The King's Cursed Bride

Escaping

She cupped her fingers over her lips, hoping she wouldn't gag or choke on the horrendously tasteless goop they called porridge. She swallowed tightly, forcing the hot lump down. "Prince Elon is what?"

The grumpy Healer Boy with ocean blue eyes arched his brows from where he stood a few cots away. His name was Viltus, but she preferred to call him Healer Boy, partially because he seemed so averse to the name. For some reason, he seemed to have patience for all others but her. "King Elon."

She smoothed her features, lest she be tempted to scowl. She never found Healer Boy quite so irritating as when he was correcting her. The meaning of his words crashed into her a moment later. "King?" she squeaked.

Her former betrothed was king? When had this happened? Why had she never been informed?

Healer Boy snorted. "You know not the name of our king? Where have you lived? In a horse's stable?

She clenched her jaw shut. If someone from the tiny village of Hasita came looking for her, it wouldn't take them long to find her if she told others where she was from. Though that scenario was unlikely, since she hadn't told anyone where she'd be going--she hadn't even left an explanation, lest they think to inform Elon.

When she didn't answer, his brows arched higher.

"King Elon is coming here then?"

He nodded, probably thinking she was daft.

"Within the hour?"

Another nod.

She swallowed thickly. "Why?"

Healer Boy shrugged, his thick cloak shifting with the movement. "Visiting the sickly is good politics, increases popularity. Since he's going to be here anyway, he might as well."

She laughed softly and shook her head. Now not only Viltus gazed at her with arched brows but her fellow patients as well. She supposed they were bored and found the drama amusing.

She ran fingers through her sleek hair. Of all the cities she'd fled to, it happened to be one the prin—King had planned to visit. "Why would he come to Zonah?"

"Perhaps for the women."

She scrunched fistfuls of threadbare blanket. Before remembering that Healer Boy didn't know she was betrothed to Elon, so he couldn't possibly have intended to offend her by the comment.

A smile tucked the corners of his mouth, unfairly blue eyes sparkling with amusement. If only her pale, pale blue eyes were the shade of his. "Ah, you fancied yourself to be a potential queen for the King?"

She leveled a glare at him. "Of course I don't. The title of Queen hasn't existed in centuries, since the First Queen died." Kings had taken on wives, but none of them had been granted the title or royal powers that would have marked them as Queen. And none of the King's children even succeeded him; the next King was always appointed by the previous King, strangely enough.

"Then you wish to only be his bride? Or perhaps his mistress." Before she could rebut his claims, he chuckled. "The King has remained Nysia's most pursued bachelor for years, and he's yet to find a woman. I doubt he'd mar his bachelordom by so much as glancing at you. "

She seamed her lips. If only he knew.

"But his main purpose in coming here is to reinforce Zonah against the forces of Esmeray. He brings an army of well-disciplined soldiers with him, and I'm certain they'll be of more help than the fabled 'powers' of the King alone." Healer Boy's last remark reeked of sarcasm.