The King's Cursed Bride

Playing With Fire: Part 1

Ryther grinned as she led him back to the Healer's house. "So, you were worried about me, then."

"No. I just told Mera that I would see if you'd made it back." Carissa twisted her wedding ring around her finger. Though it hadn't been responsive in days, it was still comforting to feel its presence.

Her trip had sadly yielded up only Ryther. She would have much rather found Brone. She had a few ideas about what she would do to him. Her most creative involved fire pokers and cheese graters.

Carissa shook her head. Why had Elon allowed Brone to live when he had known what Brone's actions would lead to?

"Are you all right? You've become awfully quiet." Ryther edged closer to her.

"I'm perfectly fine." She hoped her prickly tone would be enough to warn him away.

"You don't sound like it."

She glanced up at him sharply. "I don't want to talk—"

"Who said anything about talking?" Ryther smiled, his steps slowing.

Everything in Carissa went stiffer than wood. Surely he wasn't about to flirt—

"There's a pub just around the corner."

The tension spilled from her. At least he wasn't inviting her to do... something else. But nonetheless, she couldn't accept. Did he really expect her to dine with him? What if he laced her food with something that made her pass out? And then he captured her?

Ryther clucked. "So distrustful. You can return to Mera and Tian, then. I for one would like to eat." His steps veered off to an alleyway on the left.

Carissa's stomach clenched, as if the mention of food had reminded her of her own hunger. Her gaze trailed Ryther as he slipped around the corner. Perhaps she should go with him. Not only did she need to eat, but she should find out who he was. And what he had done to those Yare wolves. But she'd have to watch her back.

She followed Ryther through the alley, jogging the last few steps toward him. "Wait!"

He stopped until she'd caught up to him. "Changed your mind?"

"Something like that."

His gaze slid to her for a beat, but he didn't inquire further about her reasons. "I don't know if this food here will be quite suited to your tastes."

"Why do you say that? And what do you know about my tastes?" The last question came out more sharply than she'd intended.

Ryther raised his hands. "Please don't shoot. I surrender!"

Carissa suppressed an eyeroll. "Well?"

He lowered his hands after a long moment. "As long as you promise not to shoot..."

She wasn't in the mood for games. If he wasn't going to answer her questions, then there wasn't any point in talking to him.

After a minute of silence, Ryther sighed. "You know, there's this thing called a smile..."

Something she hadn't done that since Elon had... Pain slammed into her chest, the blow so sudden that it forced tears from her eyes.

He grimaced. "Forgive me. I didn't mean to cause you pain. I simply said so because you're a Nysian. I hear food in Nysia is different than Esmerian fare."

Even amidst the haze of pain, she searched the expressions of the people around her. Had anyone heard him call her a Nysian? Though her dark hair helped her blend in, she was sure to arouse suspicion if word spread that she was Nysian. "How did you know?"