The King's Cursed Bride

Searching in the Dark: Part 4

Carissa plunged her dagger through the heart of the first wolf before slashing across the face of a second one. And then Algernon crashed through the pack on his horse, trampling a few wolves before he dismounted the horse.

Another wolf began to lunge at Carissa, until Algernon nocked an arrow and shot him. Four more were felled in the same manner. One wolf rushed towards Algernon, and Algernon took his bow in hand before bringing it down on the wolf's head. The bow splintered, breaking into two.

Another wolf charged Algernon, and he stabbed the creature with one jagged piece of wood.

The remaining wolves left, their dark forms disappearing into the night. Perhaps they'd smelled more fear elsewhere. After all, it didn't seem as though Algernon were very afraid at the moment.

Algernon glanced at her, his jaw tight, his bare chest slicked in blood and black fur.

Dizziness swept over her, and Carissa fell to her hands and knees. "Well? Aren't you going to help me?"

"I shouldn't."

Carissa's gaze shot to him. What was he jesting?

Algernon's eyes smoldered like heated coals. "After what your husband did, he deserves to suffer." His gaze swept over her bloodied form. "But I suppose you don't."

Elon? What had Elon done? Fear clutched her, turning the blood in her veins to icy slush.

Algernon approached before kneeling beside her. He had little enough fabric left to clothe his own body, so he began ripping Carissa's sleeves and wrapping the strips around her calf.

Carissa placed a hand on Algernon's arm, and he paused. "Algernon, what happened?"

He sucked in a sharp breath, pain and grief flaring in his expression. And then it winked out.

Understanding crashed over her, and she tightened her grip on his shoulder. "Is Kybelle... Did you find her?"

Algernon's jaw quivered. "Most of her."

Carissa thought of the blood she'd smelled earlier, and her stomach twisted. "Oh, Algernon. I'm so—"

"Save it, Carissa. I don't need your pity when it's your husband that—" Algernon shook his head, blinking rapidly as his eyes became glossy with tears.

Sorrow clumped in Carissa's throat. What could she say to that? Elon had allowed this, yet surely he'd known what had happened to Kybelle. Could he not have prevented her death? Or at least warned them?

Algernon swallowed and finished wrapping the rest of her wounds in silence. As he finished tying off the cloth around her shoulder, the steady thump of horse hooves filled the forest.

Algernon's horse neared them, its eyes wide enough to reveal a sliver of white around its dark iris. It appeared spooked but relatively unharmed.

Algernon glanced over his shoulder at the horse, then his gaze returned to hers. "Can you walk?"

Carissa nodded and began to stand, even as pain seared her calf like a branding iron. She managed to straighten and took a step forward. Agony clenched her, and her leg collapsed beneath her.

Algernon caught her before she could fall and carried her to the horse. As they neared, she caught sight of a limp body, lying across the horse's saddle. The body was completely wrapped in strips of cloth, and Carissa suddenly realized what had become of Algernon's shirt. Blood stains had seeped through the fabric, darkening its green color.

Algernon set her atop the horse and settled the body so it laid across Carissa's knees. Wetness seeped from the corpse to the fabric of her pants, and Carissa swallowed a bout of nausea.