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Author's Note: In response to my offer to critique the first few chapters of someone's story, RedPandaWorld made these two lovely pictures.

If you'd like a critique of your first few chapters, all you have to do is post something on IG related to The King's Cursed Bride and tag me! And congrats to RedPandaWorld for being the first one to make fan art for KCB, aside from my sister.

And this week's comment award goes to BookWorm2018xx! Thank you for the wonderful, sweet comment. If you guys would like to see it, you can check it out on IG.

***

If Elon had intended to comfort her, he was doing a rather pitiful job. "But the border didn't follow Akasha."

"She was only one Reaper."

Carissa whipped around to face him. "How many Reapers are required to move the border?"

"Many."

She rubbed the goose bumps from her arms. "But we killed Akasha."

Elon nodded. "Which angered the other Reapers."

Carissa drove her hands through her sweat-slicked hair. "We should have just captured her."

"No, we shouldn't have. Things are happening like they're supposed to, Carissa. Trust—"

"I'm trying to." She dropped her arms to her sides.

After a moment, he placed a hand on her shoulder, and the chill dissipated beneath his warmth. "You see why your training is so important?"

She dropped her chin to her chest. "Yes... but I can't do this alone."

He squeezed her shoulder. "You won't have to."

"I want to kill a Reaper!"

Both of them glanced down at Aleck.

Elon lowered himself beside Aleck. "Killing a Reaper takes a special sort of warrior, but there are many other forms of evil in this world. Unfortunately, should you become a warrior, you will have no shortage of enemies."

Elon's declaration was sobering, but Aleck didn't seem to notice. He swept a staff on the ground and jabbed it into the air. "Kya!" He straightened and saluted Elon. "Don't worry, your highness. I'm going to be a very strong warrior. I can take it."

She would have smiled, but the dark streak on the horizon drew her gaze once more. The people in Zonah were right on the border; they were likely terrified.

"Even the greatest warriors need help. Speaking of which—" Elon pointed to the camp "—I'm sure some of those knights could use some assistance in roasting their squirrels."

His face set in grim determination, Aleck saluted before darting back across the field, his staff swinging wildly as he pumped his arms.

Elon's gaze alighted on hers.

"So the darkness is really coming, isn't it, Elon? Despite all we've done..."

He began to reach out to her, but then seeming to think better of it, he lowered his hand again. "Never forget that the mere presence of light is enough to banish darkness. By its very nature, light will always win, however, we're going to cross the mountains soon."

"And...?"

"From the palace, you will no longer have a vantage point of the southern horizon. Ensconced in the safety of the palace, you may forget that others do not have that same luxury." He picked up a staff and handed it to her. "Your training is important, but never forget why you train."

"Of course I won't." She curled her fingers around the smooth rod. "Didn't Aleck take a staff?"

"If you'll recall, I requested three training staffs." He winked. "I suspected one would be purloined." He turned and strode back to the campsite. Carissa followed him, flattening the wispy grass beneath her feet.

The darkness was coming. She only hoped she'd be ready when it arrived.

***

The Next Day

As they neared, the jagged edges of the mountain appeared more and more familiar—from their sheer cliffs and shimmering patches of snow to the pine trees bearding their bases. Homesickness swelled within her.

She missed the village of Hasita: the valleys and creeks divoting the land, the moss slithering between the stones of houses and walls, the stubby, conical roofs and the towering chimneys that seemed to graze the sky.

She was tempted to plaster her face to the carriage window, but glass was a precious luxury, and she didn't dare dirty it. She leaned back against the cushioned seats, stiffening her jaw against a yawn. "You said the palace was just over the mountains?"

Elon nodded from the seat across from her. "After two more days of travel, we should be there. Though I suspect you'll want to stop sooner, at least for the night."

She shot him questioning glance, but he merely smiled.

In a few minutes, they passed a crossroad, and the breath stuck in her throat. She'd seen that crossroad before. On her way to Zonah. "Elon?"

He toyed with his crown, smoothing his thumb along its embedded gems. With the commoners' clothes he wore for travel, one wouldn't know he was the King if not for that metal circlet. "Hmm?"

"Where are we?"

He pursed his lips in thought. "If I tell you, you must remain seated."

Remain seated? What else would she do? "Very well."

"We travel to Hasita. It's slightly out of the way, but—"

"Hasita?" No wonder the mountains had appeared familiar. She began to launch to her feet but stopped short, remembering Elon's words. The ceiling was low, and she would have likely hit her head. "How close are we?"

"We'll be there within an hour."

"An hour?" The very air seemed to hum with energy. How was she to wait an hour?

"Unless you'd like to arrive ahead of our entourage."

She inched towards the edge of her seat. "How?"

"On horseback. Though I know it's not your favorite mode of transportation."

True. Though the lurching of the carriage had made her sick at times, she'd since become accustomed to its movement. There'd been no arms around her waist, no enveloping body heat, no smothering proximity to someone else. "Could we have two horses?"

Elon jerked his gaze away—likely to hide a flinch. She hated how her fear was wedging its way between them, but how did she make it stop? "You've learned how to ride?"

"No... but surely it can't be that difficult."

"I won't have you breaking your neck, Carissa. An hour isn't so long." He settled back against the seat and stared out of the carriage window, brows furrowed.

The silence seemed to wind tighter with each passing second. She curled her fingers into her palm, trying to ignore the tension, but it was no use. "If we need to share a horse, I don't mind."

"You needn't lie, Carissa." The words were nearly soft enough to be a whisper.

"You want the truth?"

His gaze slid to her. "Always."

"Then you should know that I enjoy your touch, at times. It makes me think of all the dreams I had as a little girl to be..." She held a palm to her searing cheek. Her fingers felt like ice in comparison.

His eyes darted to her blush. "To be what, Carissa?"

She swallowed her embarrassment. "To be kissed and caressed and... loved. But there are other times when your touch tempts nightmares to flicker behind my eyelids. I see and feel things that aren't there, and for that moment, I forget who you are."

To her surprise, his expression was one of sympathy rather than hurt. "I know."

"You do?"

He nodded. "Your future has plagued my dreams for quite sometime now, and I've experienced much of what you have." His chest deflated with a slow sigh. "I know you have much healing to do yet, and I'll give you whatever time or space you require."

She nipped at her lower lip. Proximity to him did make her uncomfortable, but discomfort was the only way she'd grow accustomed to his touch. "I think we should ride together." She rose to her feet, ducking so she didn't hit the carriage ceiling. "It's not that far, and it'd do me well to—"

"Carissa, sit."

A bump in the road jolted the carriage, throwing her into Elon. His outstretched arms curled around her as the carriage bounced over another rock. She gripped the top of his collar. Though the road smoothed, neither of them moved.

Elon's chest swelled sharply beneath her cheek, his heart thudding fast and hard beneath her palm as his hands cupped her curves.

"Elon?" She slowly drew her gaze up to his.

Fire flickered in his spice tea-colored eyes. He stared at her with an intensity that singed her skin. And then he glanced away, his gaze cooling as his grip slowly loosened, as though the effort pained him.

Before he could completely release her, she pressed herself against him and brushed her lips against his. She withdrew before the fear slinking within her had a chance to surface and seated herself beside him. "See? I am not always afraid to be touched."

His smile was gentle. "Yes, but how long before you forget who it is that touches you?"

She paused before placing her hand atop his. "How will I remember unless you continue to remind me?"

His eyes crinkled in amusement. "You're certain this is what you want?"

She nodded.

"Very well." Elon rapped twice on the top of the carriage, and it slowed to a halt. He rose, tucking her hand into the crook of his elbow. "Then let us ride."

***

Author's Note: I considered not posting sneak peeks anymore, but some of you guys really enjoy them. As long as you like reading them, I'll keep writing them. This week's sneak peek can be found here as an external link or at the top of my profile 💖

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