Soul Catcher (27 page)

“Thank you,” he said. Aleco blinked back the tears and his emotions returned to a state of calm. Having Accacia in his
life numbed the pain substantially. The nightmares disappeared completely and allowed him to sleep for more than a few hours at a time, without the supplemental use of a plant remedy. With Accacia alongside him, day or night, the pain wasn’t so unbearable, and he found a reason to continue living. She had no idea how much she meant to him.

“I apologize for upsetting you,” she whispered.

He grabbed her hand and kissed it. “You didn’t,” he said. “You’re right. My mother was very beautiful.”

“Yes, she was.” Accacia smiled. “I’m so sorry.”

“Thank you,” he said.

“What was she like? If you don’t mind discussing it,” she added.

“Selfless,” he said quickly. “If I had to describe her in one word, it would be selfless; she was innately selfless.”

Accacia smiled as she listened to him speak of his mother so highly.

“I used to be afraid of the dark,” he said. “My bedroom shadows would twist before my eyes, forming evil demons who wanted to tear out my soul with their massive teeth. I saw them lurk through my room as the night progressed and the moon moved through the sky. I was so frightened, I hardly slept.” Aleco’s eyes glazed over as he relived the memory in his mind. His thumb caressed Accacia’s hand as he reflected on his childhood. She smiled, encouraging him to continue.

“At breakfast, my head would fall into my eggs as sleep overtook me. At least in the bright sun of the terrace, with my family beside me, I knew those demons couldn’t get to me, so my bodily needs won and I fell into unconsciousness.

“My parents were concerned with my unusual behavior. They questioned me, but I kept the secret to myself. They instructed the midwives to attend to me with herbs and remedies, warding off a sickness I didn’t have. I said nothing as they fretted over my well-being. I could never tell them the truth. Drake would tease me mercilessly, and my father would berate me for such childish fears, stating a future duke to the throne couldn’t possess such ridiculous qualms. So I kept to myself.

“My mother came to my bedroom that evening and noticed I was awake. She asked me why I wasn’t sleeping. I told her the truth, but I made her promise she wouldn’t tell anyone, and she vowed to keep my secret. From that evening forward, she came to my bedchamber every night, holding a burning candle for light, and sat beside my bed. She ran her fingers through my hair as she waited for me to fall asleep, and assured me she would stand guard against the night demons. She did it for years, and even when she was sick, she still came.”

Accacia squeezed his hand. “Thank you for sharing,” she said. Aleco nodded and kissed her hand. “Why did he do it?” she whispered. Aleco knew what she meant.

“He wanted to be the duke,” he said simply. “There is no other reason. He is too impatient. He didn’t want to wait for my parents to die by normal means before he was recognized as the ruler. He wanted it right then.”

“I don’t understand,” she said. “Why did he try kill you, then?”

“Since I am the older twin, by thirty minutes, he knew I was the next relative to seize the crown.”

“How old was he?”

“Seventeen,” he said.

“And how long ago was this?”

“Twenty years ago.”

Accacia calculated the passage of time in her mind. She realized Aleco’s age and was surprised by the differences in their years of experience. “You’re thirty-seven?” she asked in surprise.

“Yes.” Aleco laughed. “Does my age bother you?”

“No,” she said. “I just didn’t realize you were ten years older than me. You don’t look it.”

“Royal families age differently than other humans,” he explained. “We live to be about two hundred—now you understand why Drake couldn’t wait that long.”

“Why do you age differently?” she asked.

“I’m not completely certain,” he said. “We often interbreed with other royal families, and it keeps the longevity going. That’s why choosing a mate is so difficult. They have to be highborn, but you can’t be too closely related.
Every duke on the Continent is somehow related to their spouse. My mother was my father’s fourth cousin.”

Accacia laughed. “Well, I guess the duke had no intention of marrying me then. I guess I would have found my freedom eventually.” Aleco said nothing. He knew that was his brother’s intention all along. Accacia thought about the images she saw in Aleco’s Soul Catcher, and recalled the moment where
Aleco was framed by Drake. She still didn’t understand why Aleco was so upset that she looked through his past. “Aleco, please don’t be mad at me.”

He looked at her. “Don’t give me a reason to be and I won’t,” he said. He saw fear creep into her face and he smiled. “I’m only kidding, Accacia. What do you want to know?”

“Why were you so angry when I looked into your Soul Catcher?”

Aleco looked away. He was wondering when this subject would arise. Aleco remembered the day with such clarity, the day he almost lost her forever. His blood pounded in his ears when he thought about the way he found her in the woods, being forced to the ground. What if he hadn’t arrived in time? “A Soul Catcher is an extension of your soul—hence the name. By browsing through my memories, you were basically reading my mind. All my thoughts, opinions, hopes, and dreams are stored within that stone—and you had access to it all. There are things I would never want you to know about me, and you were digging through it like a pile of trash,” he said. “If you kept digging, I am sure you would have uncovered my true attraction to you, and the fantasies I had about you—the last thing I wanted you to see.”

Accacia blushed at his confession.

“I can’t trust people, Accacia. It’s nearly impossible to do. You are the first person I’ve trusted in twenty years, if you
can believe that. When I gave you my trust all those weeks ago, revealing my true identity to you, and then you defied my privacy—it was more than I could bear. I wouldn’t have been as angry if I didn’t trust you, but since I did, I was furious.

“I never should have reacted the way I did, and I am still sorry about the way I treated you. It was completely unforgiveable and never should have happened. I will regret that day forever.”

“I forgive you, Aleco,” she said as she cupped his face.

“I know,” he said. “But I’m still sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“I know,” she said in return.

He smiled at her faith in him.

“I’m sorry I invaded your privacy,” she said. “That never should have happened.”

“Don’t be,” he said. “I’m glad you did. I have nothing to hide from you anymore.” He stared at her for a moment before he asked his next question. He wanted to know the answer, but feared it at the same time. “When you are with me—do you think of him?”

“Not at all,” she said. “There is no comparison.”

“When did that change?”

“When you taught me how to defend myself,” she said. “When I looked at you on the first afternoon of our training, I saw the pain of my rejection reflected in your eyes, a suffering I had never seen Drake reveal. I finally saw you for who you really were, not Drake—but Aleco.”

“Why did it take you so long to tell me?”

She looked away. “I didn’t think you wanted anything to do with me. I thought I damaged your heart so much that you would never forgive me.”

He turned her face toward him. “Accacia, there is nothing you could ever do to keep me away. I will always forgive you.”

She smiled at him. He leaned in and kissed her, displaying his unconditional love for her in his actions alone, just as she had done for him all those weeks ago. The taste of her lips sent shivers down his spine, and his body stirred with arousal. He would have her as many times as he could that night. Accacia caught the heated look in his gaze, the look he gave her when he wanted her. She knew he didn’t only want her, but needed her. She reached out and caressed his body, and he stiffened at her touch.

She crawled on top of him, and moved her lips down his neck, past his chest, down his stomach, and to his waist beneath the sheets. She disappeared from view, but Aleco knew what she was doing by touch alone. He felt her wet mouth surround him and moaned at her abilities. He gripped the back of her neck and grabbed her tangled hair as she continued to please him. He rocked his hips deeper into her until he felt the electricity spark through his body and released himself with a loud groan.

She climbed out from under the sheet and laughed at the grin on Aleco’s face. “Did you like it?”

He grabbed her face and kissed her, silently answering her question. “What did I do to deserve that?”

“You saved my life a couple times, if I recall.” She smiled.

“Yes, I did,” he said. “More than
once
.” He winked.

She laughed at his words. “When did these feelings start?” she asked as she pulled away. “I was certain you hated me for the first few weeks.”

“I did.”

She laughed at his honesty.

His eyes turned serious. “When I abused you beyond repair, physically and verbally, and I threw you away from my protection, you did something I didn’t expect—you tried to save my life. Even after the way I treated you, you still cared for me and were loyal to me. I couldn’t believe you did that. That’s when everything changed—when I changed.”

Her eyes softened at his words. She trailed her fingers down the strong muscles of his chest and kissed the flesh directly over his beating heart.

“Why did you do it, Accacia?”

She met his gaze. “I couldn’t let you die. You deserved to be free. You are the only hope we have to overthrow him. How could I let the Continent’s remaining hero perish?”

Aleco laughed. “That couldn’t be further from the truth.”

“It’s your destiny.”

“Horseshit—it’s my destiny.”

“I will help you in whatever way I can,” she said.

He looked away from her. Even if he did organize a brilliant plan to kill Drake, he would never include Accacia in it. The further she was from him, the more at ease Aleco would be. He didn’t want his brother to even look at her. She was his. Anger coursed through his body when he thought about the criminal acts Drake was responsible for. “Do you remember your parents?” he asked.

“No,” she said. “Not really. I was so young when everything happened. My earliest memory was a butterfly landing on my nose in the forest. I have no memories of my homeland.”

“I hope you travel there someday.”

“Me too,” she agreed. “But I doubt I would be
accepted into their society.”

“Why do you say that?” he asked. “They would love you, Accacia. I’m certain of it.”

“Well, I’ve been living with the enemy for so long,” she reasoned. “They would never give me their trust.”

“You would earn it quickly,” he assured her.

“If they don’t kill me the moment my foot lands on the island,” she said.

“They won’t,” he said firmly.

Accacia closed her eyes and said nothing. He knew she was battling the tears behind her lids. Aleco realized how broken they both were, and knew their meeting wasn’t by chance; their paths were meant to collide. He comforted her as much as she did him.

“I’m sorry for your loss, Accacia,” he said. “I apologize on behalf of my family. I know my mother is ashamed of both
her sons. She is watching us from the afterlife, smiting us silently with words that we mortals can’t hear.”

“She would only be ashamed of one son,” she whispered as she hugged him.

Aleco laughed. “I’m a horrible man, Accacia. You wouldn’t have made love to me if you knew half the things I’ve done.”

“Perhaps,” she said honestly. “But are you still that man?”

“No,” he said.

“Then, it doesn’t matter.”

Orgoom Forest

32

The deadly bite of winter had reached its peak, flooding the forest paths and treetops with blankets of white powder, and burying the defiant plant life beneath piles of heavy snow. Father Giloth and his Naturalists worked the most during the winter season, protecting the delicate plants from the frosty temperatures. They moved the most sensitive plants into a glass building that shielded the vegetation from the unrelenting weather, allowing the sun to shine through on those rare days when the storm clouds would pass.

Father Giloth hated the winter solstice because of the damage it caused the inhabitants of the forest, both the creatures and plant life, but for the first time, he didn’t want the season to pass. He enjoyed the time he spent with his reconnected daughter, speaking to her beside the warmth of the fire while they shared a pot of tea. He could only imagine the horrific ordeal she had experienced within Drake’s arms, but he never questioned her because he couldn’t stand to hear the tale. Accacia was very content despite the traumatic experience. Father Giloth knew the source of her cheer was Aleco. That was why he waited to reveal the truth of her past until Aleco was present; he had endured a similar experience. Who would understand her better than him?

The ends of her lips upturned into an infectious smile as she gazed into the flames. Father Giloth immediately knew the subject of her thoughts. Absentmindedly, she traced the rim of her teacup with her finger and her smile stretched wider, obviously reliving an intimate event within her mind. Father Giloth was very happy for both of them. They deserved every moment of scarce happiness they could find, but he also pitied them because they didn’t know what was coming, and he didn’t have the heart to tell either of them just yet.

Accacia left Father Giloth’s home every evening and joined Aleco in his cottage. Before the sun rose each morning, she would return and slip into her bed before Father Giloth and Natalia awoke, even though Father Giloth already knew of her whereabouts. The overwhelming evidence from the forest made it quite clear. Accacia eventually grew tired of the charade and Aleco grew more sullen waking up to her repeated absence, so they decided to end the deception. Accacia brought her belongings to Asylinth Cottage. Accacia still visited the house every day, spending time with Father Giloth in the field or his study, much to Aleco’s annoyance, but she returned to the cottage in the evenings, where she belonged to him alone. That pleased Aleco immensely. He hated to share her with anyone, even the old man, so his afternoons were spent in agony awaiting her return. They spent their evenings in the parlor, where Accacia cooked dinner in the kitchen, and Aleco watched her from his seat beside the hearth, his cup filled with spiced tea rather than his usual poison. Their meal was composed of meatless delicacies, which Aleco had no quarrel with since he had changed his diet to a vegetarian one. Accacia never asked him to make such a sacrifice. Aleco had done so voluntarily, and she appreciated the gesture.

The harsh winter took its toll on the forest, leaving the grounds packed with snow and the sensitive wildlife buried beneath it. Accacia, Aleco and the other Naturalists moved the snow from these locations to spare the delicate plant life and ensure its survival. Since many of their manufactured remedies relied upon the ingredients found within their forest, it was essential to protect it. They would break off into pairs to assist other areas of the land, but Accacia and Aleco often became more interested in other activities, and abandoned their posts for hours. Father Giloth knew of their averted actions, but said nothing. The knowledge made their meetings awkward at times, and Father Giloth wished he didn’t know the heated details of their physical relationship. The intensity of their feelings made him uncomfortable—very uncomfortable. There was no doubt
of the depth of Aleco’s feelings—he was absolutely in love with her, but he couldn’t determine her feelings for him. They were contradicting and confusing. The answer wasn’t absolute, but he suspected that she did love him, at least he hoped she did, for Aleco’s sake.

The weeks passed by in a flash. It felt like the passing of hours in a single day rather than weeks passing within a month. Soldiers entered the wood one afternoon, stating the duke would withdraw most of his troops from the border since they had not found Accacia in months. The Lord Aleutian assumed she had settled elsewhere. Luckily, Aleco and Accacia were within the cottage when the cavalry visited the forest.

Aleco enjoyed every moment he spent with Accacia, and even though he was with her nearly all the time, it was never enough. When she visited Father Giloth, he grew lonely in despair and desperate for her company. He wished she wouldn’t go, but he bottled his selfishness and reluctantly let her slip from his arms. She was never gone for more than a few hours, and she was only a short walk away, but her absence drove him insane with longing. It was like the loss of a fire in the depth of winter. When she finally entered the doorway, he swept her into his arms, embracing her with passionate kisses as if she’d just returned from a three-month journey. Without speaking a word, he would lay her on the dining table and make love to her like it was the last chance he would ever get.

Accacia reflected on the death of her parents, and her surprising lineage every day. The knowledge that Drake, the man she bedded daily for so many years, had been the one responsible for their deaths, was even more disturbing. She had slept beside their killer every night.

She contemplated the stone and realized the gem behaved differently towards her than it did to the men. She wondered if it was related to her lineage, or if it was purely coincidental. The stress of her concerns melted away when Aleco directed his heated gaze on her, the look she recognized when he wanted her. He would make love to her, forcing the worries from her mind and soul, replacing them with pleasure and satisfaction. Their time together kept the disturbing speculations away, stored in the back of her mind until Aleco was unable to distract her thoughts.

Accacia’s dreams were filled with nightmares of Drake pinning her down and ripping the unborn child from her insides, breaking the baby’s neck with his hands. As Drake threw the corpse into the fire, Accacia screamed. She tried to rise from the bed, but her hands kept slipping on the bloody sheets.

Accacia’s hysterical shouts woke Aleco with a start. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her from the nightmare. He was surprised her own shrieks didn’t wake her from her horrific vision. He questioned her about the night terror, but she didn’t answer. She felt her stomach with her hands then began to heave with sobs as she wrapped her arms around her abdomen, protecting a child that didn’t exist. He suspected they were about Drake, but he had no idea to what extent. Aleco cradled her in his strong arms and kissed her on the brow. As he ran his hands through her hair and down her back, he whispered words of comfort in her native tongue. Accacia finally stopped crying and hugged Aleco, silently thanking the gods he was there.

The piles of snow receded from the forest and the ground was no longer hidden under fresh powder, but with the sludge of old, frozen snow. Early spring was creeping into Orgoom Forest, carrying both heat and light to the plants and animals. The dreaded day Father Giloth feared finally arrived, and he knew the news would change all their lives for the worse.

Father Giloth received the letter from a Roslyn emissary that first spring morning. The Nature Priest opened the note with shaking hands, and his heart dropped when he recognized Lord Artremian’s handwriting. He didn’t need to read the letter to know the contents. It included the decision made by the council. At the insistence of Lord Letumian, Father Giloth and Father Hyphalia had been prohibited from attending the meeting, stating they had no purpose in politics and should remain within their holy sectors. Lord Artremian promised he would send news of the council’s decision immediately after it was made.

Father Giloth read the letter.

Father Orgoom Giloth, Orgoom Forest:

This letter is sent with regret. What we feared has come to pass—Drake has been legitimized as the Sole Sovereign of the United Continent. The coronation will commence five days hence—Father Hyphalia will preside over the ceremony.

The choice of the councilmen leaves me in surprise. They recognized the duke for what he was—or at least I thought they did. Rancar and the other councilmembers must have been compromised, but what they were bribed with I haven’t the slightest idea.

I can promise one thing; it was preordained. Drake didn’t attem
pt to fake his surprise at the council’s announcement, despite their earlier statements against the possibility of a single ruler.

Rancar was sweating during the entire meeting despite the chilling weather. He is obviously hiding something. When I tried to question his decisi
on, he said it was voted by the council and the choice couldn’t be reversed. His handkerchief reeked by the end of the day.

I’m sorry this letter couldn’t bring better tidings. I hope you are well, Father
.

Art

Father Giloth read the letter twice, hoping he had misread it the first time. The news hung heavy on his heart. The worst had come to pass, and he knew what they faced would kill them all. He crumpled the paper in his hands and threw it into the fire, destroying any evidence that could be traced back to Artremian—one of his closest friends and allies. He was a good man and he feared for the man’s future—especially since Father Giloth was powerless to help him. He sent Natalia to fetch Aleco and Accacia. The time had come.

Aleco and Accacia entered the study, smiling as they took
their seats. Aleco held Accacia’s palm within his own and rubbed her delicate knuckles with his thumb. It was rare to see them not touching each other in some way. Aleco hardly ever left her side. Accacia looked down at their joined hands and smiled at his affection. She enjoyed his touch.

A frown touched Father Giloth’s eyes and he sighed before he began. “I have something to tell you both. It will not be pleasant,” he said. “Not for me to tell, nor for you to hear.”

Accacia dropped her smile. Aleco’s thumb paused in its embrace. “What is it?” Aleco asked fearfully.

“I have received word from my source in the council that Drake has successfully unified all the armies under his command,” he said. “He hasn’t been crowned king just yet, but that will follow shortly, I have no doubt.”

Accacia’s mouth deepened into a frown at the news. Such an evil man in possession of such authority caused her body to tremble. She could have been his queen if she hadn’t been rescued. She looked over at Aleco, silently thanking him for taking her away. “What do we do?” she asked. “There has to be something.”

“Nothing,” he replied. “There is nothing that can be done. The forces of evil working against us are paramount. No difference can be made by us.”

“Yes, we can make a difference,” she challenged. “Not just by the three of us, by your Naturalists, the people of Morkarh, all the citizens who suffer at his hands. Together, we can change the course of events.”

“Us against two hundred thousand soldiers?” Aleco said sarcastically. “I like
those
odds.”

“Well, we can’t just give up.”
              “Yes, we can,” Father Giloth said.

They both looked
at him. He was the wisest man they knew. He always had the right answer. The idea of him surrendering was inconceivable. “What?” Accacia asked. “You are just going to let them take the forest? Isn’t that against your oath?” she shouted. Her emotions were flowing from her quicker than she could stop them.

Father Giloth pressed his fingers to his lips and thought for a moment. “Let me try this again,” he said calmly. “
You
will give up. I will die protecting the forest to my last breath, even though it will be useless. I will not be able to quench the unstoppable fire,” he said simply. “But I will try nonetheless.”

“You speak as if you expect to fail,” she accused him.

“Because I do,” he replied.

“How can you say that?” she asked with tears in her eyes, “With our help, you will not fail.”

“No,” Father Giloth said firmly. “You cannot help me in this.”

“Yes, we can.”

“
No
,” he snapped.

Accacia was stung by the anger in his words. Father Giloth had never yelled at her before, or even expressed anger in any form. She didn’t understand what provoked such a furious rebuttal.

Father Giloth lowered his voice. “Accacia, you cannot help me in this. It is my responsibility to protect the forest, not yours,” he said. “Please respect that.”

“I’m sorry, Father,” she whispered. She averted her gaze to the floor, ashamed of her heated emotions.

“Besides, I have other plans for you,” he said. “This is the difficult part.”

Accacia and Aleco both looked at him, waiting for whatever pronouncement they couldn’t predict.

“You will leave this land, travel to the secret island of your people, and never return, Accacia,” he said. “It is your only option.”

“My
only
option?” she repeated.

“Yes,” he said. “It is the only one.”

Aleco finally spoke. “Why can’t she return?”