The King's Cursed Bride

Saving Him: Part 2

            

Carissa launched into the group, their extended swords glancing off her breastplate, though one managed to pierce her side. She plunged her dagger between the neck and shoulder of one soldier. As she turned to face the others, a sword arched towards her, knocking the dagger from her hand.

The guard rested the blade against her neck. "Stand down, woman."

Though she tried to hold still to keep the sword from slicing her, the world wouldn't stop lurching from side to side. She stumbled, and hot, stinging pain sliced through her neck, blood dribbling down her skin.

A guard laughed. "Well, look at that, lads. It appears our woman here can't hold her drink."

Carissa used his momentary distraction to duck underneath his sword and lunge for him. But the world suddenly tipped, and instead of ramming into his legs, she hit the floor to his left.

Pain burst behind her eyes, and she bit her lip to suppress the scream building in her throat. She had to get up, had to keep fighting, but her head felt like it was full of metal, the weight of it pinning her to the ground. Her vision began twirling and blurring again, making her stomach twist. She was going to be sick again.

Pain gripped her scalp as the man grasped a fistful of her hair and hauled her to her knees. He laughed. "I think I've declawed our little wolf pup."

Her chest heaved, sourness flooding her mouth. She vomited and felt a slight sense of satisfaction when it splashed against the man's boots.

"You disgusting little witch." The man twisted her hair, making the pain flare across her head. "You two, bind her."

Two guards came forward, and though she struggled, they brought her wrists together and began to bind them.

Carissa gritted her teeth, and the pain in her head intensified. She couldn't let them subdue her like this, not when Elon needed her.

A whirring sound overhead made them all glance up.

Elon was holding one of his chains, spinning the end so quickly it blurred. He threw the chain at one of her captors. The metal links smashed into the side of his face, and he toppled to the ground. With her other captor distracted, Carissa kicked his leg. As uncoordinated as she was, she hit his shin, and instead of falling down, he regained his balance and hooked his arm around her neck. He obviously intended to threaten her so Elon would spare him. But she wasn't about to be used as someone's bargaining chip.

Carissa wriggled her hands out of the loose ropes around her wrists. She drove her hand over her shoulder, towards the man's face. Her fingers plunged into something soft and came away wet.

The man released her to clasp his hands over his wounded eyes.

The man who'd ordered the others to bind Carissa dashed towards her, but before he could take a second step, Elon swung his chain towards the man's torso.

It hit the man with the force of a charging bull before wrapping around his stomach. Though the man winced, his hands going to his ribs, he turned towards Elon. Just as he began to draw a dagger from his belt, Elon rammed his fist into the side of the man's face. He flew backwards before his head hit the metal bars of the cell. After he slumped to the ground, he remained still.

There was only one man standing: the one Carissa had partially blinded. The guard stumbled back a few steps as Elon approached, fumbling for his sheathed dagger. Unlike the other man, this guard managed to draw his and swung it towards Elon.

Elon batted the dagger away, and it fell from the guard's hands. Then Elon dispatched him much like he'd done to the other man.

As Elon's gaze settled on hers, she wished her vision would clear so she could better see him. She gathered her feet underneath her and rose. The sudden movement jarred her head, and she lost her balance.

"I have you." Even with her swaying vision, she saw him reach out to her.

His arms gathered her close, and she expected to feel the warmth of comfort and safety wash over her. But the fear that hit her was abrupt and unexpected, like a sudden splash of cold water. Her skin prickled, the hairs on the back of her neck rising. The sensation reminded her tiny spiders skittering across her skin.

And then she realized why Elon's gesture so frightened her. It had been less than an hour since Akar had groped her, and though Elon's grip was a good deal gentler, she felt the same strength in his arms and hands that she'd felt in Akar's. But where Akar used his strength to hurt her, Elon used it to protect her. Even so, she couldn't suppress a tremble as Elon stroked her hair.

His grip on her loosened, and he peered down at her. "Carissa? What's the matter? Where are you hurt?"

Shame gripped her throat. She was hurt in a place where Elon couldn't heal her, and it was her fault. If she hadn't glanced up, if she'd run when he'd asked her to, this wouldn't have happened.

It took only a moment for the confusion to clear from Elon's eyes. He gently guided her to the floor and released her. "What did he do?"

Though his question was softly spoken, the tone gentle, Carissa sensed the undercurrent of anger beneath his words. She swallowed thickly, pushed her feelings deep inside of her before Elon's protectiveness could arouse them. "What's done is done, and for now it doesn't matter. Let's rescue the others."

Though her vision denied her a clear view of Elon, she felt the tension radiating from him.

Carissa reached out until her fingertips brushed his cheek and cupped his tight jaw in her palm. "Once we're safe, I promise to tell you all. I'm afraid that if I tell you before then, I might not be able to... hold myself together." Her voice began to crack, and she stopped speaking lest she start crying.

She felt the tension in Elon's jaw ease beneath her touch, and he turned his head to press a kiss to her palm. "Very well."

Elon rose and divested one of the men of his sword, and Carissa began to try to gain her feet again.

Elon returned to her side in an instant and stopped her with a light touch to her shoulder. "You have a head injury?"

She nodded and winced as the movement exacerbated the pounding in her head.

"I know you're not feeling well, since Akar..." Elon released a harsh breath and stopped. "Would you allow me to carry you?"

Carissa stopped herself short of nodding and replied, "Yes. Please."

Elon slid one arm around her shoulders and another behind her knees before lifting her, his movements so gentle that were she to close her eyes she likely wouldn't know she was being moved. If not for his hands touching her—one curving around her side and the other clasping her leg—she might have even been comfortable.

Elon no doubt felt her tense at his touch and murmured, "I'm sorry."

"It's alright." After all, this wasn't Elon's fault.

He slipped out of the open cell door and began to ascend to the stairs to the upper dungeon.

Despite his best efforts, his steps jostled her, and she leaned her head against his chest to better stabilize it. Even through the fog of pain, she remembered the two Reapers awaiting them at the entrance. "Elon, there are two Reapers up there—and they're on the other side of the gate to the dungeons. If they keep the gate locked, how are we going to get to them?"

"We won't get to them." He glanced down at her, close enough that she could see his smile even with her worsening vision. "We'll make them come to us."

***

Author's Note: As usual, you can find the sneak peek in my profile :)