The King's Cursed Bride

Destroying the Nephesh: Part 1

Algernon's dark gaze pierced her—intense, yet too solemn to be a glare. "I'm aware. That's why I've come here: so you may have your answers."

Elon began to lift Carissa into the wagon, but she stiffened. Elon said, "We need to load up, Carissa. The caravan is leaving. And if we share a wagon with Algernon, we'll get to hear his answers."

She nodded, and with Elon's assistance, clambered into the wagon. He climbed in after her.

Algernon cleared his throat. "Carissa. I'm sorry for hurting you. You have to know that was never my intention."

The muscles in her jaw tightened. "No. Your intention was to hurt my husband."

"You have to agree that he was at least partially responsible—"

"I don't agree at all. It was your fault for allowing her to join us. Or for joining us in the first place when Elon had warned you—"

The wagon lurched forward as the caravan began to move, and Carissa gripped Elon's arm to steady herself. Dirt clouded the air, thickening in only seconds. Lands, she hated Esmeray.

Carissa grabbed a blanket from the floorboard and wrapped it around her head, trying to shield her eyes and nose. They traveled in silence for a few moments. The low tones of hushed conversation, the plodding of horse hooves, and the squeak of wagon wheels were the only noise in the otherwise dead forest.

"Carissa."

She turned to glance at Algernon.

"Say a man is walking down a street one night with a companion. A robber jumps from the shadows, chases one of the men down, and stabs him seven times before taking his money. His companion stands by and watches, and the wounded man dies. Who is responsible for his death?"

"The robber."

"No. The robber is responsible for his murder. Both the robber and his companion are responsible for his death." He jutted his chin at Elon. "So is he responsible for my sister's death."

"No, he's not. If you'd just listened—"

"And do you think I knew what was at stake, Carissa? That I'd sacrifice my sister's life by simply desiring to help you—even if it were a desire stemming from selfishness? If Elon had bothered to inform me of the consequences of my decisions, don't you think I would have listened?" He raised his eyebrows. "The yare wolves may have been responsible for killing Kybelle, but Elon is responsible for allowing it."

"But Elon isn't merely a passive bystander."

"You're certain? He had the capability to save her, yet he did nothing."

Carissa released a pent-up breath and glanced at Elon for help. But he only studied her in silence. Wasn't he going to defend himself?

"Carissa."

She looked back at Algernon.

"If Elon allowed the death of someone you loved, perhaps one of your parents, do you think you would still trust him?"

She certainly hoped so. "Yes. Even if I don't understand, I know Elon loves me, he knows what will happen, and he has a plan for it. Even if someone is hurt, that's never what he truly wants. You, on the other hand, aimed to kill him. And speaking of which, where did you find the Nephesh pieces?"

Algernon touched the quiver at his back, as if reassuring himself the arrows were still there. Should she ever get the chance, she wouldn't hesitate to dump them out into the road. Or maybe into a stream. Or bury them. Or burn them.

Algernon's gaze shot to hers, as if he could sense her intentions. "I obtained them from a woman in the caravan. I don't know her name."

"Algernon, don't be coy with—"

"But I do know that she is Lyron's mother."

Lyron's mother? That complicated things.

"I've trusted you with this information, but I'd request that you not harm her."

"Of course we wouldn't harm her... But does she know what Nephesh does? The Reapers will likely want it back, so it's under their protection."

Algernon wove his fingers through his beard and tugged on its coarse ends. "She stole it from them when Tervalyn visited their camp. She believes it's a way to get back at the Reapers, by keeping it from them."

"But eventually, it will draw them towards us. It needs to be destroyed!"

Algernon shrugged. "Good luck convincing her of that."

Carissa glanced up at Elon. "We need to talk with her."

Elon nodded. "And we will when the caravan stops at noon."

Though she'd rather speak to the woman now—and destroy the Nephesh as quickly as possible—she doubted the people would appreciate her bringing the caravan to a halt. "Very well. And Algernon, one more question."

Algernon had just finished wrapping a blanket around his head, and his eyebrows rose beneath the hood of his blanket. "Yes?"

"You weren't at Kybelle's funeral. Why?"

He released a slow breath, his gaze sliding to the road. "I've already said my goodbyes to her. I didn't need a ceremony in order to find closure. And it didn't feel right to share my grief with so many who didn't know her, who were there out of polite obligation rather than love for my sister."

An ache spread across Carissa's chest at his words. She hoped most of his anger stemmed from grief and would soon fade as he healed. "I understand. Though I don't think it was right to fight Elon as a means to cope with that."

"Think as you will, Carissa. It matters not."

Carissa suppressed a the urge to make a retort and pulled the blanket lower over her face as the air grew thick with dirt.

***

The wagon lurched to a stop, and Carissa's heart lurched with it. She peered out from her blanket at the sky—but it was the same dull gray as always. There was no sun to tell her if this was noon or not. How could Esmerians tell time in this place?

Elon helped her off the wagon, and she stood before beating the dirt off of her clothes. Now to find Lyron's mother. Hopefully they'd be able to gain the Nephesh with a bargain rather than a fight. The caravan members trusted them little enough as it was.

Carissa felt her neck prickle with awareness and glanced over her shoulder.

An older man stood by another wagon. She caught sight of the fine white scar on his jaw, and recognition flashed through her. He was the man who'd confronted when they'd first joined the caravan—the one who'd asked Elon if they'd seen each other before. To think that had only been yesterday; it felt like days ago.

The man's gaze flicked from her to Elon, and something about the look in his eyes tempted her to grab a sword. Even though he was old, he was powerfully built, and should he act on that murderous look in his eyes, he wouldn't be felled easily. She hoped it would never come to that.

"Carissa." Elon tugged at her sleeve. "Lyron's wagon is over there. I suspect that his mother will be close by."

Carissa tore her attention away from the man. They would deal with him later. First, they had to find and destroy the Nephesh.

***

Author's Note: As usual, the sneak peek is in my profile bio.