Soul Relenter (Soul Saga #3) (5 page)

“Please don’t
do this to me.”

Drake ignored her. He untied his pants and pulled them down and then lifted up her dress, revealing her small breasts as well as her stomach.
He slid himself within her as he held the knife to her throat and he moaned loudly as he pushed further into her. There was some resistance at first, but he pushed through the obstruction until he felt her body give way and allow him to insert himself entirely. Suzie cried as he penetrated her but he didn’t care. Drake thrust himself inside of her and found his release immediately. It didn’t last long.

Drake rolled off of her and began to dress himself, fixing his hair and wiping away the bod
y fluids that were covering him. There was blood. Suzie lied there and looked away from him, her body completely immobile by the traumatizing assault she just experienced. Her dress was still above her waist and blood seeped from the area between her legs. “Get up,” he growled.

She snapped out of her reverie and covered herself, pulling her dress down and wiping the blood away. There were still tears in her eyes. Su
zie stood up and fixed her hair. She didn’t look at him once.

Suddenly, he pushed her against the wall and held the knife to her throat again. She screamed as he pinned her to the wal
l. “Tell anyone of this and I’ll kill you. Do you understand me?”

She nodded.

“Do you understand me?” he repeated.

“Yes,” she said quickly.

Drake returned his blade to his pocket and opened the door to the storage room for her. As soon as Suzie was outside, she walked to the keep without looking back, her head hung low past her shoulders, and her hand was stained with blood. Drake wasn’t worried that she would tattle on him. He meant what he said. He would kill her if she did.

The following afternoon, Aldo called Drake into the master bedroom, saying the Lord and Lady wished to speak with him. Drake didn’t know the reason for the formal meeting. His heart hammere
d in his chest when his paranoia descended, but then it evaporated. Suzie wouldn’t say a word. He walked up the grand staircase and saw Aleco off to the side with Rufio. His arms were wrapped around Suzie and she was crying into his shoulder, overcome with grief.

“It’s okay,” he said. “I’ll protect you.
” Aleco ran his hands through her hair and she seemed to calm down at the touch. “I’m sorry, but I had to tell them. I couldn’t let this go unpunished, Suzie.”

She pulled away from him and nodded. “I’m scared.”

“Don’t be,” he assured her.

Suzie saw Drake reach
the top of the stairs and she flinched when she saw him. Aleco turned around and met his brother’s gaze. There was no fear in his eyes. His face was stoic. Drake stared at Aleco for a long moment. He knew his brother had ratted him out, not Suzie, and it sent his body into a boiling rage. The betrayal crippled him and made him want to kill his brother. Aleco had always annoyed him with his superiority and his obvious favoritism, but this had crossed a line. There was no going back.

“
You’ll regret this, brother,” Drake said.

Canu

5

Accacia sat in the marketplace with Laura and they were joined by the other members of the Asquithian race, whom all had questions about the upcoming voyage. They asked about the accommodations on the ship and their first destination on the Continent. Accacia answered them to the best of her ability. The queen knew how frightened her subjects were and she felt guilty for initiating the decision.

“There are others waiting for us in Orgoom Forest. We will not be alone, I assure you.” Accacia looked around
at the nervous faces, trying to assuage their doubts and fears. They seemed eased by the queen’s faith in their success. “I know how frightened you all are and I understand your concern, but this needs to be done. I wouldn’t lead you into battle if I didn’t think we would prevail—remember that. The Soul Binders need to be eradicated and our kin need to be released. There is nothing more important—I’m sure you all agree.” Eventually, they trailed back to their eaves, making the final preparations for the journey. They were leaving their homes, possibly forever, in two days.

Laura looked around the marketplace and saw people gather the last of their belongings for the trip. Asquithians were closing their shops and covering the furniture
that would be unused for months. It was a depressing sight. “I suspect this will be the last day Zyle will be locked up in the Tower, occupied with his preparations.”

Accacia leaned back in her chair and stared across the table at her aunt. S
he shook her head. “I hope you’re right but I sincerely doubt it. There is always work to be done by the king.”

“I think he will make an exception for tomorrow.”

“Why tomorrow?”

Laura stared at her for a moment. “If
you don’t already know then I’m not at liberty to say.”

Accacia continued to stare at Laura, confused by her words. “I don’t understand.”

“I’m sorry, Accacia,” she said. “I assumed you already knew. I can’t reveal anything about Zyle unless he tells you first. I am very sorry to keep you in the dark.”

“Is this about why he left the Battle Academy? He never explained why he abandoned his post—he said he just quit.”

Laura thought to herself for a moment. “No,” she answered. “That has nothing to do with it.”

“Could you tell
me what happened at the Battle Academy?”

“I suppose I could. That is a matter of public record—everyone in the city is aware of the transgression. But you may want to hear it from Zyle and not me. The choice is yours.”

Accacia thought for a moment. If Zyle wanted to know something personal about her, she would prefer it if he questioned her directly, not gather information from other sources. “I’ll ask him myself.”

Laura nodded
. “I think that’s best.”

Accacia looked at the beacons in the trees above the sky, watching the color blanket the forest g
rounds, highlighting the street ways even in the darkness. “I’m going to miss this place.”

“Do you plan on
returning?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then stop thinking like that, Accacia.” She looked up into the trees and admired the presence of the Canu birds—they followed Accacia everywhere. “You’ll see it again soon.”

Accacia continu
ed to stare at the beacons. “Who lights the lanterns?”

“The Canu b
irds,” she answered.

Accacia smiled. “I never knew that.”

“Yes, we built the lanterns but the birds light the beacons themselves. Fire is not permitted in the forest—it’s too dangerous to the wood.”

Accacia nodded. “Those birds are amazing.”

“Yes, they are.”

The sun had completely
disappeared from the sky and Accacia assumed Zyle would be home by now. He would be furious if she made him wait. Her cheeks turned crimson when she thought about his last request.

Laura saw the color in her cheeks. “Is Zyle home?”

Accacia’s face turned an even darker shade of red, mortified that her aunt could read her expression with such ease. “Yes,” she said weakly. “He probably returned to the eave by now.”

Laura laughed. “Don’t keep your husband waiting.”

Accacia stared at her aunt one more time before she stood. The night was beautiful and dark, but the heat of the island still warmed her skin even though she wore a thin dress. She hated the dry air of the Continent and their cold winters. She couldn’t imagine living there again, not after staying in paradise. She rose from the chair and kissed her aunt on the cheek. “Good night, Laura.”

“Good night, my dear.”

Accacia walked barefoot down the dirt road toward the eave, tucked in the back of the woods. The city was silent and she could feel her footfalls against the ground below her feet. Her hair had grown long since she had come to the island and she had cut it, despite Zyle’s objections, and it still reached her breasts. She loved the length.

She walked into the eave and saw Zyle sitting on the couch, reading a book while he faced the window. Koku and Pia sat on the table, eating from the bag of seeds he had left for them. She kissed him on the neck. “I’m sorry if I kept you waiting.”

He leaned his head back on the couch and kissed her. “You’ll just have to make up for that as well—in addition to your other debt.” He placed the book on the table and patted the seat next to him. She came to the couch and looked at the two birds.

“Hello, Koku and Pia. How are you?”

They clicked their beaks in response then continued to consume the seeds.

Zyle grabbed her hand. “How was your time with Laura?”

“Good,” she said. “At times I can’t believe we are related—she is so amazing.”

“As are you,” he said.

Accacia recalled their conversation and the material that was too sensitive for Laura to reveal. She wondered if she should ask him about it. Zyle had already said personal questions were inappropriate. She wondered if he would mind.

“Can I ask you something, Zyle?” She caressed his hand within her own. “You don’t have to answer it if you wish not to.”

“Of course I have to answer your question,” he said. “I don’t have an option.”

“Yes, you do. You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to discuss.”

Zyle shook his head. “I misspoke, Accacia. You’re my life partner, so I
want
to tell you everything. Anything you ask of me I will answer with the truth—I will have no secrets from you.”

“I feel the same way.”

“I know you do.” Zyle stared at her and waited for her to speak. “Ask what you wish.”

“Anything?” she asked skeptically.

“I’m an open book. Nothing about my past will change your feelings for me.”

“So you have lived a righteous life?”

Zyle laughed. “No, not at all, but I know you will love me forever.”

She smiled. She was pleased by his faith in her. The thought reminded her of Aleco, but she pushed the thought back. She wouldn’t let herself think about him when she was with Zyle. “Laura mentioned something about tomorrow—apparently it has some significance to you. She wouldn’t tell me what it was.”

Zyle nodded. He stared out the window before he found his voice. Accacia feared what he might say. “Tomorrow is my anniversary to Cassandra—the day she and I became life partners.”

Accacia felt her heart drop. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close. “I’m so sorry, Zyle.”

He kissed her on the head. “Thank you, Accacia.” He stroked the strands of her hair with his fingers. “I usually leave the city and explore the island in solitude, sleeping under the stars I used to stare at with her, but I won’t do that this year.”

“Why not?” she asked.

Zyle looked at her. “I’m not grieving anymore, Accacia. I don’t carry a vigil of her in my heart any longer—there is no room. You are taking up all the space.”

Accacia didn’t know what to say. “So, you just don’t think about her
anymore?”

“I didn’t say that.” Zyle shook his head. “It just doesn’t hurt like it used to—you filled that void within me. I still miss her and I still think about her but—I’ve moved on. I know she would be happy for me, Accacia. There isn’t a doubt in my mind.”

Accacia kissed his cheek. “I understand if you still need time alone.”

“No,” he said. “I hate being apart
from you. I feel worse when I am.”

“So, will you be in the Tower tomorrow?”

“No, I’m spending my last day in paradise with you.” He kissed her head. “We’ll explore the island, swim in the ocean, and make love under the trees. It will be a day to get us through the coming nightmare.”

Ac
cacia smiled at his words. “I’m excited.”

“Do you have any other questions?”

Accacia remembered Zyle’s quick departure from the Battle Academy. “Why did you leave the academy so suddenly? And why won’t you return?”

Zyle met her gaze. “I killed a student during a training session, on accident
, of course. He wasn’t wearing the proper armor under his clothing and I wounded him fatally. He bled out and died.”

Accacia stared at
him with a look of shock. She hadn’t expected that response at all. Her heart thudded in her chest and she sat forward, nauseated by the information. Zyle felt Accacia pull her hand away and he sighed at her departure. He was ashamed of himself.

“I’
ve never forgiven myself for it, Accacia. My student may enter the void because of my ignorance. I can’t go back to the academy—I never can.”

Accacia dropped her face into her palms. She felt so terrible for Zyle—what a horrible burden to live with.

“The instructors forgave me, understanding it was an accident. The Asquithians did as well—they knew I would never kill another on purpose. It was painful—nonetheless. I will forever regret that day.”