by Todd, E. L.
Zyle returned to his seat beside Accacia and Aleco stared at Accacia, saying everything he wanted to say through his gaze alone. Accacia met his gaze with a blush to her cheeks. She didn’t suggest this idea to hurt him. It sounded like their best chance of success.
The King of the Asquithians turned to his life partner. “Why are you suggesting this? No one expects you to do that.”
“It seems like the most suitable option. I will be able to find the information we need without risking the lives of the citizens. I will send word to you, detailing the specifics on everything we need. Then you will strike with the tools for success.”
Zyle stared at her. “Are you serious about this?”
Aleco threw his cup against the wall and it shattered into pieces. The ambassadors of the room flinched again and doubted the sanity of Father Rhonian. He was in a blinding rage that couldn’t be controlled. “Are you serious? You are going to let your wife return to the arms of that fiend so he can have his way with her? Beat her senseless for escaping from her imprisonment. Are you kidding me? I respected you because I thought you were a man that would die to protect her, but clearly I had been wrong. You’re a worthless piece of horseshit! You’re a complete disgrace to your people!”
Zyle rose from his chair but Accacia steadied him. “Please?” she asked. Zyle closed his eyes and knew what she was asking him. She wanted him to bottle his anger and not feed the flames of Aleco’s rage. She wanted him to be the better man. Zyle kissed her hand, assuring her he was under control and got to his feet.
He looked at Aleco. Aleco’s body was shaking in anger. Zyle knew he wanted to kill him. “I respect the decisions of my queen and I do not dictate what she can or cannot do. I know Accacia would never volunteer herself for such a missive if she wasn’t prepared for it. I also understand how selfless she is and her commitment to protecting the lives of those she leads. She is not only the queen of a nation but a warrior, sworn to protect the innocents that need to be guarded. I have the same concerns as any husband would but those are not appropriate in council. Whatever issues I have with her choice will be discussed in private, but that doesn’t mean I will tell her what to do. She is free to make her own choices and I will stand by whatever she decides.” Zyle backed away and sat in his seat. “I suggest you do the same, Father.”
Accacia approached the desk and Aleco watched her come closer to him. “You gave me your word that you wouldn’t interfere with my decisions. You said that you wouldn’t speak a word. Aleco, you can’t break your promise without losing your position.”
Aleco stared at her. “You are far more important than my bloody position. I couldn’t care less about that!” Aleco nodded to Zyle. “And neither should your king. A man’s duty is to his family above all things.” Aleco leaned back in his chair and gripped the arm rests of the wood. “Accacia, you released me from my oath when you told me I was the true victor. The pact was void. By stating those words you allowed me the right to dictate what you do. And no, you aren’t going. I would rather burn my own forest to the ground, killing every creature and Naturalist within its border before I let you give yourself to him.” Aleco rose to his feet and addressed the ambassadors. “She is not going—this is not happening. We will have to find another way. I will not change my mind—this is final.”
Accacia returned to her seat and stared at him. Aleco knew how angry she was but he didn’t care. It was silent for several minutes before any one was brave enough to speak. Finally, Mikah spoke up. “Then what will we do? March onto the king and hope we succeed? Harvest the Soul Binders and take them back to our land until we figure it out?”
Laura leaned forward. “If we do not destroy the Soul Binders, the king will use them in battle. We can keep killing him but he will continually rejuvenate himself, spending the souls of the Asquithians in the process, until he finally depletes his hoard. Who knows how many times we will have to kill him to succeed.”
Aleco nodded. “We will have to corner him away from his Soul Binders. I am certain he has a few on his body and he can only carry so many. Eventually, he will run out and perish.” Aleco spoke in a calm voice and the ambassadors were relieved that he had regained his composure. Accacia was grateful he had reclaimed his calm demeanor, but she was still angry with him for interfering in her affairs. “We will lose some souls in the process but it is necessary for victory.”
Laura nodded. “Yes, I suppose. It won’t matter anyway if we can’t figure out how to destroy them.”
Accacia looked at her aunt. She knew she was worried she would never free the soul of her life partner. She knew how fearful all the ambassadors were, even Roxian, at the thought of their failure. “We will,” she said. “We will not fail them.”
Laura smiled at her niece, relying on her strength since hers had disappeared. “I know you’re right, Your Majesty.”
Illanya looked at the kKing and Queen of the Asquithians, who had their hands joined together in Accacia’s lap. “So, we are really doing this?”
Accacia nodded. “Yes,” she said. “It’s time to throw all our chips in.”
Mikah looked at Aleco. “When do we leave?”
Aleco stared at him. “Two days hence. I suggest you get as much rest as you can. I will prepare all the arrangements.” Aleco looked at Zyle with hatred in his eyes. “Choose your warriors for the infiltration at Paso Robles.” His gaze flickered to Accacia. “I suggest you choose wisely.”
Aleco rose from his chair and left the room, leaving the ambassadors alone to speak to one another about the upcoming attack. Roxian watched him walk by with a hungry expression and Accacia caught the glance. She wanted to stab her through the gut. Accacia followed Aleco out of the room and grabbed him by the arm. He stopped and looked at her, waiting for her to speak. She heard Sadie and Vance walk down the hallway, their crashing steps echoing through the house as they headed for Aleco. She spoke before the children were upon them. “I am coming to Paso Robles and you’re not going to stop me. Neither one of us won that battle so you can express your resilience to my decisions but you cannot make them for me.”
Aleco stared at her. “We’ll see.” He turned away from her and gathered both of the children in his arms. Sadie giggled as he swept her into his embrace and Vance smiled at the man he considered to be his father. Aleco walked away from Accacia without saying goodbye. “Let’s hike through the forest before we lose the sunlight.” Both children cried in excitement. “Go ask your Lydia for permission.” He set them on the ground and they hurried up the stairs toward Lydia’s room. Aleco stared at Accacia from across the room, silently appraising her features. They shared the same thought between them and Accacia looked away, unable to handle the truth of his message. She knew exactly what he meant.
Asylinth House
22
Accacia and Zyle left Asylinth House along with the other ambassadors but Laura remained behind. Aleco was standing in the parlor and kept glancing up the stairs, waiting for his children to reappear on the landing at the top, with their smiling faces beaming at him in excitement. Laura watched him for a moment until he finally turned his gaze on her, noticing that she was the only Asquithian that remained behind.
“Can I speak with you, Father?” she asked.
Sadie and Vance walked down the stairs with Lydia behind them. The brown locks of Lydia’s hair were clipped back and she wore an ordinary dress, gray like the color of his dress robes. Aleco looked at the two children then turned to Lydia. “I need to confer with Laura for a moment. We will leave as soon as I’m finished.”
“Of course.” She smiled. “We don’t mind waiting.”
“Yes, we do!” Vance cried. “Hurry, Aleco.”
Aleco smiled at him and patted his head. “I’ll try.” He walked to the study and opened the door for her, allowing the Asquithian to walk through first. Laura took her seat beside the fire and Aleco moved to the chair behind his desk. He stared at her for a moment. “What can I do for you?” he asked.
<
br /> “I have a few concerns about the mission,” she said simply. “As the Ambassador for the Physical Arts, I have full autonomy in our decisions in battle. I wish to confer with you in private.”
“Without the presence of your king and queen?” he asked.
“I know you don’t want them here and I don’t blame you, Aleco,” she said. “Our private meeting will be easier for the both of us. My niece’s constant tears give me nothing but grief.”
Aleco raised an eyebrow at her. “And who is your niece?”
“Accacia, of course.”
Aleco felt his body stiffen at her words. Accacia had never mentioned she had a living relative, and one that was so strong and formal. His heart thawed at the thought. He was happy she had someone to care for her in a familial way. Father Giloth hadn’t done the most commendable job. “I’m very happy to hear that. Accacia deserves the unconditional love of a mother. It was something I could never give her and I doubt Zyle can either.”
She smiled at him. “Yes, you’re right.” Laura studied Aleco’s features and saw the despair in his blue eyes. His powerful frame kept him upright, but she knew the sadness in his soul was enough to cripple anyone. He was a broken man, his heart severed into a million pieces, and he lacked a purpose. Laura recognized the feeling in herself. She hadn’t felt whole since her life partner died. It was obvious that Aleco felt the same way. “I want to discuss the arrangements.”
Aleco nodded. “What are your concerns?”
“The Asquithians will be under Zyle’s command along with my own. You will have no authority to lead them. They will do as I command or whatever my king or queen decide. Your soldiers are free to do as you wish.”
“I disagree,” he said. “I have no quarrels with dual leadership but we need to work together—not be two independent armies. My men will protect the Asquithians and I expect the same from your people. We may be separated by the ocean, but we are the same people, at least in my eyes.”
“Then what do you propose?”
“Zyle and I will work together—or you and I—and decisions will be made as we go into battle. We can’t plan ahead every intricate detail because war is always unpredictable. I can tell you understand my words completely.”
“Yes.”
“What are your concerns?”
“Who was the other man here the other day? He had a powerful physique with deep brown eyes, but said nothing at our meeting. What is his importance?”
Aleco walked to the doorway and called for Natalia, asking her to bring the Chief to his study. Nolan was in the small houses of the forest, conducting the affairs of the guild as they prepared for battle. The Nature Priest walked back into the room. “His name is Nolan and he is a close friend to me—he can be trusted.”
“But that doesn’t explain who he is. You said you were part of a guild. What was its purpose?”
Aleco knew he had to tell Laura the truth. There was no way to evade her question. “To violate the basic rights of citizens for our own personal gain by slaughtering innocents, stealing from the rich, and sending people into slavery—that is what we did. I am no longer associated with this organization and I haven’t been a member for many years.”
“You are doing a horrible job of convincing me to trust this man,” she said firmly.
“Nolan and I are the same—both evil, sinister men—but we are no longer. We are both committed to righting our wrongs and overthrowing the evil tyrant that terrorizes the Continent. We will stop him.”
“How can I trust your words—that you are truly different?”
“I can’t lie—remember?”
“I suppose,” she said. “I don’t understand why Accacia hid this from me. She didn’t convey this information to Zyle either.”
“Just because she is committed to Zyle as her life partner—or whatever the hell you call it—doesn’t mean she is less committed to me in other ways. She will hoard my secrets with her life. In that respect, I trust her implicitly. She wouldn’t tell a soul of my past—not even her own family.”
“You have much faith in her.”
“I used to have more.” Aleco’s words hung heavy in the air for a moment, the true meaning prickling his own skin. He wished their fate was different—that Accacia would choose him over Zyle—but he knew that would never come to pass. Accacia had made that clear.
Laura flashed him her penetrating gaze and it bore into his heart but it had no effect on Aleco, who was a man who had been nearly killed often in his life. A mere look would do nothing to him. He met her gaze passively. “I will kill you if you intervene.”
Aleco understood her meaning. “Don’t make any bluffs, Laura. I know you would never harm me. Accacia still loves me and she would never forgive you for hurting me. In fact, I suspect she would be livid with you just for mentioning our personal relationship. And no, I have no intention of coming between a man and his wife. Zyle and I have already spoken about this. I will not touch her. If she wants me she can have me—I am hers whenever she wishes.”
“A warrior does not make bluffs,” she threatened.
“Then you are wasting your time. I am not a threat to Zyle, despite his obvious idiotic decisions like even considering allowing Accacia to return to Drake, but I respect Accacia’s decision. She made it clear she doesn’t want me—I get it.” Aleco finally looked away. He was done having this conversation—he was done thinking about this. It just made him want to stab himself in the chest. It was bad enough seeing Accacia with Zyle every day, but now he had to prove his good intentions to everyone. He was growing tired of this game.
Laura saw the finality in his gaze—the surrender of his blue eyes—and she knew he meant what he said. The look reminded her of the men she decapitated in battle, the calm resignation that came over their face as they accepted their impending death. She immediately regretted her words. Aleco was obviously an honorable man. “I apologize, Aleco. I regret what I said to you. Since we have arrived here, Accacia has only been overcome with grief, too miserable to think straight. It was wrong of me to assume you were the cause of her pain.”
“Well, you aren’t wrong about that,” he said with a fake smile. “I know I am the cause of it, even though I try not to be.”
“I apologize, Aleco,” she said.
Aleco nodded. “I accept your apology, Laura.” He poured himself a glass of brandy and prepared a glass for her as well. “Can I offer you a drink?” Laura smiled at him before she reached for the glass. She swallowed the contents completely and replaced the cup on the surface. Laura did not make a disgusted face or spit out the contents. She seemed relaxed. Aleco stared at her in astonishment. “Are you and Accacia blood relatives?” he asked incredulously.
“Yes,” she said with a smile. “Can you tell?”
“No, not really.” He laughed.
The Chief opened the study door and made his entrance into the office. He grabbed his own bottle from the cabinet and sat in the chair next to Laura. He didn’t look at her. “This better be important, Aleco. You pressure me to finish the preparations immediately, but then you pester me every few hours. So which is it? Do you want me to work or do you want me to drink?” He held up the bottle before he brought it to his lips and took a swig.
Aleco rolled his eyes at Nolan. “He makes a good impression, doesn’t he?” Aleco rose from his chair and came to the front of the desk, where he leaned his back against the frame of the table. “This is Laura, the Ambassador for the Physical Arts. I wanted to introduce you to her. I realize you have already met but you have never conversed. I know we will all be working together quite intimately.”
Nolan turned his gaze onto her and watched her for a moment. His signature black gaze didn’t affect Laura whatsoever, nor did her intimidating gaze affect him. The Chief placed the bottle on the ground and nodded to her. “Hello, Laura. I am the Chief of the Serpentine Guild, but you may refer to me as Nolan.”
Laura nodded. “I will,” she said. “And what is y
our intention in this battle? What will you be doing to aid our cause?”
“Whatever the Nature Priest commands,” he said simply. “The men may think I am the leader of the guild, but Aleco is the true manipulator. I am just a puppet, really. I have been preparing for the attack on Paso Robles, preparing the carts and organizing the newly made weapons we have forged. I will not accompany you in the attempt to free the slaves, but will retain order here while Aleco is away.”
“Can I trust you?” she asked.
“I have no idea,” he said seriously. “How can you trust anyone? Personally, I trust no one—with the exception of one man.”
“And who is that?”
Nolan nodded to Aleco, but didn’t answer her question verbally.
“Can I trust that you will do everything to help us win this battle, Nolan?”
He was silent for a moment. “I will not betray you because I will not violate Aleco’s trust—I am indebted to him. I am obligated to assist him until his task is complete. That is the only thing you can trust, Laura.”
Laura crossed her legs and nodded at him, thankful for his concise responses and his truthful words. “Thank you.”
Nolan nodded then turned to Aleco. “Do you still need my assistance, Aleco?”
“No,” he said. The Chief rose from his chair and left the room without a backward glance. The bottle remained on the floor next to the chair. Aleco would drink it after he depleted the glass in his hand. He turned his gaze back to Laura. “Is there anything else I can do for you, Laura?”
“No,” she said as she rose to her feet. She advanced to the doorway and stopped and looked behind her. “I’m sorry for everything, Aleco.” Laura closed the door behind her, leaving Aleco alone in the study, his only company the brandy on his desk and the roaring fire. He understood the meaning of her last words.
