Soul Binder (Soul Saga (Book #2))

by Todd, E. L.

  “No.” She sniffed. “I’m not.”

  “You will be eventually. It will get easier.” Aleco’s lips brushed her forehead. “I want you to be happy.”

  “I never will be.”

  Aleco moved away from her embrace and stood up. She tried to pull him back to bed but she couldn’t. He kept slipping away. “Don’t go.” She begged.

  “I’m sorry, Accacia, but it’s time.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Accacia heard a loud crash in the downstairs parlor. Men’s voices could be heard shouting in the sitting room. Heavy footfalls pounded up the stairs. They were almost at the door.

  “What do you mean?” she repeated. She tried to rise from her position on the bed, but she couldn’t move or reach him. She couldn’t save him.

  The door flew open and Drake marched into the room. He withdrew his blade and spotted Aleco next to Accacia. She read the intent in his gaze.

  “Leave him alone, Drake!”

  The soldiers grabbed Aleco by the arms and brought him to his knees. He fought against their restraint, but he couldn’t get away. “It’s okay, Accacia,” he said to her. “I will keep you safe.” She tried to rise from the bed, but she couldn’t move. She couldn’t save him.

  Drake stared at Aleco and aimed his blade at his neck.

  “STOP!”

  Drake pulled back the blade and sliced through Aleco’s neck, severing his head from his body.

  “NO! NO!” She screamed in agony at the sight. She felt her body convulse, and her shoulders were jerked from side to side.

  “Wake up,” Zyle said as he shook her body. “Accacia, come on.” He continued to shake her.

  Accacia opened her eyes and stopped screaming. She reached out and grabbed the table, knocking over a glass, then seized her blankets, pulling them to her chest. Zyle saw the look of horror on her face and wondered what caused such a startling nightmare. Accacia brought her knees to her chest and rocked herself back and forth as she shook with heavy sobs. Zyle didn’t know what to do. He wrapped his arms around her and cradled her to his chest, rocking her body gently. Eventually, she stopped crying and her breathing returned to normal. Zyle lay her body back down then rubbed her back until she fell asleep.

  Orgoom Forest

  18

  The events following the Ceremony of Passage were spent in silence. The Naturalists of Orgoom Forest spent their time in solitude, grieving for the loss of their mentor and friend, and abandoned their duties to the forest and their teachings. The new Nature Priest did not discipline them for their laziness or their disregard for their responsibilities. He understood their pain and left them in peace.

  Aleco tended to the forest most of the time. He appraised the health of the soil, checked on the health of the animals of the wood, and listened to the guidance of the Lorunien Tree. Father Giloth was right. The tree healed him somewhat, lessening the burden of Accacia’s absence on his heart. The Nature God offered to relieve the memories that were the cause of so much suffering, but Aleco rejected every offer it made. While the recollections of Accacia were painful, they were the greatest moments of his life. He couldn’t live without them.

  Aleco changed his name to Rhonian, by Father Giloth’s request, so he could protect his identity at the council meetings. He wasn’t looking forward to traveling to Roslyn because he didn’t know how he could be in Drake’s presence without killing him. He assumed it was the best opportunity to execute him, but Father Giloth forbade him from striking the king in public since his Soul Binders would be nearby, no doubt. His assassination would have to be planned meticulously if they were going to succeed.

  The Lorunien Tree cleaned Aleco’s soul and changed his name, granting him the name Rhonian Aleco. Now Aleco wouldn’t have to lie to keep his identity a secret. It was the only way he could keep his powers and his office.

  Aleco walked through the forest towards Asylinth House, which now belonged to him as the Chief Nature Priest. He preferred Asylinth Cottage because of its cramped and homely feel, but he knew his experiences within that house would be too painful to bear. He could feel Accacia everywhere.

  He stopped as he passed the cottage, remembering the time he spent with Accacia when they were secluded and hidden from the world within the walls. They always made love like it would be there last opportunity, even though they didn’t realize how little time they had left. Aleco relived those memories in Accacia’s Soul Catcher when the pain of missing her was too unbearable. He hadn’t had a sexual affair with anyone since she left and had no desire to. He preferred to ease his sexual energy alone, when his thoughts were focused on Accacia and no one else. It was depressing and lonely, but he would have it no other way. Being with someone else wasn’t an option. It would never be.

  Aleco walked through the back entrance of the house, the same one he used when he entered the forest undetected, and walked into the study. Natalia, the house servant, entered the room and smiled at him. “Is there anything I can get you, Father?”

  Aleco smiled at the title. He still wasn’t used to it. “Call me Rhonian,” he said. “And no, I don’t need anything.”

  “Very well, Father.”

  “What did I just say?” Aleco immediately regretted the words after he said them. He didn’t intend for his voice to come out so harsh. Her smile faded and her eyes flashed in alarm. Aleco knew he offended her.

  Natalia flinched at the venom in his tone. “I apologize, Rhonian.” She closed the door behind her.

  Aleco dropped his face into his palms and cursed himself. He was never going to get his manners down. The Lorunien Tree never should have chosen him based on his love for its muse. She had nothing to do with his ability to lead. He had been the Chief Nature Priest for several months and was still terrible at it.

  Aleco opened the capsule around his neck and placed Accacia’s Soul Catcher on the desk, watching it catch the light of the roaring hearth next to his desk. He already relived countless memories, most of which pertained to her capture with his disgusting twin. He watched Drake beat and rape her until the tears poured from Aleco’s eyes and his body shook with anger. Aleco pulled himself out of the memory before it was even finished, too horrified to witness any more of it.

  He finally understood Accacia’s mistrust of him. He was so insensitive before and their features were too similar in their anger. In his cave at Severstein Sea, Aleco grabbed her the exact same way as Drake. Aleco was amazed she fell in love with him at all. Aleco wished he could apologize to her and confess how sorry he was that he wasn’t more patient and accepting of her fear of him, but he knew he never could. He would never see her again. The truth was too much to bear.

  Aleco wondered what Accacia was doing. He hoped she arrived at the island and hadn’t died at sea, but he would never know. If she was at the island, he knew she would be happy with her people. He knew the Asquithians would accept her into their society, cherishing her like the treasure she was. Aleco just hoped she wasn’t cherished too much. He forced the thought from his mind—the idea of her being with another man made him sick. She had been there for months—it may have already happened. Aleco hoped in his heart it hadn’t.

  The knock on the door shattered his thoughts. Aleco cleared his throat. “Enter,” he said.

  Natalia didn’t look at him when she came into the room. She placed the scroll upon his desk. “This just arrived for you by messenger.”

  Aleco watched her walk away. He knew she was still angry at him. “Thank you, Natalia,” he said as she walked out of the study. She slammed the door behind her. Aleco hoped he would get better at this.

  He unrolled the scroll in his hand and began to read:

  Father Rhonian of Orgoom Forest,

  As the Sole Sovereign of the Unified Continent, allow me to congratulate you on your ascension to the Chief Nature Priest position. I know the late Father Giloth has chosen well.

  Aleco rolled his eyes. The horseshit of his words made him want to gag. He continu
ed to read.

  We will have our first Council Meeting in a week’s time where we will discuss the progress of the newly instated Mercantile Project of Paso Robles. You are invited to this meeting and I hope to see you there. I am very interested in meeting the new leader of Orgoom Forest. I sincerely hope it is under better circumstances than the last time I met with a Nature Priest—I would hate to force the Naturalists to appoint another so soon.

  Sole Sovereign of the Unified Continent,

  Drake

  Aleco laughed after he finished the note then tossed it into the hearth of flames. He couldn’t believe it. The king hadn’t even met him yet, but he was already handing out threats. It was so ridiculous that Aleco laughed again. “You must be joking,” he said to himself. “You are such an idiot, Brother.”

  The panic began to set in as he realized what he was supposed to do next. Meet with the council in the king’s lands. He wasn’t fearful of his brother, Drake, but he was concerned about the council meeting. What was expected of him? Aleco hoped he wouldn’t have to speak. Otherwise he would have to disguise his voice. It was vital that he wasn’t recognized, that his true identity wasn’t revealed. Accacia’s afterlife depended on it.

  Aleco would utilize the council meeting to investigate his enemy. Find out ways to thwart him and his power. Father Giloth told him that the Duke of Roslyn, Artremian, could be trusted, so Aleco would try to gather information from him if the situation permitted it.

  The anxiety of the situation left his body when he thought of Accacia. If he could end Drake’s reign and destroy the Soul Binders, she would be his again. It was the greatest motivation he could have. Otherwise, he would have given up long ago, traveled back to Severstein Sea, and crawled into the solitude of his cave, never to return to reality. Aleco knew what he had to do.

  Orgoom Forest

  19

  Ryan knocked on the door for several minutes, but the Nature Priest hadn’t responded in any way. He knew Father Rhonian was inside but was choosing to ignore him. Ryan knocked on the door one more time then opened it. “Father?”

  Aleco tore his gaze away from his empty glass. He was hoping that the visitor would just give up and walk away. Sadly, this Naturalist was persistent. “Yes?”

  “When are you leaving for Roslyn?”

  “Three days hence.”

  “What provisions will you be needing?”

  Aleco rolled his eyes. “The basic stuff.”

  Ryan nodded. “Yes, Father.” He fidgeted in his hands for a moment and looked at anything but Aleco.

  Aleco thought this conversation was over, but the Naturalist continued to stand before him. “Is there anything else, Ryan?”

  “Yes,” he said quietly. “When will you be returning?”

  Aleco shrugged. “The same evening.”

  Ryan raised an eyebrow. “Will you not be sleeping?”

  Aleco refilled his glass then took a drink. “I’ll sleep when I’m dead.” He leaned back in his chair and waited for Ryan to speak, hoping that the conversation was finally over. It was common knowledge that the new Nature Priest only wanted to be bothered for important events. He wasn’t pleasant company. Aleco sighed. “What else, Ryan?”

  “Well, there are a group of peasants who have asked for asylum in our woods. A group of soldiers rounded them up from their town and are using them as sex slaves. They barely managed to escape. They are also very sick.”

  Alarm ran through Aleco’s veins, and he stood up immediately. “Why didn’t you say this to begin with?” He belted his sword and weapons to his body and grabbed a small case of herbal remedies.

  Ryan took a step back. “I thought you were leaving.”

  “Not for another three days.” He snapped. “Where are they?”

  “They are outside.”

  Aleco clenched his fist. “They are sick, and you are letting them stand outside in the cold?”

  “I—I didn’t know what you wanted, Father.”

  “Stop calling me that.” He snapped. “Rhonian will suffice.” He grabbed his gear and stormed out of the study, Ryan following behind him.

  Aleco opened the front door and saw three young women sitting on the ground, coughing into their sleeves. Their clothes were ripped, and they had bruises covering their body. It was obvious that they were abused and beaten. The sight made Aleco livid. He stepped towards them, and the three women flinched at his cloaked appearance. Aleco kneeled down. “Welcome to the forest,” he said pleasantly. “I am Father Rhonian. May I attend to you?”

  One woman, who had dark brown hair with a tint of red to it, tightened her shirt around her body. “Please,” she whispered. “Help us.” Suddenly, she coughed violently, spitting out blood as she went.

  Aleco watched with concerned eyes. He looked at the other two, who both had blonde hair. “Are you feeling the same way as she?” he asked.

  They both nodded.

  Aleco rose to his feet. “Please come with me,” he said. “You can bath, eat, get a change of clothes, and I’ll heal you.”

  The women rose to their feet and followed him. They still had their arms folded across their chests and watched him cautiously. Normally, Aleco would be annoyed, but since they were sex slaves, he ignored the insult. He dealt with the same thing before with Accacia until she finally realized he wasn’t a psychotic rapist.

  He guided them into the house and turned to Natalia. “Can you prepare the guest rooms for these three ladies and provide a change of clothes?”

  Natalia smiled at them warmly then nodded to Aleco. “Of course, Rhonian.” She turned and walked up the stairs. Aleco was glad that she finally didn’t address him by his title. It took her a long time to finally get it down.

  Aleco turned back to the women. “Come with me.” He guided them to a separate room that contained benches and sickness beds. There were cabinets of herbs and remedies, and the room had an empty fireplace.

  When he walked inside, the women didn’t follow him. They just stood there, looking at him suspiciously. Aleco looked around the room and realized why. There were beds everywhere. Annoyed, he sighed to himself then walked out of the room. “Natalia,” he called. “Come here.”

  “What is it, Rhonian?” she asked when she reached the end of the stairs.

  “Just come with me.”

  She stared at him for a moment then followed his command. Natalia walked into the storage room and the three women followed right behind her.

  Aleco turned to her. “Thank you.” He looked back at the women then pointed to the bench. “Please sit down,” he said.

  They took their seats on the bench and sat quietly.

  “What are your names?” Aleco asked.

  The brunette spoke first. “Lilia,” she said. “And this is Vivian,” she said, looking at the blonde next to her. “And that’s Mia.” The second blonde was thinner than the other two and looked to be in the worst shape. She looked malnourished.

  Aleco nodded. “It’s nice to meet you,” he said. He took a seat a across from them. “As a nature priest, it is against my oath of the office to lie. So, everything I say is solely the truth.” He looked at Natalia. “Is that correct?”

  “Yes.” She nodded.

  Aleco looked back at the women. “So, when I say that I won’t hurt you or take you against your will, I mean it. You do not need to fear me.”

  Lilia stared at him for a moment. “Then why do you hide your face?”

  Aleco couldn’t answer the question in a way that wouldn’t be a lie, so he didn’t respond at all. “If you don’t want to be alone with me, Natalia can stay if that makes you feel better. But the sooner she leaves, the sooner you will have a fresh bath, warm clothes, and a hot meal.” Aleco stared at them, waiting for a response.

  Lilia touched her throat, and Aleco saw the lights shine brighter in her eyes. She coughed for a moment, but then the episode faded. Mia, the thinnest one, rubbed her arms then touched her flat stomach.

  Aleco stared at them.
“I won’t hurt you,” he said.

  Lilia looked at the other two girls. “I think we’ll be okay.”

  Mia and Vivian nodded.

  Aleco turned back to Natalia. “Thank you.”

  She nodded. “I’ll see you soon.” She opened the door and left.

  Aleco rolled up his sleeves and opened a nearby cabinet, searching for the remedy he needed.

  Lilia was whispering with the two girls for a moment then she looked back at Aleco. “We want to see your face.”

  Aleco pulled the case from the cabinet and set it on the table. “Good for you.”

  Vivian stared at him. “How do we know we can trust you if we can’t see who you are?”

  Aleco rolled his eyes. “I never asked you to trust me. In fact, you shouldn’t. I only said I wouldn’t hurt you or assault you.”

  Lilia shook her head. “How do we know if you are the real Nature Priest?”

  Aleco laughed. “Do you know what the real Nature Priest looks like?”

  The three women said nothing.

  “That’s what I thought.” He grabbed a bucket and sprinkled a few herbs inside of it. Then he grabbed three cups and filled them with water, sprinkling a mixture of different concoctions inside. “Unless you know someone else who can heal you, I suggest you let me do my job.” When he turned around, they were staring directly into his hood, exactly where his face would be. Aleco was annoyed with their mistrust. They were acting annoying just like Accacia used to. He sighed then pulled down his hood. He didn’t see the harm in showing them. They would never see the king and they would never know his true name. They stared at his features for a long moment, and Aleco stared back. Finally, he said, “Now can we move on?”

  They all nodded. Lilia continued to stare at him. Aleco pulled up his hood and moved towards them. After he explained the procedure, he began to cleanse their wounds with the herbal remedy and had them drink the medicine that he made. By the time he was done treating them, they seemed to relax around him, finally realizing that he wasn’t a threat. Aleco put his supplies away then led them from the room and into the entryway.