by Todd, E. L.
He followed her into the sitting room and saw her standing in the middle of the parlor with her arms crossed over her chest. She didn’t look at him. Aleco stopped a few feet away from her, knowing she needed her space. He waited several moments before she finally met his gaze. “I can’t do it, Aleco.”
Aleco felt his heart drop. He wasn’t sure what she was referring to. It sounded too similar to the day she had rejected his love, saying she couldn’t return his affections and never would. The termination of their relationship almost killed him. He couldn’t believe she was doing it again. Aleco didn’t know what he had done to lose her. He knew she loved him. “What do you mean, Accacia?” Aleco wondered if his past crimes had changed her feelings. Perhaps she realized his sins were too horrifying for her to overcome. He hoped he was wrong.
“I can’t leave you.” Accacia started to cry again and the tears dripped down her cheeks. She shook her head as she spoke, but she didn’t wipe the moisture away. “I won’t do it, Aleco—I can’t.”
The air in Aleco’s lungs finally left his body and he took a new gulp of air, relieved that she wasn’t leaving him. It was the opposite; she refused to go. Aleco came to her and held her waist, looking directly into her face. “You have to—I want you to.”
“No.” Her sobs turned hysterical. “I can’t live without you, Aleco. I’m not leaving you. You can’t make me. I’m not leaving you here alone, without me. I would rather die with you than be apart from you.” She buried her face in his chest and gripped him closer to her. “No.”
The darkness of the room crept into the corners of the parlor and only the light of the moon penetrated through the windows. Aleco could see her tears reflect in the light, making them look like drops of sparkling metal, much like his guild sword. He was elated that she was so committed to him and that she refused to leave him, but he knew she couldn’t stay. He didn’t want her to. “You have to, Accacia. I don’t want you here.”
“Yes, you do,” she said through her tears. “I know you do.”
“I want you to be safe—more than anything. I need you to leave, Accacia.” He pressed her head into his neck so she couldn’t see his face or the tears that bubbled under the surface of his eyes. “I won’t have it any other way. Please do this for me.”
“No.”
“Please, Accacia.”
“I won’t—”
“Accacia.”
She sobbed into his chest and said nothing more. Her tears dripped down his neck, and he looked at her, hating the pain this was causing her—causing both of them. He wished this wasn’t happening. That she was his for the rest of their lives. Aleco was finally happy, but his muse was being robbed from him. She was everything to him. Yes, he wanted her to stay, but what he wanted more was for her to be safe. She even said her protection was his responsibility—he was fulfilling his promise. “You will leave, Accacia. I will force you if I have to.” He hated threatening her, but she left him no choice. “Please just do it.”
“And leave you here alone?”
“I’ll be fine, Accacia.”
“Not without me.”
Aleco felt the tears explode behind his eyes and he blinked them back, knowing he had to be strong for her. She wouldn’t leave if she knew how much he didn’t want her to go. He breathed through the blinding pain before he spoke. “It will be okay. I promise.”
Accacia pulled his face to hers and kissed him. “I’ll never be okay without you.”
“Yes, you will.”
She shook her head. Aleco hated the direction of this conversation. The weight of her impending departure was enough to make his mind snap permanently. He had to gain control of his emotions and fight back the depression. He knew it couldn’t be avoided. He had to face it, but not just yet.
Aleco grabbed her and carried her back upstairs then laid her on the bed. He pulled her hips towards him and was about to make love to her when she pushed him back. “Stop, Aleco,” she whispered. He immediately released his hold on her and stepped back, respecting her wishes without hesitation. “I’m too upset right now.”
He crawled into bed beside her and held her close. “Tell me about your dream, Accacia. What was it?”
She said nothing for several moments. Aleco waited patiently for her to speak, but no words were forthcoming. Accacia didn’t have to tell him anything if she didn’t want to, but she usually told him everything anyway. It just took her a longer time to say it. He ran his hands through her hair and massaged the muscles of her back, trying to calm her. She closed her eyes and sighed. Aleco knew his ministrations were effective. “I dreamt that Drake killed you,” she said quietly. “And I stood by and did nothing.” She didn’t meet his gaze and stared at his chest.
“That isn’t going to happen, Accacia. He can’t kill me—it’s impossible.”
“He better not.”
“Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself.”
“I know you can.”
“Good,” he said as he leaned over her. He kissed her lips tenderly, attempting to change the subject of her thoughts. Aleco had never seen her more depressed, more forlorn, since he met her, and he wanted to chase away the shadows in her eyes. There would be plenty of time to be depressed later—after she left.
Aleco let the Soul Catcher roll from his palm and fall into his lap. He enjoyed the bliss of seeing her again, but the return to reality was always difficult to manage. He had to face the truth. He wouldn’t see her again. The adventures in the Soul Catcher needed to stop. It wasn’t healthy.
Now that the guild was under his command and he had more men in the uprising, he prayed that his dreams would come true. That he would kill Drake and be reunited with the woman who occupied his entire heart exclusively. He didn’t want to watch himself love Accacia through a Soul Catcher—he wanted to do it in reality.
Canu
47
After the Master Ceremony was over and the new monarch was elected to lead the people of the Asquithian race, everyone returned to their eaves. The lime-green beacons guided their path toward their homes, and people stumbled through the roadways, exhausted from the long day.
Zyle held Accacia’s hand as they walked to their eave in the back of the city. Accacia was silent as they walked forward, the events of the day running through her mind in a flash. Her life had changed so much since she arrived here. She left the Continent as a peasant, and now she had almost been established as a monarch in this foreign place. The thought confounded her mind. She knew Aleco wouldn’t be surprised by her appointment to the throne. Knowing that he wanted her to move on and be happy lessened the burden on her heart. She was tired of running away from Zyle. She loved him. She still missed Aleco as much as she did the day she arrived here, but the pain had dulled significantly. She knew Zyle was responsible for that.
She didn’t know how she felt about Zyle being the ruler of her people. She knew he would be a magnificent leader, there was no doubt, but she didn’t know how this would affect her. Would that make her the queen? Had she been dealt the hand she didn’t want anyway?
They walked through the marketplace with the crowds of people around them. People came up to Zyle every few minutes and congratulated him on his success. He smiled and thanked them for their praise.
Zyle looked over at Accacia as they continued to walk home. “Accacia, I want you to know that I never acted as Roxian’s spy. I told her about Aleco on accident—I promise you. Please forgive me.”
She kissed him on the cheek. “There is nothing to forgive.” Accacia had held Aleco accountable for his crimes for too long. She could have spent more time with him if she had just forgiven him. She had learned from the error of her ways.
“You aren’t upset with me?”
“No, Your Majesty,” she teased. “I’m not angry with you.”
Zyle laughed. “Don’t ever call me that,” he said. “Except when we’re in bed. That’s okay.” He smiled.
Accacia smiled at his remark.
/>
“I can’t wait to take that dress off of you.”
Accacia yawned. “I think I’m too tired.”
“What?” he asked incredulously. “I could barely get out of the eave with my clothes on just a few hours ago.”
She kissed him on the cheek again. “We have our whole lives, dear.”
“That still wouldn’t be long enough.”
“Well, then there’s the afterlife.”
Zyle smiled. “If we aren’t murdered by crazy people like Roxian.”
“Don’t be too hard on her, Zyle,” she said. “Perhaps there is something underneath the surface we can’t see.”
“Yes, her tainted soul,” he said.
Accacia stared at him. “Zyle!”
“What? She tried to kill my soul mate, Accacia. I will never forgive her.”
She looked away from him. They would discuss this another day when the recent event didn’t feel so raw.
Zyle knew he had to tell Accacia what had happened with Roxian. There was nothing to tell because he hadn’t done anything wrong, but Accacia was entitled to the information. He feared she wouldn’t be as understanding a second time. Zyle took a deep breath before he spoke. “I have to tell you something, Accacia. I’m sorry that I kept it from you to begin with. I hope you aren’t angry with me.”
The adrenaline coursed through her body as she listened to him. She didn’t know what he was referring to. She knew it had something to do with Roxian, but she didn’t let her mind linger on the idea.
“When you went to the Battle Academy, I visited Roxian. One thing led to another, words were exchanged, and she kissed me, forced me against the wall as she tried to seduce me. I pushed her away and left. I told her I didn’t want her and I never would.” Zyle watched Accacia’s features as he spoke. The light in her eyes changed, and the deep green of her irises dimmed and faded, becoming a lighter shade. He feared that she would be too angry to forgive him, for letting it happen then hiding it from her.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want to hurt you,” he said. “You have no reason to be threatened by Roxian. I don’t want her—I never have.”
“I know you don’t, Zyle. I know that you love me and only me.” Zyle released the breath he was holding in his lungs. He didn’t know how she would react. The understanding and acceptance she showed him eased the anxiety of his heart. She trusted him. “I’m upset that Roxian touched you, but I’m not angry with you, Zyle. You did nothing wrong.”
“Thank you,” he said as he kissed her. “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you. I’ll never keep it from you again.”
“Well, nothing like that better happen again,” she said with a laugh.
His eyes widened in amazement as he looked at her. Instead of being angry and unforgiving, she was understanding, confident in his commitment to her. She wasn’t worried about his loyalty to her whatsoever. “It won’t,” he said with a smile. “Everyone knows that I belong to you.”
Accacia was quiet for a moment. Now that Zyle was the monarch of their people, the king, she wondered what that made her. “I need to know something, Zyle. If you are the monarch, then what am I?”
“My queen, of course.”
“So, I got appointed to the position I didn’t want to begin with?”
Zyle laughed. “I guess so. Don’t worry, Accacia. I’ll take care of everything.”
“I’m not living in the Tower.”
“I don’t want to either.”
“Good,” she said. “I love your eave.”
“Our eave,” he corrected her.
Accacia smiled at him.
They walked in silence for a few moments. The summer heat still warmed her body even under darkness. The seasons weren’t prominent on Suaden. Fall, winter, and spring felt identical, but the summer months felt more humid. Accacia loved the feel of the warmth in the air. Her dress was thin, but she didn’t feel cold. They rounded the corner in the road and their eave came into view.
“Accacia, are you still—against having children?”
Accacia tensed at the question. “I really don’t know. I haven’t thought about it. Do you still not want to have children?”
“I want to have babies, Accacia,” he said. “And I want you to be the mother of my children.”
Accacia stared at the grass before her falling feet. Aleco’s face formed in her mind and she recalled the last message he had said to her. He didn’t want her to die childless.
“I want to have babies, too.”
Zyle smiled. “Good. When did you want to start?”
Accacia stopped her advancement and stared at him. “You want them now?”
Zyle laughed. “Whenever you are ready is fine, Accacia. There is no rush. We need practice though—a lot of practice.” He smiled in a mischievous way and her heart melted at the sight.
Accacia smiled and they continued to walk forward. They reached their eave and came into the sitting room. Zyle went to prepare a pot of tea, but Accacia went straight into the bedroom. He abandoned the tea and followed behind her.
Zyle untied her dress. He slipped it off her shoulders and it fall into a pile at her feet. He tore off her panties and flung them across the room then grabbed her in his arms and laid her on the bed. He tore off his own clothes then crawled into the sheets alongside her.
She crawled onto his chest and kissed his lips then his neck, trailing her embrace down to his chest. She appreciated the feel of his solid body beneath her and the smoothness of his skin. His appearance was so handsome and kingly, she couldn’t believe he had fallen in love with her. She still couldn’t believe he was half of her soul. Her life partner was perfect in every way, and she was honored that the gods destined him for her. She didn’t know what she had done to deserve him. Not only was Zyle her closest friend, her confident, her teacher, but he was also her lover, and she enjoyed their sexual transactions together. She tried not to think about Aleco when she made love to her life partner. Zyle didn’t deserve that. Accacia focused all of her thoughts on her husband, the man she had committed an eternity to. Accacia covered his body in kisses, trailing them down to his groin then back up to his neck. Zyle closed his eyes and enjoyed the feel of her dominance over his body.
She separated her legs and sat astride him, rubbing her hands up his chest to his shoulders. Zyle sat up and grabbed her hips, squeezing them between his fingertips. He felt the smoothness of her bare skin. Accacia pressed her forehead against his and stared at him for a moment. Zyle returned her look as he squeezed her hips tighter, wanting to be inside of her. “I love you,” he whispered to her. Accacia ran her hands through his soft hair then dropped her palms to his shoulders, where she gripped his muscles with her fingertips. Accacia raised herself up and inserted him within her. Zyle gasped as he felt his body dwell deep inside of her, and she rode him gently, making him groan with pleasure as she rocked her hips back and forth. He grabbed her hips and pulled himself deeper within her, and Accacia began to feel her body shake at the feel of him inside her body, her soul. Accacia increased her pace and Zyle began to lose his control. His breathing was haggard and his heart was pounding in unstoppable pleasure.
“How is this, Your Majesty?”
Zyle groaned as she rode him. That was all he managed to get out.
Canu
48
The morning sunlight drifted through the window and highlighted the room, blinding Accacia even through her closed eyelids. She eventually opened her eyes, ready to enjoy the new day. The chirps of the Canu birds fell on her ears and warmed her heart. It was a beautiful sound. She turned on her side and looked out the window in her bedroom, admiring the deep green color of the leaves of the trees. She admired the beauty of the day for a moment before she realized she was lying in bed alone. Her life partner was missing.
Accacia sat up and looked around the room, wondering if he was standing somewhere nearby. The bedroom door was closed, so she knew he had already awoken and moved
into the sitting room. They usually kept the door open when they slept, allowing them to be aware of the rest of the house. Accacia enjoyed the openness of the Asquithian Society. There were few laws here because few were needed. The Asquithians never violated each other. It was something that would never be possible on the Continent.
The silk sheets that covered her body were soft and welcoming, making it difficult for Accacia to find the strength to rise from the bed and begin her day. The only incentive she had was seeing Zyle. If he was still in bed with her, she probably wouldn’t leave the room. She rose from the mattress and looked at the contents of her wardrobe, searching for something to wear. She found a plain black dress and dressed herself before she left their bedroom.
Zyle was sitting on the couch with Koku perched on his shoulder. Pia sat on the table, nibbling the seeds that he had put out for them. Pia screeched when Accacia walked into the room and immediately took flight to the air, landing on Accacia shoulder. She nibbled her ear playfully, happy that her companion was awake to pay attention to her.
“Good morning, my friend,” she said with a smile.
The bird chirped into her ear and bounced on her shoulder, too excited to stay still. It nibbled on her ear again then jumped to the other shoulder, bouncing up and down.
“Did you sleep well?”
Pia nodded and chirped, looking into Accacia’s green eyes.
Accacia kissed her companion on the cheek and Pia cooed at her affection. She turned her attention to Zyle on the couch and walked over to him, kissing him tenderly on the lips. He smiled at her as she pulled away and he wrapped his arm around her, feeling her dress under his fingers. Accacia knew something was bothering him. His eyes sagged in despair and his features seemed forlorn despite the smile he gave her. She knew she wasn’t the source of his depression. It was something else. “What is it, Zyle?”
He stared at her for a moment. She was just as in tune with his emotions as he was of hers. He wondered if she had been granted the same ability he had, or perhaps she just understood him very well. “It is the anniversary of the death of the land,” he answered. Zyle knew this would trouble her as much as it hurt him. It was a painful day every year. Everyone lost someone they loved in the flood that claimed their homeland.