The King's Cursed Bride

Bonus Chapter 1

            

Elisa clenched the note with ink-stained hands, her heart pulsing in her chest. The King's messenger had come an hour ago, claiming the King wanted her—her, a nightwoman—to summon a renowned healer to turn Iver into a place of healing.

It was better than she'd ever dreamed.

Elisa stroked her thumb across the wording of the note, and her clammy skin smeared the ink. She bit down on a curse. Perhaps the King's messenger had made a mistake and hadn't meant to summon her but a different nightwoman. She was no great orator—hence the note she held in her hands.

Good day, sir. I've been sent by the King himself. He wishes to elevate your position by placing you as the head healer over a very important project. I'm sure you're familiar with the Nighthouse of Iver, sir. It's a highly disreputable place. He wishes you to turn it into a place of healing—replacing the dilapidated tower previously used...

Sweat prickled her hairline. Perhaps she shouldn't use such big words—it made her sound presumptuous. Or maybe it was too long. Or maybe he'd say no because she was a nightwoman.

Elisa tugged the neckline higher on her dress. She'd scoured the Nighthouse for the most modest clothing she could find, but the velvet fabric and low neckline shrieked, 'nightwoman.' Elisa slowed at an intersection.

The messenger had said she should take a right—onto the dirt path. She turned to the right. Strange. This wasn't one of the richer areas of the city. Since the King had specifically chosen this healer, she'd assumed he must be the personal healer to some Council member. Apparently not.

She slowed. Someone's wagon blocked the road between two houses on the right. A window was missing from a building up ahead. The smell of cheap ale wafted on the air. There was something about this area that was familiar. Or perhaps her nerves were muddling her mind.

After a few more turns, she stopped before a house. This was it.

She rapped twice.

A horse to her left snorted, and she glanced towards him. He was beautiful—cloud white with brown spots like freckles. Freckles. She squinted. That horse did look remarkably similar—

The door swung open. "I said no. I won't—" Eyes landed on her, the vividly deep blue of the horizon on a sunny day.

Her breath halted in her throat, and tingles swept across her face. She couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.

Viltus' eyelids flared in surprised. "Elisa?"

***

Want to read the rest of this chapter?

Author's Note: I have a few bonus chapter ideas, and I've finally found the time to flesh one out. You can find the rest of this chapter on my blog. I'll leave a link in my profile.

And, yes, I'm aware of how evil that is 😈