Soul Relenter (Soul Saga #3) (14 page)

“Just because of Accacia?” she asked.

Aleco shook his head. “Yes. She was my only reason for living. Before I met her I was a walking shadow, hoarding my pain all to myself, but she changed all of that. She didn’t just heal my festering wounds, but she me gave a reason to live again—to be happy. Without her I’m back to what I was. I would be happier in death.”

Penelope grabbed his hand. “I think you should give it another try.”

“The only reason I want to be alive is to raise Sadie and Vance. Other than Lydia, I am their only guardian. It is my burden to raise them because I am responsible for the death of their father. When they reach adulthood, I will take my own life. They won’t need me anymore.”

“They will always need their father.”

“I’m not their father.”

“You’re as good as.”

Aleco felt the tears bubble beneath his eyes. The reference reminded him of Father Giloth, his uncle who acted as a father through the years. Aleco wished he had appreciated him more when he was alive. Aleco would regret his final words he said to his uncle forever. The more he thought about the pain he carried, the more determined he was to take his own life. He would never be happy—ever.

Penelope could read his thoughts. She had a lot of practice with her husband. “I will be there for you when it happens, Aleco. I will not let you die alone, leaving this mortal plane without the support of your family.”

“I can’t expect that from you.”

Penelope smiled. “Lydia and I will both be there, Aleco. Please don’t push us away.”

Aleco looked at her with new eyes. He was already fond of her but now he was mesmerized by her. Any other woman would argue with him for hours, trying to convince him to change his mind, but Penelope understood the weight of his pain. She didn’t want to argue with him. She knew his choice was made.

“Thank you,
” he said. “I love you, Penny. Artremian and Rhonian are very lucky to have you.” Aleco respected the woman before him. She was exceptional and beautiful, gentle as a mother but sharp like a man. It was obvious she had humble beginnings as a peasant and she had grown into a wonderful leader. He wasn’t attracted to her the way he was with Accacia. She was married to Artremian and he respected the man with every fiber of his being. Penelope was the mother and sister he never had. He adored her.

Penelope kissed him on the cheek.
“And so are you.”

Aleco smiled. “Yes, I am.”

Penelope rose from the chair and walked toward the door. “Get some sleep, Aleco. The sun will be rising soon.”

“I’ll think about it.”

She rolled her eyes at him as she walked out the door.

Harbor of Orgoom Forest

14

“Accacia, you don’t have to come.”

Accacia looked up from her breakfast. Slices of fruit and bread covered the plate, untouched and uneaten. She didn’t have an appetite. The tightness of her stomach and the overwhelming stress of her life chased away any desire for food. “I have to, Zyle.”

“It’
s a delicate situation,” he said. “Everyone will understand.”

Accacia shook her head. “No they won’t. I was the one who encouraged us to come here. I
can’t just abandon the meeting because I don’t want to see Aleco—because he doesn’t want to see me.”

“Aleco is the Chief N
ature Priest of these lands. I’m sure he will be professional during the conference. I know you will as well.” He smiled at her across the table but she didn’t return his look. “It will be alright, Accacia.”

“I just
don’t want to see his face because I can’t stand to see his pain. I don’t have to see him to know how much he suffers.”

Zyle stared at her. He didn’t know what to say. He refrained from telling her about his meeting with Aleco the night before, which was difficult for him since he confided ever
ything to his life partner. “I’m sorry that Aleco is behaving this way. It hurts me to see you in pain.”

Accacia didn’t look at him. “I don’t deserve you, Zyle.” She had betrayed Zyle just the evening befo
re and he was talking to her like nothing had happened. He listened to her talk about Aleco with no anger. His selfless devotion baffled her at times. She couldn’t believe he was her soul mate. She knew she wasn’t as beautiful as a person. “I really don’t.”

“Look at me.” The sound
of the power in his voice almost made her jump. She turned her gaze onto him, enraptured by the command in his words. “You want to understand why I can forgive you so easily, Accacia?”

Accacia nodded, unable to speak.

“You and I are going to spend almost an eternity together and somewhere along that time frame, I’m going to hurt you and you are going to hurt me—it’s inevitable. We will make mistakes, learn from them, and then move on.” He reached across the table and grabbed her hand. “I’m not going to waste my time with unrealistic expectations, Accacia. I will always forgive you. Let’s not waste precious time being angry at each other. I would rather be happy.”

His words made her smile. Zyle was the wisest person she knew. His ageless face
made her forget his true age. He was several hundred years older than she. Accacia was speechless. She didn’t know what to say. “I love you.”

Zyle smiled at her, happy that his words had gotten through to her. “And I love you.”

“Good morning, lovebirds.”

Accacia turned at the sound of Roxian’s voice. She dropped Zyle’s hand and turned
in her seat, facing the former Queen of the Asquithians. Zyle stared at her, hoping she wouldn’t mention the night before. Roxian seemed to read his mind.

“I’m glad to see that you both survived the voyage.” She took a seat at the table and picked the fruit off Accacia’s plate. “I hope I’m not ruining your meal. It doesn’t seem like you are eating it anyway.”

“Is there something I can do for you, Roxian?” Accacia asked. She tried to hide her displeasure at her presence, but was failing.

Roxian smiled. “Actually, yes there is. I wanted to speak with you—both of you.” Zyle raised an eyebrow at her. He didn’t know what she was up to, but he knew it wasn’t something he would approve of.
“I know my sole purpose on this escapade is to fight for your cause, which I am still more than happy to do. But I was wondering if I could have more responsibilities.”

Accacia eyed her. “What kind of responsibilities?” She was growing more suspicious of her with every word.

“Well, I was hoping to become an ambassador while we are here or an advisor—something that allows me to get involved with the planning of this undertaking.”

“No.” Accacia looked away from her. “The conditions I gav
e you were specified. We only want you to fight with us.”

“I don’t expect to have any weight when it comes to decision making. However, I would love to give my input on the choices the government is making in determining our fate. I will have no autonomy—I will just be present.” Accacia
shook her head. “I know you and I don’t get along, Accacia, but I was the queen for the past hundred years. I have a lot of experience ruling the Asquithians. I could help you.”

“I already said no, Roxian.”

Roxian turned to Zyle. “What say you?” Zyle met her gaze with a stoic expression.

Accacia was offended that Roxian chose to ask Zyle instead of her, feeling that his choice could overrule hers. “Roxian, I already said
no
.”

“Yes, I heard you, but Zyle shares the throne as well. It is rather rude
not to ask the opinion of the king, the person who was elected to lead the people, right?” Accacia glared at Roxian. Roxian ignored her and looked at Zyle. “What say you?” she repeated.

Zyle knew why she was asking him. His cooperatio
n would ensure her silence. She could tell Accacia about his meeting with Aleco the night before. Zyle hadn’t lied to Accacia about his whereabouts, but he wasn’t truthful either. He didn’t want to discuss the previous conversation and he knew Aleco wanted the meeting to be confidential. Zyle knew the less Accacia heard about Aleco, the better off she would be. Accacia would only be upset by the news. “I will consider your request.” Roxian smiled in triumph.

Accacia stared at him, dumbfounded. “Why would you agree?”

Zyle looked at Accacia. “I didn’t agree—I said I would consider it. Roxian ruled us for many years and she does have a lot of experience. Right now, we need to put aside our anger and concentrate on the task before us. We will give her no autonomy and independence in decision making. She will simply advise us and answer our questions.”

“You have been doing a magnificent job without her
, Zyle.”

“I’m not arrogant enough to say I don’t need help—we need all we can get right now. That was why you invited her to
come along to begin with.”

“That isn’t the same thing.”

“Accacia, it will be fine. I will kill Roxian if she ever tries to harm you. And I won’t leave you alone with her.”

Roxian cleared her throat, awkward that they were discussing her as if she wasn’t present. “I’m still here, lovebirds.”

Zyle glared at her then returned his look to Accacia. “If it really bothers you then we won’t allow it, but I think it’s a good idea. The choice is yours.”

Acc
acia sighed. “Fine. But I have one question.”

Roxian smiled at her. “Yes?”

“What is your interest in this?”

“I’ve been
the queen of these people for decades and I have been imprisoned for months. I’m very bored—that’s putting it mildly. I want to be involved with the government of my people, even if my decisions have no value.”

“Okay,” Accacia agreed. “But I can change my
mind at any point in time and for any reason.”

Roxian nodded. “I understand, Your Highness,” she said. “May I accompany you to the meeting today?”

Accacia looked at Zyle, letting him make the decision. “Yes, you may, but only under the agreement that you have no weight with our decisions—none whatsoever. And you will respect the other ambassadors—they are quite angry with you.”

“Yes, of course, You
r Majesty.” Roxian rose from her seat and advanced to the door. “I will wait for you on the dock.”

Accacia and Zyle finished their breakfast in silence until they walked out to the pier. The other ambassadors were
waiting along with Roxian. The king and queen briefed them on the situation and they agreed to accept her as long as Roxian had no political power—as long as she was just an advisor. Accacia and Zyle wore their dress attire in matching colors, midnight blue, and they walked through the forest along with the ambassadors.

Zyle leaned toward
Accacia and whispered in her ear. “Do you still want me to refrain from touching you?”

Accacia shook her head. “No, you may,” she said. “I don’t think it matters anymore.
” Zyle caught her saddened expression and kissed her cheek, trying to bring the light into her eyes. Accacia smiled at his affection. She felt Laura’s hand on her arm and she let her aunt pull her back, walking behind the others at a short distance.

“Are you okay?” she asked. “You look more than unwell—you look sick.”

Accacia nodded. “I’ve been better, Laura.”

“Tell me.”

Accacia told Laura everything that had transpired, even the physical moment her and Aleco shared. She detailed the horrible words Aleco had said to her and the pain she had caused him. She admitted she never felt worse.

“Aleco is being unfair,” she observed.

“I don’t think he is,” Accacia said. “I understand his feelings completely.”

“He should be more understanding. Zyle is your soul mate
. How can that be argued?”

Accacia looked away. “I never told him.”

“Why not?”

“I think that would hurt him even more.” Accacia looked at the trees surrounding them. Everywhere she looked she thought of Father Giloth. When she wasn’t reminded of him, she thought of Aleco.

“How do you figure?”

“Ale
co doesn’t believe in destiny or fate—he believes we make our own. That is the thing keeping him going, that his decisions are his own. If not, he would fear he was as evil as his brother, the most vicious dictator on the Continent. I am the best thing that ever happened to him. I don’t think he could handle the idea that I was never really his—that the Nature God destined me for someone else.”

Laura nodded. “
I still think you should tell him, Accacia. But the decision is yours.”

Accacia grabbed her mentor’s hand. “Thank you for listening. I can’t always detail these encounters to Zyle. I know it hurts him when I do.”

“Does he know what happened between you and Aleco?”

“Yes, but no
t specifically. He said he didn’t want to know.”

“Zyle loves you more than anything, Accacia. I can’t believe he would forgive you for that.”

“I know. I couldn’t believe it either.”