The King's Cursed Bride

To Kill or Not To Kill

Carissa slipped into a sprint and rounded the corner of a building, following Mera's voice.

Mera stood at the end of an alley, her expression contorted in fury, though the quick darting of her eyes bespoke of fear. Three sizable men had cornered her. Their clothes were so stained that the colors of the cloth were rendered indistinguishable. Beards frizzed around their jaws, matted and filthy.

What had Mera gotten herself into now?

Carissa slipped a dagger from her sleeve. "You there! Halt!"

The men turned toward her and Ryther. One eyed her beneath the shadows of his brows. "Who are you?"

Wife of Elon. Queen of Nysia. Carissa. "None of your concern. Back away slowly from the girl, and no one has to be hurt."

The man grinned, revealing brown teeth. "If someone's to be hurt, it won't be us, darlin'."

If he continued to look at her like that, she would soon prove him wrong. "Back away slowly."

Another one snickered. "And if we don't, what are you going to do about it?"

Carissa opened her mouth to reply, but Ryther rushed past her, his dagger raised high, a war cry pouring from his mouth. Not quite the tactic she would have used.

The men met him halfway, and Carissa figured that she ought to help him. But then again, he had handled the Yare wolves just fine on his own.

He disarmed the first man quickly before slashing a dagger through the man's throat.

Carissa's stomach clenched. She was familiar with death—far more than she wanted to be—but something about killing these men felt... wrong.

Ryther swung his arm downward, but before he could slice through the second man, Carissa sprinted forward and blocked his dagger with hers.

Ryther yanked back. "M'lady? What are you doing? I could have hurt—"

"We're not killing these men."

"What?" To her surprise, the question hadn't come from Ryther but the brown-toothed man.

Carissa turned toward him. "We don't want to kill you."

Ryther snorted from behind her. "Perhaps you—"

Carissa jabbed his stomach with her elbow, effectively cutting off his next words. "We're not here to hurt you. We're just trying to protect our friend. But we're not scared to fight you if you're going to attack us."

The man's frowned, wrinkling well-worn furrows in his forehead. He glanced at his friend, who laid in a pool of his own blood. "I–I think we'll take our leave, then."

She could practically sense Ryther emanating tension from behind her, but he said nothing until the two men had gathered themselves and left. "What's wrong with you?"

Carissa spun. "What's wrong with me? Ryther, you don't just kill people."

"They weren't just people. They were cruel men who were about to take advantage of a young woman."

Speaking of that young woman... Carissa pivoted and strode toward Mera. "And you—what would possess you to so impulsively leave the house? And then wander into a dark alley and get cornered by three men?"

A half-gasp, half-sob came from Mera. But her lips didn't move. Mera stepped aside, revealing a girl no higher than her waist. As soon as Mera move, the girl darted behind her again, clinging to her dress.

Mera patted the girl's head and glanced up at Carissa. "I heard her cry, so I came to her. And when I saw the three men, I thought I'd try to defend her."

Mera's words deflated her, leaving her feeling empty and weary. Carissa set a hand on Mera's shoulder. "Admirable, Mera, but not wise. You should have come to ask for my help."

Mera shrugged, making Carissa's hand slip off. "There wasn't time. And how was I supposed to know whether or not you would treat me seriously? Every time I try to help, you insist on treating me like a child."

Carissa felt a pinch of sympathy. Perhaps she could have treated Mera more kindly. But some of Mera's actions had definitely been foolish—telling Tian about killing the Reaper King, for example. And running out of the house alone and without explanation. "Why did you leave so abruptly, Mera?"

"You told me to think if Elon had said anything to me. He had. He said that love was worth any sacrifice." Mera sucked in a breath. "He looked so... so sad when he said that. Heart-broken."

And Elon had paid the ultimate sacrifice for his love for her. Carissa swallowed tightly, willing her eyes not to swell with tears. "And how was that related to your departure?"

"I think that's what Elon would want me to do. I think he'd want me to love. So I decided that I should go and do something charitable. I was planning to buy a meal for someone from the pub, but then I heard her."

Carissa nodded. "I see. I don't mean to make you feel like a child, Mera, but there are certain decisions that you shouldn't have made. We'll speak of this later."

Mera's lips firmed. "I'm not a child to be lectured and patronized, Carissa."

Carissa's sorrow was evaporated beneath a scorching wave of frustration.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Exhale.

"I know," Carissa said. "But we should leave here, at least for the girl's shake. She looks like she could use something to eat."

Mera glanced down at the girl, her expression softening like heated butter. "Oh. Of course." She slipped her arm around the girls shoulder and steered her out of the alley. Carissa followed behind, with Ryther at her side.

She felt Ryther's gaze on her and glanced toward him. "Do you require something?"

He chuckled and shook his head. "I was simply wondering how you plan to kill the Reaper King when you can't even manage to kill a low-life in the streets."

***

Author's Note: Guys. I am so sorry about the late chapter. Honestly, this totally slipped my mind today, and it shouldn't have. I haven't proofread the chapter, so feel free to point out typos, and I haven't written the sneak peek cause I have a YouTube video to edit for tomorrow, econ hw on Monday, and an exam and book report on Tuesday. And I have a movie night scheduled with my bf on Saturday. You know, priorities. 😉 However... if you leave me convincing reasons for why I should write the sneak peek, I think I can find some time to type it up over the weekend.