The King's Cursed Bride

Tormented: Part 1

One Day Later

Elon jabbed forward with his sword, puncturing his enemy's lung. He ducked beneath the oncoming blow before slashing through his opponent's neck. Yet another felled by his hands.

"Still at it, I see."

Algernon. Elon lowered his sword to his side, letting his imagined enemy fade from his mind. More often than not, he found himself envisioning fighting Akar. He longed for the moment the fight would be real and reminded himself that moment would come sooner rather than later.

Elon swiped his arm across his damp forehead. "Would you like to join me?"

Algernon grunted. "I'm not that handy with a sword, and it seems it'd be rather dangerous to spar with you at the moment."

"I'll take that as a 'no.'" Elon returned to slashing his sword through the air.

He'd been practicing for hours, and his muscles felt like hot, molten metal. Sweat glued his clothing against his skin. The vigorous movement made his head ache, pain knotting beneath his skull—a sensation that he hadn't experienced before healing Carissa's head injury.

But not matter how many 'enemies' he fought, he still couldn't manage to loosen the tangle of fury knotting in his chest. It felt like an eruption of heat, fire cascading over his body.

Images of Carissa's bruised body haunted him. He was supposed to be her defender, her protector. He replayed the scenarios in his mind, but his foresight told the same things each time: if Carissa looked up, Akar would have seen her. And if she slowed her escape, Akar or his men would have caught her. And she'd done both.

Sometimes he felt foresight was a curse. No matter the choices he made or urged her to make, she could always be hurt, would always suffer. The world was too dark to preserve her from that. Or he could have confined her to the palace, preemptively saving her from every potential wound or temptation, but to do so would damage her even more than letting her venture into Esmeray.

But knowing these things didn't always help. It still pained him—to think of both the past and the future.

Elon slowed his jabs and spared a glance towards his shared tent with Carissa.

After healing her yesterday, she'd stuck with Elisa like feathers on tar, cleaning the great stone building, serving the others food, and even going outside the walls to dump the waste buckets. This morning she'd slept in, and though a few had begun to approach their tent to seek her aid, Elon had redirected them to someone else or offered to help them himself.

His foresight flashed a warning, and Elon whipped around to face Algernon, ignoring the pulse of pain beneath his skull. His blade crashed so forcefully against Algernon's that the sword flew from the man's hand.

Algernon scowled. "That's not fair; I wasn't ready."

Elon shrugged. "You were contemplating leveling the sword at my neck—from behind—and telling me to surrender. You should examine your own definition of fairness before critiquing mine."

Algernon scowled but strode over to his fallen sword to retrieve it and raised the blade.

Elon arched his eyebrows. "Are you ready yet?"

Algernon huffed. "You know I am."

Elon didn't wait—he struck first. And the sword flew from Algernon's hand again.

Algernon shook out his hand "Lands above, man, take it easy." To his credit, he picked up the blade again.

"You'd like me to go easier on you?"

His words had their desired effect on him: Algernon's nostrils flared, anger sparking in his eyes. "I didn't mean that." This time, Algernon struck first, sweeping his sword haphazardly in front of him.

Elon did little aside from dodging and light blocks, keeping the force of his swings gentle enough that they wouldn't even rattle a child's arms. "Is this easy enough for you?"

Algernon's temper flared once more, revealed in the tightening of his expression. His blows came harder.

Elon sighed and blocked an oncoming strike. At least this was slightly more challenging, though not enough to quicken his breathing. With a flick of his wrist, he disarmed Algernon again.

Within a half hour, Algernon was thoroughly exhausted and dejected. It still amused Elon to think that Algernon had considered it possible that he could beat Elon. Perhaps Elon would have had more respect for the man if he'd known Algernon had fought him out of the desire to improve and protect those he loved rather than arrogance and anger.

The muscles in Elon's arms tensed as he prepared to launch himself into another series of sword drills when he saw a flicker of white from the corner of his eye.

Carissa had emerged from the tent, her short hair rumpled, her nightgown wrinkled. She offered him a sleepy smile, and warmth surged through his chest. It was as if every time he saw her, he fell in love with her all over again.

She approached him, and he knew he ought to instruct her to get more rest or perhaps to put on suitable attire, but his mouth was drier than flour.

The neckline of the nightgown was slightly scooped, revealing the soft rise and fall of her chest, and her shortened hair revealed the curved length of her neck. Her eyes sparkled with silent laughter, and he found himself utterly enchanted. She stopped less than an arm's length from him.

He remembered the days of his youth, when he'd seen glimpses of her in his dreams, and now she stood before him, close enough to touch. He fisted his free hand and smothered the urge to pull her closer. Hours ago, he would have done so without a second thought, but currently he was bathed in his own sweat, perspiring like a horse.

Carissa placed her palm against his chest, the heat in her touch spreading through him like fire. "Have I told you how attractive you are when you're practicing at swords?"

"I believe so, but there's no harm in saying it again." As she laughed, he dared to place his hand over hers, his fingers appearing blunt and clumsy in comparison with her slim, white fingers. "You look lovely."

Her smile faded into a look of skepticism. "I just woke up, and this nightgown is hideous."

Was it? Elon's gaze moved down her. There was a faint yellow stain lower on the fabric, and aside from the neckline, the nightgown revealed little else, nearly enveloping her slender figure. Desire flickered inside him—to see what the nightgown obscured.

He returned his gaze to hers. "I hadn't noticed."

A faint flush had alighted upon her cheeks. Then she cast her gaze aside, and it caught on the sword Algernon had discarded. "Would you be opposed if I joined you?"

He laughed—only to stop and clear his throat when his laughter sounded more husky than he'd intended. "Of course. It's always a pleasure to spend time in your presence, love."

His statement was rewarded with more laughter. "Sometimes you have such a flowery way of speaking, Elon." She slipped her hand from beneath his. "I'll change into more suitable attire and join you shortly."

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Author's Note: As usual, you guys are the best readers--like seriously. I always look forward to the moment where I get to go through everyone's comments <3

Secondly, yes, the sneak peek link is on my profile bio. Enjoy!