Soul Relenter (Soul Saga #3)

by Todd, E. L.

  Aleco felt his heart explode at her words. It was too good to be true. All the pain left his body, draining from every hole in his dark heart and was replaced by unbridled bliss. She smiled at him and he understood her meaning. “You choose me.”

  Accacia nodded. Aleco grabbed her and pulled her to his chest, letting the tears fall from his eyes. He had hid them from her for so long and now he couldn’t hold them back. He squeezed her to his chest and held her close, feeling her face against his torso. “I love you, Accacia.”

  “And I love you, Aleco.”

  He grabbed her face and pressed his head against hers. “Do you really?”

  “When you aren’t being an asshole, I do.”

  Aleco laughed at her words and felt his body go numb. She was really his. The old man had been right; he was happy again. “I’ll never be an asshole again, Accacia.”

  “Good,” she said. “Because I was very hurt by the lies you told me.”

  Aleco rubbed his nose against hers. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I was just trying to make it easier on you.”

  She kissed his lips and pulled away. “I know you were. I just wished I had known that before.”

  “Do you forgive me?” he asked.

  “I will always forgive you.”

  He smiled at her and stared at her lips. He had wanted to kiss her so much the past few months but had never been allowed to. But now Accacia was his—she belonged to him. She always had. Aleco pulled his face to her and kissed her with the greatest passion he ever had. He ran his hands through her hair and grabbed the small of her back, squeezing him to her. Accacia moaned at his touch. Aleco pulled away, realizing they were in a room full of people. “Perhaps we should go somewhere more private.” He grabbed her hand pulled her away.

  “Aleco, the ceremony is about to begin,” Artremian said from the corner. “You can’t leave.”

  Aleco turned to him. “It can wait,” he said. He pulled Accacia out of the door. “I can’t.”

  Artremian rolled his eyes as their future king walked away with his woman. He returned a second later with Accacia behind him. She was smiling at Aleco. “And prepare for a wedding as well. We can do both.”

  Artremian shook his head as he watched them go. “Well, I guess now we have a queen as well.”

  “Don’t be angry with him, darling. He deserves this.”

  “I owe that man my life,” he said as smiled at his wife. “He can do whatever he wants.”

  Aleco slammed the door behind them and bolted the lock, making sure no one could enter their bedchamber. Accacia smiled at him as he walked to her. He stopped and stared at her for a moment, studying the happiness in her face and felt his heart melt at the lack of any doubt. Aleco thought she had chosen Zyle but he had been wrong; she wanted him.

  “I still can’t believe you are here.” He grabbed her face and kissed her, feeling the thin lips that he adored so much. Just the thought of making love to her—every day for the rest of his life—made his body shake. She wore brown traveling pants and a plain black shirt, the outfit she had worn when she had first given herself to him, and the significance wasn’t lost on him. She had never looked more beautiful.

  “I’m sorry that it took me so long. I should have returned to you the moment I set foot on the Continent. No, I never should have left to begin with. I’m sorry that I hurt you, Aleco.”

  “What changed?”

  “I just couldn’t live without you. I couldn’t accept my destiny. I decided to make my own fate. I’m meant to be with Zyle but I want to be with you.” Accacia wrapped her arms around him and looked into his eyes. “I want to spend my days with you.”

  Aleco sighed. Even though he was ecstatic that Accacia had returned to him, he pitied Zyle. The man must be in agony, something Aleco had already experienced. “I can’t believe this is happening. Are you really mine?”

  “I am marrying you, aren’t I?” she said with a smile. She trailed her lips down his neck and unclasped the buttons on his uniform. “I can’t wait any longer, Aleco. I want you.”

  Aleco moaned at her words. “You have no idea how much I’ve wanted you these past few weeks. I wanted to rip that green dress off of you every time you wore it.” Aleco remembered the last time they almost made love. “I almost didn’t stop when you asked me to.”

  “I didn’t want you to.” Aleco felt his spine shiver at her words. “If we had made love, I wouldn’t have been able to stay with Zyle. I would have been lost to you.”

  Aleco felt his arousal increase as he listened to her. He grabbed her shirt and lifted it from her body and stared at her breasts, feeling his manhood grow at the sight. Accacia unclasped his uniform and tore it from his body, tossing it on the floor. She pulled down his pants and removed his underwear. Aleco undressed her just as quickly.

  Aleco grabbed her and carried her to the bed, kissing her as he let his hands roam over her body. He kissed her lips passionately then suddenly stopped, looking at her for a moment. The tears fell from his eyes as she stared at her.

  Accacia cried as well. “I’m so sorry I hurt you,” she said through her tears. “I wish I never had. I wish I could take it back.”

  “You have no idea how much pain I’ve carried, Accacia. I needed you so much but I could never have you. This has been the most agonizing time of my life.”

  Accacia grabbed his face and kissed it, proving her love for him in her embrace. “I will never hurt you again, Aleco—I promise. I don’t expect you to ever forgive me, but I hope you know how much I love you.”

  “Yes I know, Accacia. And I do forgive you.” He kissed the tears on her cheeks then her lips. “I’m just so happy you returned to me. I feel whole again.”

  She placed his hand over her heart. “I do, too.”

  Aleco kissed the skin over her heart then sucked on her nipples, feeling it harden under his touch. Accacia began to pant as he pleased her and grabbed her other breast and squeezed it tightly. He trailed his lips down to her thigh and kissed the area he knew she loved.

  “Aleco,” she said with a moan.

  He returned his lips to hers and pulled her hips off the bed, inserting himself within her. “You belong to me, Accacia.” He moved within her and she moaned at the feel of him, missing him inside of her for the past year. Aleco could feel her rock against him and he was already losing control. He pushed himself further within. “Do you understand me?” he asked as he stared into her face, which was glowing red in ecstasy.

  “Yes.”

  “Forever.” He increased his pace and sweat tricked down his chest. Accacia gripped his back and pulled him deeper into her, approaching an orgasm already. “This is it,” he said. “No more messing around.”

  Accacia nodded, too overcome in her pleasure to say anything else. She moaned as he grabbed her legs and pinned them back, forcing himself further within her. Accacia ran her hands through his hair then scratched his back as she lost control of her body, giving into the feeling inside of her. She exploded as she called out his name.

  “And I love you—forever.” Aleco let himself give into the intensity of the moment. He had never been happier, more at ease in his life. All the pain for the past year evaporated when he looked at the woman he loved below him, yelling his name as he made love to her. He gave into his own moment and released his anger and pain within her.

  “I love you, Aleco,” she said as he made his final thrust within her. She ran her hands through the blonde strands of hair she loved so much and saw his eyes change from gray to ocean blue. “I love you,” she repeated.

  Aleco kissed the sweat dripping down her neck then lay next to her, holding her to him. He knew everyone was waiting for him at the coronation but he couldn’t care less. He had what he wanted and nothing else mattered. They could give the damn lordship to someone else. Accacia tightened her hold on him and refused to let go. She hadn’t been with him like this in so long. She kissed his lips once more and he smiled at her embrace. “We should probably ge
t ready, Aleco. You have to take the throne now.” She moved from his arms but he pulled her back.

  “I’m not letting you go ever again. I’m sorry, but you’re stuck with me.”

  “That doesn’t sound so bad.” Aleco smiled at her response. Accacia knew how frightened he was of his coronation even though he hid his unease well. The man could attack the king of the Continent but he was afraid of a harmless ceremony. The thought made her smile. “I’ll be with you the whole time, Aleco.”

  Aleco shook his head. “I don’t want to do this, Accacia. I have absolutely no interest in ruling the people. I have no idea what I’m doing.”

  “You’ll be fine, Aleco. I’m certain of it. Besides, you have a queen who already has some experience.”

  Aleco knew she meant well but the reference to her joint ruling with Zyle made him uneasy. Accacia caught the look and immediately regretted saying it. She knew how possessive Aleco could be. “Please don’t speak of Zyle to me ever again.” Aleco understood how childish he was being, but he had suffered the agony of seeing Accacia with him on a daily basis and he didn’t want to think of it ever again. He had been willing to kill himself over it. Aleco wanted to move on like nothing had happened, unable to deal with the agony of her betrayal to him. Now he had what he wanted and he didn’t want his happiness to be spoiled with thoughts of her making love to Zyle, which he had practically experienced through his powers as a Nature Priest.

  Accacia nodded. “I won’t.” She hated the jealousy that coursed through his body. Accacia knew he would be hurt for many years to come. She wished Aleco didn’t have to live with the knowledge she had been married to someone else. Accacia felt her heart ache when she thought of Zyle, knowing he was in unspeakable agony on the ship back to Suaden. “Now that you are about to become my husband, can I ask you something?”

  Aleco sat up and ran his hands through her hair, letting his hands touch her however he wished. She was his to keep and he was going to take advantage of it every moment he could. “You can ask me anything, Accacia.”

  Accacia was happy they had returned to their previous relationship instantly, despite the obvious pain in Aleco’s heart. She felt like they were back in Asylinth Cottage, making love by the fire and discovering each other for the first time. She felt like they had never been apart. They were both broken but were complete when they were together, oblivious to the events surrounding them. There was something Accacia wanted to know. She had already questioned Aleco but he had denied both of her previous requests. “Tell me what you and Penelope were discussing. Ever since I overheard your conversation I haven’t stopped thinking about it.”

  He looked away from her, shaking his head slightly at her inquiry. Aleco dropped his hands from her strands of hair and placed them in his lap. “You can ask me anything, but there are some answers you don’t want to hear—this is one of them, Accacia. Are you sure you want to know? It will only hurt you. It may even make you regret your decision to choose me.”

  Accacia grabbed his hand and stared into his eyes. “Nothing you say will ever make me regret staying, Aleco. Zyle may be my soul mate but I gave you my soul first—it’s yours.” Accacia knew Aleco didn’t want to discuss Zyle, but she made an exception because she was proving her love for him. “And yes, I want to know, Aleco.”

  Aleco stared at her for a moment. He took a deep breath before he continued. “I decided to kill myself.” Aleco paused when he felt Accacia pull her hand away. He knew she was shocked by his words. “I asked Penelope to stab me through the heart because I didn’t want to be alone when—it happened. She agreed. We were supposed to do it right after you left but I had to come here first.”

  Accacia covered her face with her palms and the tears poured from her eyes. She had suspected it but she hadn’t actually believed it to be true. Accacia cried quietly to herself while Aleco watched her, unsure if she wanted him to touch her. He knew how disturbing the new was. “Why?” she whispered through her tears.

  “You know why, Accacia.”

  She met his gaze. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I didn’t want you to stay out of pity. I wanted you to choose me because you wanted me—no other reason.”

  Accacia wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him to her chest. “I’m so sorry I caused you this much pain, Aleco. I—I had no idea. Please forgive me. I had no idea how much I had hurt you.”

  Aleco kissed her forehead and rubbed her arms. “I forgive you, Accacia. No harm was done.” Accacia felt her heart lurch when she considered the alternative. What if she left? Aleco would have committed suicide and she would never have known. There was a knock on the door and Accacia flinched at the sound.

  “Aleco—we are waiting,” Artremian yelled through the door. “You can do—that—later.”

  Accacia wiped her tears away and tried to regain her composure. “He’s right, Aleco.” She searched for a handkerchief but found none.

  “Allow me.” Aleco grabbed her face and kissed her tears away then brushed the moisture away with his fingers. “I’m sorry that I upset you. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I didn’t want you to know.”

  Accacia nodded. “You don’t need to apologize.” She rose to her feet and searched for her clothes, finding them on the other side of the room.

  “Are you sure you want to marry me?” Aleco asked as he dressed himself. “Marrying a king sounds horrible.”

  “It’s not so bad.”

  Aleco didn’t react to her words but Accacia immediately regretted saying them. They flew from her mouth before she could stop them. Accacia hated herself for hurting him. “I’ll get the maids,” he said as he walked away. He didn’t seem angered like she thought he would be. “They’ll outfit you with a dress. I’m sure Penelope will let you borrow one for the ceremony.”

  “No, Aleco,” she said as she shook her head. “That woman hates me.”

  “No, she hated you. I doubt she will still behave that way. Besides, she loves me so she would help me in whatever way she can. I want you wear something beautiful to your wedding. She won’t mind—really.”

  Accacia sighed. “Okay.”

  Aleco walked to the doorway and conversed with Artremian. “I need the maids to prepare Accacia for the wedding ceremony.”

  “Aren’t you supposed to sleep with the bride after the wedding?” he asked with a smile.

  Aleco smiled. “She and I will make our own traditions.” Aleco turned back to Accacia. “I’ll see you soon.” He closed the door behind him.

  Penelope came into the room with the dress on a hanger. Accacia felt her chest fall. She was hoping it would be Aleco. She hated being apart from him so soon after they were reunited. Penelope laid the dress on the bed and looked at Accacia. Accacia met her gaze and didn’t look away, unsure what she should do.

  “I realize we didn’t get along very well,” she said with a smile. Penelope sat on the bed directly next to Accacia. The sheets were in disarray from their lovemaking but the woman didn’t seem to notice. “I apologize for my rude behavior, Accacia. But I meant every word I said.”

  “I understand.” Accacia nodded. “You were just trying to protect Aleco.”

  “Yes,” she said. “As I will for always.”

  “Do you still hate me? If you do, it won’t change anything,” Accacia said. “Aleco will still marry me despite your objections—no matter how close you are to him.”

  Penelope reached out and grabbed Accacia’s hand. It felt cold under her grasp and she felt the pulse underneath the skin. It was beating frantically, alarmed at the proximity. “No, of course I don’t hate you, Accacia. Aleco is happy—happier than I’ve ever seen him. You made the right decision when you chose him. I will love you the same way I love him—as long as he stays happy.”

  “That won’t be a problem.” Accacia smiled.

  “I had a feeling it wouldn’t be.” Penelope rose from the bed and held the dress out to her. “What do you think? If this isn’t the one, I have many others
to choose from.”

  Accacia stared at the dress for a moment. The silky material of the dress shined in the light from the window and it fit snugly around the waist. The length of the dress would trail behind her across the floor, making it appear elegant and graceful. “I love it, Penelope.”

  “Call me, Penny.”

  Aleco stood before Father Hyphalia on the dais, which overlooked the lands of Roslyn and the fields farther out into the distance. The council was lined to the side of the progression, and Artremian and Penelope stood on the opposite side of the walkway. Steward Josiah sat in the corner, pouting noticeably, and Nolan stood in the back, hidden in the shadows. The peasants watched from the base of the platform and Aleco smiled when he heard them cry. His palms were sweating and he was more nervous than he ever felt. Killing Drake was easier than taking the throne.

  Father Hyphalia smiled at him, trying to assuage the anxiety etched on Aleco’s face. Father Hyphalia asked for a blessing from the gods then performed the ceremony, officially admitting Aleco into the position. Aleco vowed to protect the innocents of the Continent with his life and he meant every promise he made. He knew he had a lot of wrongs he needed to correct. Father Hyphalia nodded to Aleco at the end of ceremony. “Rise,” he commanded.

  Aleco rose to his feet and stared into the gaze of the Guardian of Channeled Souls. The Chief approached Aleco and stood slightly behind him, clapping him on the shoulder in congratulations. His black eyes were shining in the sun and Aleco had never seen the man so happy. “Good luck,” he said with a smile. “I hope you can handle it.”

  Aleco shook his head. “Unlikely.”

  “I wasn’t referring to your lordship, Aleco. And I told you not to give up. I’m glad you took my advice for once—I know how seldom that occurs.”

  Aleco smiled at Nolan. “Thank you for everything, Nolan.”

  The Chief nodded. “Now let’s get you married off. The sooner you throw your life away, the sooner we can drink the rum.”

  Aleco turned away and saw Penelope walked down the walkway with a boutique of flowers in her hands. She smiled at Aleco as she approached him, and she was wearing a bright, gold, dress, which accentuated her skin perfectly. She stood across from Aleco and waited. She was acting as Accacia’s chief maid and had offered to do it willingly. The Chief was Aleco’s brother, his witness to the ceremony.