Soul Relenter (Soul Saga #3) (48 page)

“But the people don’t want me—they want
you
. You’re the one who avenged the death of the Lord and Lady. Accept your fate, Aleco. It’s already been decided.”

“There’
s no such thing as fate. I have my free will and the answer is no.”

Penelope approached the table. “Take on the throne just for a year, Al
eco. If you really hate it, you can step down. You can push back your own suicide for a few months.”

“No.”

Artremian stood beside his wife. “Well, the decision has already been made and approved by the council, along with Father Hyphalia. The peasants are gathering at the base of the keep as we speak. I’m afraid the vote was unanimous.”

Aleco shattered the glass on the table. “After what I did for you and your wife
this
is how you repay me?”

Penelope stared at him. “Give it a chance. Step down in a year if you must, but give it time. I know you feel horrible now
, but let yourself heal.  Don’t forget what Father Giloth said. Don’t lose hope because you will find happiness someday. The man has never failed you. Listen to him, Aleco.”

Aleco dropped his face into his hands. Even though his uncle had forgiven him for the last words he spoke to him
, he still regretted that day. Aleco doubted his uncle’s courage and love for Accacia, and he had been wrong both times. Father Giloth had a plan all along and Aleco doubted him every step of the way. Aleco hoped the man spoke the truth—that he would truly be happy again. Aleco couldn’t imagine it being with someone else other than Accacia, however. “Since the pair of you hasn’t given me much a choice,” he said with a sigh. “I’ll do it. I hate you both.”

Artremian smiled and Penny
kissed Aleco on the cheek. “We’re in the presence of the greatest king who ever lived—I can feel it.”

Artremian patted Aleco on the shoulder. “I agree. Now let’s get you cleaned up. You look like hell.”

Aleco stood alone in the room that faced out to the dais that looked over the city. He could hear the calls and sh
outs of peasants from below. Aleco rolled his eyes at their excitement and drank from his bottle of brandy. He still couldn’t believe he was doing this.

The servants outfitted him in a uniform of dark blue with black pants. He had a silver sash that ran across his chest, extending from
his shoulder to the opposite hip, and he had a golden crown upon his head. Penelope had forced him to wear it even though he protested against adorning the pathetic trinket, but eventually Penny won, as always. Aleco was surrounded by people in the room, and there were dozens of officials standing on the dais directly outside in the sunlight. Artremian told him that thousands of citizens had come to the coronation of the king, wanting a glimpse of the hero who saved them all. Even though he was with company, he never felt more alone. He missed Accacia. All Aleco wanted was to return to his cave in solitude and take his own life, remembering Accacia before his life left his body from the wound to his heart. He didn’t want this. He didn’t want to be king.

But Aleco had no other choice. He k
new his parents would want this, to have their names remembered because of the deeds of their good son in comparison to the evil won who had been overthrown. Aleco hated the situation nonetheless. The only reason why he had been a good leader to begin with was because he was fighting for Accacia. Now she had left him forever—never to see her again. The pain was too much bear and he almost toppled over as the agony seared his heart like a hot poker. Aleco threw his bottle against the wall and it shattered into a million pieces. The servants jumped at the violent act and stepped out of the way. Artremian and Penelope froze at his actions but they said nothing. Father Hyphalia smiled at him from across the room.

Aleco looked over at Penelope and saw her face set in an expression of shoc
k. He was annoyed with the look. She had seen him lose his temper numerous times. Penelope didn’t drop her appearance. Aleco realized she wasn’t looking at him but staring past him. Aleco turned around.

Accacia was standing in the door
way, looking at him with an expression he had never seen before. It was mixed with fear and unconditional love. She appraised his uniform and her mouth formed into a smile. Aleco stared at her with a dumbfounded expression. He didn’t know if this was real. He had drunk at least three bottles of wine today. Perhaps he was hallucinating.

Accacia stepped forward and Aleco stared at her. She came closer and stopped before him, looking into his face.

“Why aren’t you on the ship?” Aleco asked. He feared something had gone amiss.

“It’
s already gone—it left.”

Aleco stared at her, not understand
ing. “But you are here.”

“I know,” she said with a smile. “I’m here—with you.”

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 w
as 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 an
d 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 get 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.”