Soul Relenter (Soul Saga #3) (2 page)

Accacia breathed in deeply, controlling her emotions at this unbearable woman. How she came to be the leader of the Asquithian peopl
e, an intelligent race, was beyond her. Accacia hoped she used to be a different person at the time. “I don’t understand why you hate me so much, Roxian. I harbor no hostility toward you even though you’re the one who tried to kill me.”

“What a pity I didn’t succeed.”

Accacia heard Zyle withdraw his blade and take a step forward. She held up her hand and forced him back into the corner. Zyle met Accacia’s gaze and she nodded to him, forcing him to let Roxian’s comment go unpunished. Zyle sheathed his blade after a moment of hesitation.

Roxian smiled at Accacia. “You trained him well,”
she said. “You had a lot more success with him than I ever did—or Cassandra for that matter.” She turned to Zyle. “You remember her, right?” Zyle stared at her but said nothing, stopping himself from feeding the fire of Roxian’s rage.

“Roxian, I came here with an offering.” Accacia stared at Roxian with a look free of hostility. Her green eyes smoldered in dying embers, but they didn’t reflect the inferno she felt in
side her heart. She hated what Roxian had said to Zyle, but she didn’t show it. “Let us move on from the past.”

“Have you moved on from
your
past, Accacia?” Roxian stared at her with a look of hate. “Or do you still love the man you left behind, picture his face when you make love to your
soul
mate
?” Accacia heard Zyle’s sharp intake of breath. She knew her life partner couldn’t take these insults much longer.

Accacia realized what Roxian was trying to do. Roxian meant every word she said, but she said them for a specific reason; she wanted Accacia to kill her. T
he realization dawned on the queen. “You can continue to provoke me but I will not kill you, Roxian. You are wasting your time.”

Roxian stared at her but said nothing.

Accacia spoke without preamble. “We are leaving the shores for the Continent to avenge the souls of our perished kin. It has already been decided by an electoral vote and we set sail within the next few days.”

Roxian shook her head. “You are making a grave mistake.”

Accacia ignored her. “We will allow you to travel with us, to fight against the king of the Continent, and to save the dead members of our race—it is up to you, Roxian.”

“And why am I being offered this?”

Accacia met her gaze. “You have the right to avenge the death of your life partner, to ensure his escape from the Soul Binders. Zyle and I would never take that away from you. We will forgive the crimes you have committed and allow you to be free when we return.”

“In exchange for what?” she asked.

“To fight for us,” Accacia said. “We need all the assistance we can find.”

“
How do you know I won’t cut that pretty head from your shoulders when I get the chance?” Roxian smiled at Accacia, imagining her head being swiped clean from her body.

Accacia returned her smile. “You won’t get the opportunity, Roxian. I am stronger than you. I will kill you before you can make a move.”

“And if I say no?”

“Then this will be your ho
me until the end of your days.” Accacia rose from her seat. “We will wait for your reply until the day we leave. Take your time.”

Roxian watched the Q
ueen of the Asquithians leave the room. “You must be desperate to ask for my assistance. There is obviously no possibility for success if you would stoop so low to ask for my aid in return for my redemption.” Roxian returned her gaze to the window. “So, no, I have no interest in helping you.”

Accacia turned around and looked at Roxian. “Actually, I think you deserve a chance to vindicate
yourself from your past crimes, to prove that you are worthy to live among us again. My only intent was to give you another chance of life and spare you from this cage.” Accacia looked around the room. It was the same one she had been confined in. “But this is your choice to make. Decide whatever you wish.”

Roxian shook her head. “You expect me to believe that? After everything
I’ve done to you—hiding your identity, trying to steal Zyle, and attempting to kill you—you would give me a second chance?”

Accacia narrowed her eyes at her. Roxian could see the despair from someone who carried the weight of sorrow on her shoulders. “Ev
eryone deserves a second chance,” she said. “Even you.”

Canu

3

“Are you alright?” Zyle cupped her cheek and stared into her eyes. He was worried t
hat Roxian had upset her.

Accaci
a removed his hand from her face and looked away. “Yes, I am.” She stepped forward and walked further into the study. She sat in the plush chair before his black walnut desk and she became lost in thought, thinking about the conversation with that insufferable woman. Roxian was devilish.

“Don’t let her words bother you, Accacia.” Zyle leaned against his
desk and looked down at her. She didn’t meet his gaze. The candles in the room illuminated the corners of the study and gave it an ethereal glow. Zyle could see the light of the wicks reflect in her eyes, making them appear hypnotic and alluring. “They are just words.”

“I can’t believe she hates me so much.” Accacia rubbed her palms togethe
r. “I thought she would forget her anger when I offered to spare her—if anything, she hates me even more.”

Zyle sighed. “Don’t think about her, Accacia. She isn’t worth it.”

“I can’t believe you served her for so long.”

“Nor can I.”

They said nothing for a few moments. Zyle continued to stare at Accacia and she looked away from him, gazing at the candles that lined the shelves of the office. He knew something else was bothering her. He waited for her to address it. He learned it was best not to coax information from her. It was better to let her come to him. She always did eventually. She told him everything.

Accacia finally looked at him.
“Do you think everyone deserves a second chance?”

Zyle didn’t know where this was going. “It depends on the situation, Accacia. I don’t believe R
oxian does, if that’s what you’re asking.” Zyle stared at her but her features didn’t change. She still looked disgruntled. “Why do you ask?”

“Do you think people can really change?” Zyle saw the tears bubble beneath the surface of her e
yes but he didn’t reach for her. He wanted to hear her following words. “Do you believe that a person can become someone different?”

“Yes and no.” Zyle crossed his arms over his chest. He still did
n’t know what she was referring to, but he knew it wasn’t Roxian. “It depends on the person. Sometimes people can change and sometimes they never will.”

Accacia nodded. A te
ar spilled from her eye and ran down her cheek. Zyle forced himself to stay away despite his strong urge to comfort his soul mate. He suffered anytime she was in pain.

“Tell me, Accacia.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “You don’t want to hear about it.”

Zyle shook his head. “I want to know about everything that upsets you—even if it hurts me, Accacia. Nothing you say will c
hange my feelings for you. You’re my soul mate—I don’t have a choice.”

“It’s about Aleco.”

Zyle nodded. She was right. He didn’t want to know about it. He was married to her but he still hated the idea of her loving Aleco. He knew she did. She had said it the night they consummated their marriage. Zyle couldn’t deny his disappointment nonetheless. He felt jealous that he shared her heart with someone else. He immediately felt guilty at his internal selfishness. He loved Cassandra, always would, and he needed to be more understanding to Accacia’s predicament. The idea of Accacia seeing Aleco again made Zyle’s skin prickle with unease but he needed to bottle his immature paranoia. She loved him—there was no doubt. He wasn’t just her husband, but her best friend and life guardian, and he needed to start behaving as such. “You can tell me, Accacia.”

“There are a lot of things about Aleco I didn’t know when I came here. Our time together was very short. He told me used to be—a bad person. He did things he regretted. I told him it didn’t matter—he wasn’t the same man.”

Zyle kneeled before her feet and took her hand. “You are worried that he never changed? That you loved someone who would hurt others by choice?”

Accacia nodded. “I saw memories in his Soul Catcher—recollections of the crimes he committed.” She wiped her tears away. “They are horrific, Zyle.”

Zyle didn’t know what to say. “What were his crimes?”

Accacia shook her head. “I—I don’t want to say.”

Zyle sighed. “Accacia, I don’t know what advice I can give you on this matter. I didn’t know Aleco in his past and I don’t know the man now. Only you can decide if he is a changed man.” Zyle closed his eyes. He knew he was going to regret his following words. “But I think he has, Accacia.” Accacia met his gaze with a look of surprise. “The man sent you away, a choice that broke him—I’m certain—just so he could keep you safe. And now he is forming an uprising against the king, seeking revenge for what the man did to you and to save the citizens from his reign.” Zyle grabbed her hand and kissed it. “He sounds heroic.”

Accacia nodded. “I hope you’
re right.” She knew Aleco had fallen into darkness once and was concerned he would be sent to the brink again when he knew Accacia had moved on with another, found happiness in someone else.

Z
yle smiled at her. “I know I am,” he said. “You would never love a man unless you were certain of his goodness.” He pulled her hand to his chest, placing it over his heart. “Trust your instincts.”

Accacia grabbed his face and kissed him. Zyle wiped the tears from her cheek when she pulled away. “I love you, Zyle.”

“I know you do.”

Accacia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She opened them again and stared at her life partner. “I want you to know something, Zyle.” He met her gaze
and waited for her to continue. He suspected he knew her following words. “I—I don’t think of him when—”

Zyle kissed her.
“I know you don’t. I’ve never thought that—ever.”

Accacia sighed. “I’m glad.” She wrapped her arms around him and held him for a moment. Zyle returned her embrace and stroked the strands of her silky hair and comforted her until she was calm.

“I still have work to do,” he said as he pulled away. “I should probably continue even though I’d rather not.”

Accacia nodded. “I’
m sorry for distracting you, Zyle.”

Zyle shook his head. “Never apologize for that, Accacia. I should apologize to you—for allowing
my responsibilities to keep
me
from you.” Accacia smiled at his words. “Nothing is more important than you—nothing. If you ever need me I’m here for you. I couldn’t care less about the office when it comes to you—I hope you know that.”

Accacia kissed him. “I do.”

“You’re welcome to stay with me if you wish, but I understand if you would rather visit someone else.” He stood to his feet and she rose from the chair. “If you stay, I’ll probably end up taking you on the desk every hour until I’m finished.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad.”

Zyle smiled. “You are amazing. Sometimes I can’t believe you’re mine.”

Accacia blushed at his words.

“What will you do?”

Accacia thought for a moment. “I’m going to visit Laura. Perhaps I can help at the academy. They are still packing for the voyage.”

Zyle nodded. “I should be done in a few hours. I’ll wait at home for you until you return—I just hope you don’t keep me waiting.” Zyle stared at her with his heated gaze. Accacia couldn’t believe he still wanted more. “I still expect my payment.”

She smiled at him. “I already rewarded you—or
did you forget?”

He pressed his forehead against her
s. “That doesn’t count. I had to take one insult after another, powerless to stop them, and I deserved to be paid for my good behavior—you owe me.” When I get home you will please me the way I want—all night.”

Accacia’s cheeks reddened at his perverse demand. “You
r will is my bidding.”

Zyle stared at her and she could feel the arousal coursing through him. She stepped away bef
ore he could grab her, not wanting to repeat their earlier interaction. Zyle watched her move away from him, understanding she wanted to put distance between them.

“I’ll see you tonight, Your Majesty.”

Zyle smiled as he watched her leave.

Accacia left the Tower and walked through Canu until she reached the Battle Academy. She saw Uruith in the lobby and he smiled at her. “What brings you here, Your Majesty? Needed
to get away from that monster?” Accacia knew he referred to Roxian. She smiled at the warrior. “Actually, I’m looking for Laura. Do you know of her whereabouts?”

“Yes,” he said. His voice was deep and smooth, like the echoes at the bottom of a well. His body was thick a
nd large, big as a majestic steed, and Accacia wondered how the man became so humongous. She smiled to herself when she recalled the time she had beaten him in a sparring match. He had grinned at her in his defeat, delighted that his queen could best him. “She has returned to her eave for the afternoon.”