The King's Cursed Bride

Searching in the Dark: Part 3

Author's Note: You guys make me so happy. I was reading through the comments, and even thinking of them now makes me smile. 

As you've requested, I've made a video of my favorite reviews I've received on WattPad. If you're interested in watching, I'll post it above. Thank you guys for making my day. 💖

***

This had gone on far enough. She couldn't allow Elon to just tell them how to kill him. She leveled the rod at the Elder's chest. "I don't think so."

Elon pushed Carissa's hand down until she lowered the rod. "All is well, Carissa."

Carissa spun to face him. "All is well? You're about to give them the power to kill you. All is not well."

Elon lifted her fisted hand—the one that wasn't clenching the rod—to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. "Trust me."

How was she supposed to deny him that? Carissa uncurled her fingers, dropping the rod to the ground. "I do. But sometimes I fear you don't value your safety as much as I do."

Elon grinned. "I think one of us worrying about my safety is more than enough."

Elder Itura cleared her throat. "As you were saying, Nysian?"

Elon slipped his fingers between Carissa's before turning to face the Elder. "There are several things I'm vulnerable to. I need to breathe, for one thing."

The Elder nodded. "Then drowning would be a viable option."

Carissa stiffened, but Elon continued unfazed, "Perhaps, though I'd need to stay under for much longer than the average man. In addition, I have a weakness towards Nephesh. If I touch it, it burns me, and I suspect piercing me with one would make it rather... difficult for me to recover."

Elder Itura's eyes brightened in realization. "Ah. Of course. Any other weaknesses I ought to know about?"

Elon glanced at Carissa. He had yet to tell the woman about his biggest weakness: her. If Elon healed her from a fatal wound, Carissa feared how it would affect him.

Elon turned back towards Elder Itura. "Do I have more weaknesses? Yes. Are they ones you should know about? No."

The Elder shrugged her shoulders. "I think I have enough knowledge to do you sufficient damage should your wife fail to return tonight."

Carissa clenched her fists, suppressing the urge to pick up the tent pole and hit the woman upside the head. If something happened that delayed her return, and the Elder so much as looked at Elon wrong, she'd make the woman pay dearly.

Elder Itura nodded towards Elon. "Men, bind him lest he try to escape with his wife." She pointed to the scouts. "And you two will obtain fresh mounts and guide the Nysians. Keep them unbound." The woman spared one last glance at Carissa. "And if something goes awry, I will hold you personally accountable, and your husband will suffer the consequences."

***

Carissa was still shaking with anger as they rode to retrieve Kybelle. She nudged her horse closer to Algernon's. "They've denied us weapons. If I'm going along to protect the group against potential danger, what good would it do to have me weaponless?"

Algernon sighed. "Because they don't trust us. But you needn't be so worried, Carissa. Should you be so motivated, I have no doubt that you could rip yare wolves and Reapers apart with your bare hands. You did best me, after all."

Carissa snorted. "You speak as if defeating you posed a challenge."

Algernon began to laugh, but one of the guards rode along side them, raising his dagger towards them. "Silence, both of you. We won't have you conspiring behind our backs."