The King's Cursed Bride

Taking Chances: Part 2

The Next Day

Thump, thump, thump. The man's boots thudded steadily against the floor.

Carissa's gaze roamed Elon's expression, completely relaxed in sleep.

The man's pacing stopped for a half second before he began walking the other way. "You've been ogling him for at least an hour."

She didn't spare him a glance. "He's my husband—of course I've been ogling him."

"But there's a healthy, strong man you could be looking at."

Carissa's temper sparked, but she quickly tamped it down. She found the man liked to poke and prod at those around him and arouse their anger, though she wasn't quite sure why. "If you're referring to yourself, then there's not much to ogle."

His pacing stopped as he stood at her back. "Aren't you bored of sitting by him for so long? He's asleep; it's not as if he'll remember."

"Elon has done this for me plenty of times. I'm glad to do the same for him."

"He's sat by your bed? Why? Were you sick?"

No. She was too frightened to have him in bed with her—not with memories of Iver plaguing her sleep. But even if he wasn't in bed with her, he was never more than an arm's length away.

When she didn't answer, he grunted and began pacing again. After a few minutes, he stopped pacing, and she glanced back.

He was slinging his bow over his shoulder—recently repaired with new string—and grabbing his sack. "I'm going to go hunting."

Good riddance.

The door clattered shut a moment later. The house was left blissfully silent. Carissa shook her head and began stroking Elon's hair. That man and his mouth. Had his mother never taught him how to keep it shut?

Something clattered behind her, and hinges squeaked. Perhaps the man was returning? Or maybe there was an intruder. She slipped the dagger from the belt at her waist and turned—just in time to see the man stumble back into the house, holding a boy by the collar of his clothing, who was clawing fiercely at the man's hand.

Carissa stood. "Don't hold him like that—put him down."

The man dropped the boy to the ground. Though she feared the boy had been hurt, he sprang up and raised his hands. "Allow me a moment to explain. I know I tattled on you, but everything worked out alright, didn't it?"

She studied his face. This was the little boy who reminded her of Aleck, though his blond hair made him appear strikingly different and he was a bit older. Maybe twelve? "You're... Rylon? Ret? Rafael? It starts with a 'R', doesn't it?"

His lips flattened. "Lyron."

"Oh..." So she'd been way off.

The man still had his bow drawn and prodded Lyron's back with an arrow. "I found this urchin trying to run to the house as soon as I'd left. You were trying to sneak up on them while I was gone, hmm? Take them by surprise?"

Lyron rolled his eyes. "I didn't come here to talk to you—I came here to talk to her."

"But you're on my property, which means you're trespass—"

Carissa touched her temple with her free hand. "Just be quiet—you especially." She pointed the dagger towards the man. "And you—" she pointed to Lyron "—why are you here? How?"

Lyron shifted from foot to foot. "Are you going to stick me through or not?"

She lowered the dagger. "No, of course not. I just want to know why you were coming here."

Lyron nodded. "As I said, I wanted to speak with you." I thought about approaching you earlier... but then you went to the lake."

Carissa tried to suppress a blush. "I see."

The man's eyebrows peaked. "What happened at the lake?"

"None of your business." She motioned for Lyron to continue.

Lyron nodded. "I hid in the forest, and I didn't peek when, well, you know... My mom says you've got to respect a woman and give her privacy."

The man's eyebrows rose higher.

Carissa cleared her throat. "And then?"

"I saw an overly hairy man go in the house." Lyron nodded back towards the man, and the man poked him again with the arrowhead. "I decided to wait until he left, since I wasn't sure if he'd be hostile or welcoming. Judging from his large beard and short stature, I thought he'd prove to be the former."

The man's stiffened. "How dare—"

Carissa pointed the dagger at the man, and he fell silent. "Go on, Lyron."

Lyron nodded. "I thought so because I've heard some men try to act and appear manlier in order to make up for what they lack in height. Once he left the house, I approached it to speak with you. Once I'd explained myself, I knew I'd prove too valuable of an asset for you to kill me—or let me be killed by him."

Carissa rubbed her jaw, trying to hide a smile. He sounded like a member of court. "And what did you want to tell me?"

"First, I wanted to make an appeal to your mercy. Because I followed you out into the forest, I have neither food nor shelter."

"But how do you intend to pay for your keep?" Carissa folded her arms. "You said you'd prove to be a valuable asset."

Lyron nodded. "Indeed. Since I'm a servant, I know this area better than anyone. I can help you escape without being detected by the Reapers. You can return to Nysia and—"

Carissa was already shaking her head. "No. We have to take that keep in order to push the border back. Then we'll wander deeper into Esmeray."

Lyron's face turned ashen. "You want to take the keep? From the Reapers? And journey deeper into Esmeray?"

Carissa nodded. "Elon cares for all people—even those who would refuse his help. He wants to free the people of Esmeray."

Lyron's gaze flicked to Elon, and he began drumming his fingers against his patched trousers. "I see." He glanced up at her. "I want in."

The man chuckled. "You want to help us break into the keep?"

Carissa lifted her eyebrows. "So it's 'us' now, is it?"

The man shrugged. "It seems I'm a part of this, whether I want to be or not, and I say this boy should stay out of it. We should lock him in the cellar. You can tell by the mark on his temple—he serves the Reapers."

"Wait a second." Carissa folded her arms. "You were accusing me of being a Reaper's servant yesterday, and yet I didn't have any mark on my temple."

The man shrugged. "That's in the past. And I don't like this boy. I don't trust him. I just have the feeling that, given the opportunity, he'd betray us."

Carissa shrugged and turned back towards Elon. "I say he's in."

"But—"

"I don't like or trust you, but you're—apparently—going to help us. We might as well have him help as well. I'm sure he knows the keep better than we do."

From her peripheral vision, she saw Lyron step closer. "Absolutely. I could help you move through the keep unseen."

The man huffed. "This is a bad idea."

Maybe it was just because Carissa didn't like him, but his statement made her even more determined to let the boy help. Carissa pulled up a chair next to her and patted it.

Lyron seated himself.

"Now, Lyron, tell me what you know about this keep."

***

Author's Note: Yeah, yeah. I know what you're thinking: Surely Elizabeth finally found the time to write a sneak peek this time, after delaying an update--AGAIN--for several hours. 

And you'd be wrong. :P But, I think my schedule will normalize a bit next week, so that should be the return of the sneak peeks. Hopefully.