The King's Cursed Bride

Two: Part 3

Pain rushed over Carissa so suddenly that her legs weakened, and she fell to her knees.

Elon. Gone. And he'd healed her.

She pressed a hand to her chest, the pain within rivaling the wound of seconds ago. Elon was a part of her now, in a deeper way than she could even comprehend. He'd healed her and loved her when no one else had.

It felt like what once had been one had been torn into two. Like she was being torn into two. Her husband had just been ripped from her.

Carissa gained her feet and wiped her wet cheeks with the back of her hand. No. She would find him. Just as he'd found her when she was lost, she would do the same for him.

Carissa began jogging downstream. When Elon had healed her before, he'd once slipped into the water. If the healing had proved difficult for him, perhaps his weakened body would have been dragged downstream.

With each minute that passed without seeing him, her chest cinched tighter and tighter. But Elon hadn't stopped seeking her out; she would keep looking for him.

After five minutes, she quickened her pace, needing an outlet for the panic rising within her. Her boot thudded into a root, and she barely kept herself from falling. This time there was no Elon to laugh at her for tripping. Or to catch her when she fell.

No Elon to hold her when she cried. No Elon to coax a laugh from her lips. No Elon to flirt outrageously with her. No Elon to chase the nightmares and bad guys away. To drive her crazy with his vague declarations. To make her melt with his smiles. To love her even when she didn't deserve it.

The forest floor blurred, and she forced her breathing to steady. As soon as she gave into the sobs tightening her throat, she'd collapse in grief and lose the will to get up, to keep looking, to keep hoping.

She blinked the tears away, and the ground below her turned crisp and clear. The leaves here had been disturbed. Scraped away to reveal the muddy ground below. Some were even tipped in blood.

Carissa caught her breath and knelt, following the trail with her gaze. It seemed someone had dragged themselves from the river into the forest.

She sprinted into the forest, only to nearly stumble over a wet heap. No, a wet person. "Elon?" she breathed, lowering herself next to him.

He hadn't gotten far, which was disturbing enough. The fact that he didn't respond to her was even more alarming.

"Elon!" She grabbed his shoulder and pushed him onto his back.

A shudder went through him, and his eyes flew open, his entire face scrunching in pain. "C–Carissa. Please. It hurts."

Her gaze snagged on the blood-stained cloth at his chest. "You fool. You shouldn't have healed me. It was Esmerian steel. You should have just let—"

Elon brought her hand to his lips. "I would sooner die."

Her breath hitched with suppressed sobs. "Would sooner die. Which means you're not going to."

Elon turned on his side, and some of the creases smoothed from his expression. "Carissa..."

"No. You're not going to. I won't let you." She squeezed his hand.

Her tears smeared the world around her until his expression was unreadable. But she hoped he could read her expression, could see past the tears to the determined glint in her eyes. It had only been a few weeks since she'd found her other half, and she was not going to be alone again. They were one now, and not even death could steal him from her.

She viciously wiped the tears away before unsheathing her dagger and splitting the fabric at his chest. "You've survived for a half hour, at least, which would be impossible for a normal human. That means your body is healing, Elon. It's fighting it."

She parted the fabric and stifled a gasp. The gashes were hideous, exposing the deep red of muscle and the surrounding veins black like charcoal. But they'd stopped bleeding. She just had to make sure they wouldn't get infected, and he would heal just fine.

Elon threaded their fingers. "Carissa. I–It's all right. I've known this would happen for a while now."

She blinked harder, forcing the tears from her eyes. "I don't want to be alone again, Elon. I don't want to be without you." Now that she'd had him, she couldn't even conceive of a life without him. "I know I once did everything in my power to avoid marriage to you." She laughed shakily, brushing the wetness from her cheeks. "But now I would do just as much—no, more—to keep you with me. I would sooner die with you than let you leave me."

Elon's eyes grew glossy. "I'm so sorry, Carissa. I didn't want this ending."

"Then don't let it be. You can heal from this."

He closed his eyes, turning his face from her. But not before she saw agony flash across his expression. "As you said, it was Esmerian steel."

"But you haven't died."

"No. I'll live for a little longer, because of my healing abilities. But... they won't heal in time, Carissa."

Her nose was starting to run. She sniffed. "No. You're immortal. You can't just be killed."

"No, I can't. But even I have a weakness, Carissa." His gaze pierced her, tears gathering in his beautiful eyes, making the deep brown in them blaze. "You."

"No." She gained her feet. "I refuse to just let you be taken from me. I'll find a way to heal you. I will."

He simply gazed at her, his eyes heavy with grief. "I don't want to leave you either, Carissa. But now we have to say goodbye." He pressed her hand to his chest. "Not forever. Just for a little while. We'll be together in Second Life."

Meaning she would spend the rest of this life without him? Every night feeling beside her only to find emptiness and coldness? Every day in silence, knowing she'd never again hear his laugh or see his smile? She loved him far too much to bear such an existence.

"I will find a way, Elon." She rose to her feet. "I caused this by not killing Tervalyn. Now I'll fix it." She turned and marched into the forest before Elon's eyes could draw her closer. She was not going to just sit there, waiting for him to die.

"Carissa, don't..." His voice was so whispery and faint that she couldn't quite hear what he said. And that scared her more than she cared to admit.

She shoved a branch out of the way, ignoring the tears raining down her face. She would find a way; she had to. Because she would sooner die than let him leave. Sooner die than become two rather than one.

***

Author's Note: Am I the only one crying? Honestly, I've avoided typing this chapter for so long... Anyway, if you want to read the sneak peek after that emotional rollercoaster, you can check out my profile bio.