ranello winked at Arden and tightened his hold on her hand as he pulled her through the palace hallways. “It’s a surprise.”

  “Dev’s going to be pissed off if you’re trying to sneak me out of here.”

  “I’ve been away for over a month, and that’s all you can think about?” He stopped and pulled her into his arms, his lips brushing against her cheek.

  A shiver rippled down her spine from his seemingly innocent kiss. When winter had started, she thought Kell’s attention toward her would fade as it had with prior women who’d caught his eye. Instead, he remained steadfast in his affections, despite his long absences.

  “That’s because he hasn’t gotten what he wants from you,” Loku hissed.

  She stiffened at the sound of the familiar voice in her mind. The other thing that had remained constant was the continuous stream of lewd comments from the disembodied chaos god living inside her. “You mean he only seems to care until he beds me.”

  Loku laughed. “He wants you in more ways than you suspect, my little Soulbearer.”

  Kell noticed the change in her demeanor and pulled away. “Is something wrong?”

  She shook her head and studied him. Devilishly handsome with dark brown hair that curled around the edge of his face and a dimple when he smiled, Kell could have any woman in the kingdom he wanted. It still puzzled her why he’d chosen her, a low-born witch in a place where magic was forbidden. If it hadn’t been for Kell, she would’ve been burned at the stake months ago for using magic. Instead, she enjoyed a place of honor not only in the palace, but at his side.

  Hurt darkened his hazel eyes, and she fixed a smile on her face. “I’ve missed you,” she admitted and leaned her head on his shoulder.

  It was the truth. Despite being recently titled for her part in defeating the necromancer terrorizing the kingdom a few months ago, most of the nobles either ignored her or went out of their way to remind her she was beneath them. Even Dev, her protector, had grown more distant over the season, preferring to hide in the palace archives when he wasn’t instructing her on what he called basic magic.

  “I’ve missed you, too.” Kell held her a moment longer, the rich timbre of his voice full of emotion and easing any doubts that lingered in her mind. “But if we don’t hurry, my surprise will be ruined.”

  As she followed him down the candle-lit corridors, Arden tried to figure out her own feelings for Kell. She once thought she knew the essence of her heart, but she’d been proven wrong. Dev, the man she’d thought she loved had pushed her away, choosing duty over her and leaving her with an empty void. Kell’s friendship helped ease the pain and left her wondering if she cared for him more than she first realized.

  “Admit it—you like the way his kisses heat your blood and make you wish you could shed your dress in a matter of seconds.”

  Arden’s cheeks burned as Loku dared to give words to her body’s reaction every time Kell came near her. The prince had always had that effect on her, as she suspected he had on many of the kingdom’s young ladies based on his reputation. She touched the golden pendant that hung from her neck and reminded herself she wouldn’t make the same mistakes her mother did.

  Their journey ended in the orangery at the edge of the palace. The air dripped with humidity, forming tendrils of steam that wafted up from the exotic palms inside. In the center of the building, a ring of candelabras circled a picnic dinner on a blanket.

  Arden grinned. For a prince who grew up dining at the finest tables in the kingdom, the relative simplicity of the meal seemed more appropriate for her rather than him. “What is this?”

  Kell led her to the blanket. “Did you know there’s a lunar eclipse tonight?”

  Arden sat down and looked up at the three moons above. Despite the fogged windows below, the glass ceiling of the orangery remained clear, revealing a shadow creeping along the border of the largest moon. “How did you know about it?”

  “It happens every twenty-seven months. I raced home from Cordello so I could watch it with you.”

  His breath bathed the back of her neck, melting both her resolve and her body as she leaned back into his arms. Kell remained persistent in his pursuit of her, but little moments like this made her wonder if he was after more than her body. “You planned all this?”

  “You sound surprised.” He guided her chin so her face tilted toward his. “Do you think I’m incapable of being romantic from time to time?”

  The
intimacy of his touch combined with the bluntness of his question sent a wave of unease crawling through her stomach. She pulled away from him. “I think you are very capable of being romantic, Kell. After all, you know the center of the maze very well.”

  Kell drew in a deep breath and exhaled through his nose. “Dammit, Arden, what do I have to do to prove I’ve changed?”

  “That’s right, my little Soulbearer. Be just like Dev and push everyone away. After all, if you don’t care for anyone, you can’t get hurt.”

  Loku’s taunt revived the heartache she thought she’d buried months ago when Dev told her there could never be anything between them. Was Kell experiencing the same sting of rejection she’d felt? She rested her hand on his arm, struggling with the strange tumble of emotions stirring inside her. “I’m sorry.”

  “You’re sorry for what? Oh, never mind.” He jumped to his feet. “I understand.”

  As he started to walk away, Arden’s pulse quickened. She couldn’t bear losing him, not after he’d been there for her when she’d needed him most. Desperation tightened her throat. She grabbed his hand and pulled him back to the blanket. When words failed her, she conveyed her plea in a kiss.

  Kell’s mouth opened, mostly from shock, but she used it as an invitation to deepen the kiss. A second later, his arms tightened around her, and he was kissing her back in a way that made her head spin. His kisses always had that effect on her, leaving her dizzy with want and breathless when he finally pulled away.

  “I meant, I’m sorry I said that,” she said once she was able to breathe. She ran her fingers along his jaw, thankful she’d been given a chance to see the true Kell and not the rake that everyone else in the kingdom saw him as.

  He took her hand and brought it to his lips. “So does this mean that perhaps we can be more than friends?”

  She wasn’t ready to answer that question yet, and he caught her hesitation. “What is it?”

  She closed her eyes and fell back on the blanket. It would be so easy to lie and tell him that she didn’t feel anything for her protector, but Kell deserved the truth. “I’m scared of getting hurt,” she admitted.