by Todd, E. L.
“Actually, you aren’t the greatest ruler,” Aleco said.
“What? You consider yourself to be? The powerful Nature Priest of a few trees and baby birds?” Drake shook his head and laughed loudly. “I’m sorry but the idea is ridiculous.”
“I wasn’t referring to me either.”
Drake’s voice turned serious. “There is no other.” He crossed his arms over his chest and continued to circle Aleco. “So, are you going to answer me? What have I done, Aleco? Being a king isn’t as easy as I make it look. I’ve made some hard decisions—you can’t make everyone happy.”
“I will never forgive you for what you did to Accacia.”
Drake stopped in the middle of his footing and froze. He didn’t know how Aleco knew who she was or that she existed. He turned to his twin brother and dropped his hands to his sides. He felt the blood pump through his veins at the mention of her name. She had been gone from his arms for more than a year and he still missed her. He still thought about her every day. Drake even remained celibate because he had been unable to move on. “And what did I do to her?”
“Don’t be stupid, Drake. You know exactly what you did. You forced her to be your slave, raping her and beating her whenever you felt like it. I will never let your deeds go unpunished. You will pay, Drake.” Aleco felt the anger scorch the blood in his veins from the heat of his ferocity. Drake made Accacia suffer too many nightmares and had caused her too much pain. He would never forgive his brother for what he had done to the woman he loved.
“I loved Accacia,” he said. “I know that she loved me in return.”
Aleco shook his head. His brother was clearly insane, unable to interpret the emotions and feelings of those around him. “Then why did she escape the Prisoner’s Circle? Why did she run from you?”
Drake withdrew his black blade and held it at the ready. Drake had never been angrier than he was now. He could combine every unbearable experience he had suffered and it wouldn’t equal the rage he felt now. Accacia’s absence was the most horrific experience he had ever lived through. Every day he searched for her but to no avail, and his blood screamed every day he was apart from her. She was everything to him. She was air and water in his life. Now he knew who was responsible for his anguish. “It was you.”
Aleco held his blade ready. He said nothing as his brother stared at him. Drake had made the connection. He saw his brother shake in anger at the revelation. Aleco didn’t doubt Drake loved Accacia, as disgusting and perverse as his feelings were, but he knew how angry the news would make him. Aleco didn’t confirm or deny the accusation, choosing to let Drake decide.
“You are the one who kidnapped her.”
“No,” Aleco said as he shook his head. “I’m the rescuer—you’re the kidnapper.”
Drake stopped circling him and spun his blade in his hand, grabbing the hilt with both palms. “Why?” he asked.
“She deserved to be free.”
Drake breathed through the anger. “You are the reason why she’s dead. If you hadn’t intervened, she would still be alive.”
Aleco had no idea what his brother was talking about. Accacia was alive as far as he knew. And if she wasn’t, there was no way for him to know that. “What are you talking about, Drake?”
“You didn’t know?” he asked. Aleco didn’t respond to his question, treading carefully with his words. He couldn’t lie and he didn’t want Drake to know she was still living. “Father Giloth informed me a year ago. She had died in his arms from winter’s bite. She froze to death.”
Aleco felt the guilt wash through him at his brother’s words. Now he understood why Father Giloth had died. He had lied to protect Accacia, and as a result he lost his powers. Aleco yelled at his uncle, calling him a selfish coward, but the man had died so Accacia could be free forever. He felt his stomach rise into his throat. He would regret the last words he said to the man for as long as he lived.
“So, you can blame yourself for that, Aleco.” Drake edged closer to him, preparing to strike. “Now I will kill you for stealing what was mine.”
“She was never yours, Drake.”
“It didn’t seem that way when I was thrusting inside of her.”
“Held down against her will—that’s an ultimate fantasy,” he said sarcastically.
“You wouldn’t know,” Drake hissed. “You have no idea just how amazing it was.”
Aleco held his blade up, prepared for an oncoming attack. He knew his brother was going to strike. “Actually, I do. And I have to say it was a lot better when she was willing. She rid me like she never wanted another man more, telling me how much she loved me. She whispered my name as I made love to her, begging me not stop.”
The vein in Drake’s forehead was bulging in anger. His body shook at Aleco’s words, and his neck was tight from the grimace he made. His lips were closed tight and his eyes dimmed in their color, turning the color of his heart. He gripped the handle so tightly that he thought would break his fingers. Accacia was his and only his. The idea of her being with another man—especially willingly—sent him to the brink. She had betrayed him with his own twin—making the act he even more nauseating. Drake had taken the throne away from Aleco, but his brother had stolen something even more important—his girl. Drake aimed his sword at Aleco’s neck, striking to kill, but Aleco parried the blow and moved away. Drake lashed at him again but Aleco blocked the blade with ease. The king was lost in such a frenzy of rage that he was lashing out uncontrollably, not timing his blows the way he should. Aleco had wanted this reaction and was using it against him. Aleco moved away from the next blow and shoved his sword deep into this brother’s neck, severing his head from his body. The head rolled away with the eyelids open. Aleco hoped his plan had worked. If Drake wasn’t conscious to use the Soul Binders, then he wouldn’t be able to use them—or so he thought. His head slid back to his body and reattached itself to his shoulders, returning to exactly as he had been before. Drake blinked his eyes and rose to his feet, smiling as he brushed the blood from his palms. “Nice trick, isn’t it?”
Aleco felt his heart fall. He was certain his plan would work. He didn’t understand how the Soul Binders had healed him. The gems needed to be accessed before they were used. How was this possible? Aleco dodged the blow made at his head and rolled away, jumping to his feet to block the next attack.
“Now look who’s the idiot?” Drake said with a laugh. “You continue to engage a man who cannot be killed? I am practically a god, Aleco. You will never defeat me.”
Aleco forced his blade into Drake’s armpit, the area between the plates of armor that was susceptible to penetration. His blade pierced his back and Aleco pulled it back through his body. Drake stopped for a moment then continued on as if nothing happened. Aleco felt his heart race in his chest. How many Soul Binders did he have?”
“What?” Drake asked as he cut Aleco along the arm. “Were you expecting something different to happen?” Drake cut his blade through the air in a dance and landed on the same cut, piercing the skin even further. Aleco growled at the cut and pulled away. His concentration was waning. Fear began to overcome him. Drake dropped his knife to the floor and held his hands in the air. “Go ahead, Aleco. Pick a different spot. Let’s see what happens.”
Aleco stabbed him through the thigh. He didn’t do it in the hope of killing him. He just wanted to cause his brother pain. He may be able to heal himself but he wasn’t immune to the suffering. After a moment, Drake carried on like nothing happened. Aleco felt his heart fall as the truth sunk into his skin. He was going to fail.
“I’m growing bored of this, brother,” Drake said as he stopped for a moment. “Let’s finish this.” Drake attacked him in full force and stabbed him through the opposite forearm, piercing the skin and muscle underneath. Aleco could still use the arm but barely. He switched his blade to his other hand and blocked the coming attack. Drake pressed him with his weight and Aleco flew backwards, landing on the marble floor. Aleco grew desperate an
d held up his hand, calling to the elemental power coursing through him. Drake was almost upon them when the ground shook like an earthquake, toppling Drake to the floor, and the king slammed his head into the marble. His skull cracked and the blood oozed everywhere. Aleco got to his feet and heard the audible hum from Drake. He was back on his feet, just as whole as he was a moment before. Drake charged him and Aleco spun out of the way, but Drake was on him again and kicked him hard in the gut, forcing the air from his lungs. Aleco fell back again and he commanded the earth to move once more, but Drake didn’t fall under the force. He stopped for a moment and looked at his brother. “That’s impressive,” he said with a smile. “But pointless.” Drake cut him along the thigh, breaking through the armor and releasing a tide of blood. Aleco screamed in agony then rolled out of the way, forcing himself to his feet. “I see it in your eyes, Aleco. You know you will not succeed in killing me. You are hoping that I kill you quickly, release you into the void with ease, along with the others who the gods deem unworthy to be channeled to the afterlife.” Drake swung his blade into Aleco’s shoulder and he fell under the blow, falling to the floor. Aleco couldn’t move his right forearm or his left arm at all, both arms were paralyzed. His thigh was dripping from the bleeding cut and his head was throbbing from the collision with the tile. Drake walked over to Aleco and kneeled next to him. Aleco wanted to move but he couldn’t. His body was unresponsive. He felt the life leaving his body as the blood drained from his heart, making him weaker by the second. “You want me to kill you now?”
Aleco didn’t respond. He knew Drake was toying with him. “Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you, big brother, but that isn’t going to happen. I would have made it a clean blow since we are family, but now that I know you bogged Accacia—my woman—I will make it my life’s purpose to cause you as much pain as possible.” Drake smiled at his brother but Aleco didn’t meet his gaze. Drake tapped him on the injured shoulder and Aleco cringed in pain. “This is going to be fun.”
Drake rose to his feet when he heard a knock on the door. Shane entered the doorway followed by the two guards posted outside the forbidden room. The soldiers escorted a man into the room and carried two women. Drake studied the prisoners for a moment and noticed their facial features. They weren’t human. Drake felt his heart beat in his chest. They were Asquithians. “What have we here?” he asked.
Aleco turned at his words and met Zyle’s gaze. They both shared the moment of fear together. The men knew the battle was over. They had lost. The soldier dropped Laura’s corpse to the marble floor, letting her body slam hard against the ground. Aleco closed his eyes in despair. Accacia had lost her aunt. Shane marched Zyle forward toward the king. Zyle stared at Drake with a look of surprise. He looked identical to Aleco. He couldn’t tell them apart if they were dressed the same. Drake studied his features. “You are Asquithian.”
Zyle nodded.
“Where did you come from? I thought I killed you all.”
Zyle knew he was going to be killed no matter what his response was. He would be another soul to fuel the king’s health. The realization made him more depressed than he had ever felt. He was going to lose his immortality—forced into a metallic coffin until he disappeared into nothing for all eternity. He would never be reunited with his soul mate. “We’ve been hiding in Orgoom Forest.” Zyle didn’t know what else to say. It was the only response that sounded plausible. “Father Giloth protected us in his woods.”
“So you’ve been there this whole time?”
“Yes,” Zyle answered.
“And what brings you here?” Drake crossed his arms over his chest and stared at the Asquithian.
“We wanted to free the souls of our kin. We know you possess them.” Zyle’s voice was calm and emotionless. He had given up. There was nothing to do but wait for the sword to sever his neck from his body.
“Well, that was a wasted effort.”
Zyle said nothing.
Drake walked over to Roxian and stared at her. He noticed her beauty immediately. He ran the strands of hair through his fingertips. He shook her body but she didn’t wake up.
Aleco groaned from the pain coursing through his body. He wished Drake would just kill him. “Drake, did you mean what you said?” He was deploying his last defense of Accacia.
Drake turned back to him. “What are you referring to?”
“That you loved Accacia?”
Drake stared at him. “I meant every word.”
“Since she is Asquithian, when she dies her soul will be transferred to the Soul Binders until you use it to heal yourself. And when you do, her soul will lose its immortality. If you love her, then you would want the stones to be destroyed, wouldn’t you?”
The king was silent for a moment. “But she wasn’t murdered. She died by natural means.”
Aleco bit his tongue. He was hoping his brother wouldn’t realize that.
“So her soul is safe, Aleco. I have no concern for the rest of her kin.”
There was another knock on the door and a soldier came into the room. “Your Highness,” he said to Drake. “The battle is still raging but it will be over soon. The invaders are being slaughtered like farm animals, sire.”
Zyle felt his heart fall into his stomach. Aleco closed his eyes at his words, knowing they had been defeated. There was no one coming for them—no one to save them. Aleco looked across the room and met Zyle’s gaze and they shared the same thought. At least Accacia was safe and she wouldn’t have to watch them both die. Aleco nodded his goodbye to Zyle, and the king of the Asquithians nodded in return. Death had come for them—there was no escape.
Orgoom Forest
36
Accacia banged against the door all day, yelling for help that never came. She knew there was someone on the outside of the door because she could hear them shift their weight as they stood outside her quarters. Accacia begged and pleaded for them to release her but they didn’t respond. Accacia lied down in bed and fell asleep that night, wondering how she could escape. There had to be a way for her to free herself. She just had to think.
The queen felt the anger rush through her body when she thought about what Zyle had done to her. She knew he made the decision to protect her and she could eventually forgive him for that, but there was one thing she couldn’t let go; he hadn’t even given her the opportunity to say goodbye. He had taken advantage of the moment because he knew what he was going to do, but she had no idea. Aleco was the one who told her the truth. Accacia’s husband had left for war, possibly to die on the battlefield, and she never got to say farewell. Her tears flooded her eyes when she thought about it. She wouldn’t survive if she lost Zyle. She couldn’t go on if Aleco was killed either.
Accacia awoke the next morning determined to escape her prison. She knew she belonged at the battle—she knew she was meant to be there. Accacia grabbed her gear and reached for her sword. She slid the blade into the lock, trying to break it open with her sword. The warrior sword given to her by her aunt was too thick to pierce the metal. She withdrew her guild sword and stuck it into the mechanism, prying it open like a crowbar. She heard the click of the lock and smiled in triumph. She wished she had thought of that sooner. Accacia was too upset to think clearly at the time.
She opened the door and ran into the hallway. The Asquithian guard jumped back in shock, alarmed that the queen had escaped. She held her blade up to his throat. “You will let me leave. I’ll kill you if you try to stop me—let me go.”
The guard stared into her eyes then glanced down to the sword held at his throat. He returned his gaze to her features. “There is no point, Your Highness. The battle has already begun. By the time you reach the war, it will be over.”
“It doesn’t change anything—I’m leaving.”
She lowered her sword and walked away. The guard watched her go without moving against her. His queen threatened to kill him and he believed her intent. He saw the determination in her eyes and knew he shouldn’t try to hold her
back. “Good luck, m’lady.”
Accacia smiled over her shoulder. “Thank you.” The queen ran from the ship and sprinted down the dock for the trees of Orgoom Forest. As soon as her boots touched the ground of the forest, a loud scream erupted in her ears. It was neither human nor animal in form. The intensity of the voice in her skull made her fall to the ground. Accacia covered her ears even though she knew the sound was coming from within her. She suspected it was ploy of Aleco, a spell that would keep her behind if she escaped her prison.
Suddenly, the screaming stopped and Accacia was able to rise to her feet. Emotion rushed through her body, conveying urgency and necessity. She knew the tree was requiring her presence at the base of its roots. Accacia shook her head. She didn’t have time for that. She knew she was needed elsewhere. When she stepped in the opposite way of the Lorunien Tree, the screaming returned, louder than it had been before. Accacia screamed in frustration and stopped her progression. It was obvious the Nature God wouldn’t let leave until she came to it. Accacia turned toward the Lorunien Tree and sprinted to its grounds, realizing she would waste more time trying to fight it. Besides, it sounded important.
Accacia arrived at the base of the tree minutes later. She caught her breath before she spoke. “I’m here,” she yelled into the canopy. “Now what do you want from me? I am needed elsewhere.” Emotions coursed through Accacia. She felt the same emotions she felt last time—elemental power, control, and fate—and then they vanished. An image of the ground before the tree flashed in her mind but she didn’t understand the significance. She was just as confused as the first time it tried to speak to her. “I don’t know what you’re asking of me.”
“Perhaps I could clarify.”
Accacia felt the wind brush through her hair and it took her breathe away. Her heart froze in her chest and stopped beating in time. She recognized that voice—she had listened to it all her life. The blossoms of the tree cascaded down and landed on the mound before the tree, the final resting place of Father Giloth.