The King's Cursed Bride

Unveiled

Author's Note: If any of you noticed some formatting or typo errors earlier, that would be because I had my mom post my chapter, since I was out of town celebrating my 19th birthday 🎉
In honor of that, I present you, my lovely readers, with an extra long chapter 💖

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A low 'hmm' rumbled in his chest. "Strange."

She gripped fistfuls of her skirt and tried to calm her sporadic breathing. "What? What is it?"

"Nothing of concern." He smoothed the salve across her back with practiced movements. "I simply expected the swelling to go down sooner. It doesn't appear changed from the other day."

Numbing tingles marched across her skin.

"Why? Is something wrong?"

If she told Viltus of her curse, would he ever believe her? She stifled a snort. Why would he? She barely believed it herself.

"Carissa?"

The least she could do was try to tell him. Even if he didn't believe her, it had to be better than if he discovered she'd lied. "Yes. Yes, there is."

The brush of his fingers against her back slowed. "What's wrong?"

She swallowed thickly, the words lodged in her throat.

Viltus tugged her into a sitting position and turned her to face him. "What is it? You can trust me."

"I do trust you. But that's not the problem."

"Then what is?"

"You won't believe me."

He frowned. "Of course I'll believe you."

She shook her head. "If you don't believe in the King having magical powers, you won't believe what I have to tell you."

His expression twisted in confusion as he leaned back to study her. "What is it?" The blue in his eyes hardened to steel, as if he were shielding himself.

If she didn't tell him now, she doubted she'd ever have the courage to. "I'm cursed."

His face suddenly slackened before he released a burst of laughter. Which quickly faded when she continued to stare at him. "Carissa?"

"That's why my parents were always so overprotective—because I was cursed. I can't heal myself. The cuts I receive are permanent."

"Carissa..." He clasped her shoulder. "If you couldn't heal at all, you'd have bleed out by some small cut long ago, and I'm sure they were protective because they loved you."

She jerked from his touch. Was he trying to persuade her that she wasn't cursed? She pursed her lips. Not that she blamed him. She'd spent most of her life trying to do the same. She studied his relaxed expression, his pleading gaze. He wasn't going to be convinced.

"Would you finish applying salve to my back, so I can retire? My days begin early, and I'd rather not be tired." She turned her back to him.

"Don't be upset, Carissa."

She shrugged. "I'm not—" a lie "—but when you discover my words to be true, don't you dare accuse me of not trusting you or being like Elisa."

He fell silent before releasing a slow breath. "Carissa, it's been only a day. It still has time to heal. And how do you know about this curse?"

"It's what my parents have always told me."

"Have you ever asked them how or why you have the curse?"