Free A Soul For Atonement (The Soulbearer Series Book 4) by Crista McHugh

she had no chance of ever reaching.
    Sazi knelt in front of her, concern etched in the lines of her normally placid face. “Where is it?”
    Arden’s voice shook as she answered, “The Realm of Chaos.”

Chapter 9
     
    “Impossible!” The word fell from Callix’s lips before he could stop it. “The gates to Chaos were all destroyed when Loku was defeated.”
    Arden jumped to her feet. “No, I saw it. He’s hidden it there.”
    “You’re lying.” His pulse quickened, but not from anger. Fear sped through his veins like a lit fuse. If there was even a fraction of truth to what she said, then they had more to fear from the god of chaos than just him having the relic.
    “Let me be the judge of that.” Sazi turned to Arden and spoke in soothing tones. “May I look inside your soul to see if you speak the truth?”
    Arden’s gaze flickered to her father as though she was looking for reassurance.
    At least she has enough common sense not to let the Ornathian muck around in her soul without consequence . Once a person granted a soul mage permission to look inside their soul, all their secrets would be revealed.
    Varrik gave a slow nod, and a moment later, Arden did the same.
    Sazi moved behind Arden and wrapped her arms and wings around the Soulbearer. A melodious chant followed in words Callix dared not interpret for fear he’d be captured by the spell. Arden closed her eyes, and a few seconds later, her body went limp in the Ornathian’s arms. The chanting ceased, and a golden glow surrounded the two women.
    The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and Callix reached for his sword. He’d grown up in a world of magic, but there was something about reaching into the depths of someone’s soul that seemed unnatural to him.
    The glow retreated, but Arden still appeared to be deeply entranced.
    “She speaks the truth,” Sazi announced like a judge delivering a sentence.
    A curse flew from his lips. If there was a remaining gate, then Loku still had the means to wreak havoc on the world. “Where is it?”
    “I did not inquire about the gate, Callix.” Sazi took the still half-dazed Soulbearer by the hand and led her back to the chair. “I only had permission to confirm what she said. The Blood of Lireal is in Chaos.”
    Callix could only imagine how corrupted the relic had become from its stay there. Even if there was a way to return it to the Ornathians, he doubted they’d want anything to do with it once they saw the taint of Chaos on it.
    Varrik rubbed his chin. “This explains why no one has been able to find it over the years.”
    “Indeed.” Sazi brushed a strand of Arden’s hair out of her face, but the Soulbearer continued to stare into nothingness. “That was rather clever of him to hide it on another plane.”
    She didn’t have to say Loku . Syd had had more balls than brains, but it was the chaos god who’d been the mastermind behind the theft of the relic.
    Callix cursed again. “Too bad you couldn’t search Loku’s soul while you were in there.”
    “I can only search souls with permission, and I doubt he would ever grant me that. The god of chaos holds too many secrets.”
    Arden’s eyelids fluttered, and her face turned pale. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
    “Perhaps you should lie down.” Varrik helped his daughter to her feet and wrapped his arm over her shoulders. “I’ll be back in a few minutes to discuss this further.”
    The Soulbearer leaned heavily on her father as she stumbled out of the library.
    Sazi cradled her chin in her hand, lost in thought for several moments. “I did not see that scenario.”
    “Don’t feel bad. None of us did.” Callix kicked at the floor and stirred up a flurry of dust motes. “We were all under the belief that we were safe from chaos.”
    “And we are, as long as Loku’s soul is contained.” She lowered her hand. “I must inform the Mage Primus and the empress.”
    She hurried out of the library, leaving him alone with