The King's Cursed Bride

To the Capital: Part 1

"Why do you think Elon saved me?"

It was the first Mera has spoken since the journey had begun.

Carissa walked in silence, mulling over her question. It was something she'd been puzzling over for a while. But Elon never made mistakes. "Perhaps he used his foresight and knew you'd be vital for this part of the journey, that I'd need you to kill the Reaper King."

And yet... the explanation didn't seem quite right. Elon's ultimate goal in coming to Esmeray had been to help its people, to make them his. Killing the Reaper King was a means of helping and freeing them, but not a goal in itself.

Why would Elon save someone so undeserving as Mera? Likely for the same reason he'd saved someone as undeserving as herself: because he loved her. But Elon had loved the other caravan members. So what would make him choose Mera over them? What was different?

Carissa glanced back sharply at Mera. Only two members of the caravan had survived: Mera and Brone, the only two who hadn't committed themselves to Elon. But that didn't make sense.

The approaching sound of horse hooves saved her from replying.

"Ho, there!"

Carissa whipped around, her hand going to the dagger hidden up her sleeve. She'd strapped it to her arm to keep it secure. Hopefully, it wouldn't slice her skin when she drew it.

Three men rode up to them, slowing a few feet short of trampling them. The man in front had dark hair that was long and went to his jaw. Though it was brushed, it gave him an unruly look.

The man in front leaned over his horse and squinted at them. "What are two women doing traveling by themselves?"

Carissa narrowed her eyes at him. "We aren't by ourselves. There's a whole contingent of—"

"We're going to Esmeray," Mera responded blithely.

The man flashed them a smile. "Ah, Esmeray? I hail from there, and I happen to be hosting a grand party within a few nights. There aren't nearly enough attractive ladies in the city, you know. Perhaps you should join us when you arrive... unless you have someone expecting you." He raked his fingers through his hair. "Is anyone expecting you there?"

A party? Was this man a high-ranking noble? Perhaps they could use him to sneak in. But there was something about his smile... Carissa opened her mouth to respond, but Mera's words ran over her own: "Actually, no. I have some relatives, but we're stopping by for a surprise visit."

Carissa gritted her teeth, suppressing the urge to smack her upside the head. "Actually, I contacted my mother a few days ago. She's expecting us to arrive soon, and if we haven't arrived on time, she'll become alarmed and contact the guards—"

Mera's eyebrows bounced. "I didn't know your mother was in Esmeray. Or that you'd contacted her. When did you do that?"

The man laughed. "It seems your friend is full of surprises."

Carissa's hand lingered by her sleeve once more. She almost wished he would attack them already, so she could use her dagger on him. "I just didn't want to seem rude when I told you that we really must be going. We don't want to be late."

"Of course not... Though if it's really so important for you to arrive on time, I was wondering if you could perhaps use a ride there."

Carissa was already shaking her head. "Thank you but—"

"That would be wonderful!" Mera said. She turned toward Carissa. "How fortuitous! We have someone who can ride there with us. And we'll be safer in a bigger group."

Unless the danger was from within the group, not without.

Carissa gripped Mera's arm, tight enough that it likely hurt a bit. "No. We are not riding with them."

"But—"

Carissa jerked Mera forward, while glancing over her shoulder to keep an eye on the men. If they decided to attack them, they would soon find it wasn't any ordinary woman that they dealt with.

The man kicked his horse into a trot to keep pace with them. "I can certainly understand why you would be uncomfortable traveling with a group of men. At least let me carry some of your burdens for you upon my horse."

Carissa shot him a glare. "We're fine. Thank... you." The words squeezed past her lips. It almost pained her to express any form of gratitude, false though it was, to a man who was obviously a cur, seeking to take advantage of two women.

The man continued to keep pace with them, the other men following behind him.

Surely they didn't intend to travel the entire way to Esmeray at a light trot beside them. "You know, you're more than welcome to continue onto Esmeray." Carissa stretched her lips into a shape that she hoped resembled a smile. "We wouldn't want to slow you down."

"It's no bother," he answered with an easy smile. "And besides, we wouldn't want you to go unprotected, without any form of escort."

Short of killing them, she couldn't make them stop following her. She focused her gaze forward, hoping the men would soon tire of the slow pace and gallop past then. Or would tire of waiting and attack them—giving Carissa an excuse to kill them.

For the first hour, the men chatted happily with each other. By the second hour, they had drawn Mera into the conversation. By the third, they were laughing and joking more often than conversing. By the fourth, Mera had been convinced to ride on one of their horses while the man dismounted and walked the horse.

The man in front nudged his horse closer to her. "Aren't you tired of walking? Would you like a brief ride on my horse? I would dismount, if being in such close proximity to me would make you uncomfortable."

The man was patient, she'd give him that. It seemed this predator wasn't afraid of an extended hunt. "I like walking."

Within a few more hours, it began to grow dark. Carissa stopped when she heard water flowing nearby. She found the creek and slipped off her back before forming a makeshift tent with a tarp and branch.

Once she was done, she peeked out from her shelter. The men had erected an oil-slicked canvas tent with poles and stakes. Lantern light glowed warm and yellow through it.

Mera was chatting with the man who'd let her ride his horse at the entrance of the the men's tent. The man gestured toward the tent with a warm smile, and Mera nodded as she talked, beginning to walk toward the tent.

No. She wouldn't allow another woman to be abused as she had.

Carissa shot to her feet, darting toward her. "Mera!"

***

Author's Note: Alas, no sneak peek this time. I have to do my stats homework before class. :P I haven't proofread (and I would ask my boyfriend, but he's currently doing his economics homework), so let me know about mistakes.