Carissa blinked her eyes, wondering why her nose was clogged and her head pounded. Had she been crying?

And then memories of last night lapped at the edges of her mind. She shoved them back, promising herself she'd deal with them later. As Elon's wife, the caravan members would look to her for guidance while she was away. She had to be prepared.

Carissa stood, felt velvet caress her skin. She glanced down at the lingerie, and bile singed the back of her throat. She tore it off as quickly as she could, not caring that a seam or two popped as she did so.

She yanked on trousers and a shirt before emerging from the tent. As soon as she left its confines, she felt like she could breathe again. And then her gaze landed on a man who was striding toward her.

Algernon.

His footsteps slowed, and he quickly changed direction, his gaze avoiding hers.

Just as well. After last night, she didn't want to speak to him. The less she saw of him, the better.

"Your Highness." A woman hurried to Carissa's side. "I have a question concerning our rations."

Carissa forced her lips to lift in a smile. "Of course. How can I help?"

***

The men arrived just before nightfall. Women and children crowded around the fathers and young men. Word quickly spread that no lives had been lost, all thanks to Elon's clever strategy and skill with a sword.

Carissa wove through the crowd, desire and fear warring within her. She wanted to see Elon, but would he know what had happened? Shame squeezed her chest at the thought. Regardless of whether or not he knew, perhaps she should just outright tell him. He was her husband, after all.

A tall, broad-shouldered man helped a wounded man off his horse before setting him on a stretcher. The man glanced over his shoulder, his deep brown eyes meeting hers.

Elon.

His soft smile beckoned her closer, and she went to him. His arms wrapped around her, held her tightly. Though he smelled of steel, sweat, and horse, Carissa snuggled closer.

Elon stepped back, grasping her shoulders. His gaze searched hers. "Did... anything happen while I was away?"

Did he not know? Carissa thought back to his explanation of his foresight. Before Elon had left, he'd obviously feared something would happen. But to him, futures were possibilities, not guarantees. Perhaps he was trying to find which future had come to pass.

She should simply tell him, but shame stayed her tongue. What would he think of her? That one could take a woman out of a nighthouse but not the nighthouse out of a woman?

"Carissa?"

"It's simply good to have you back." She embraced him, and though he returned her embrace, he felt stiffer than he had moments prior. He knew something was amiss.

"Perhaps we should return to our tent."

What would an alternate future Carissa say? One that hadn't been hurt by Algernon? "But there's still work—"

"Carissa." His tone left no room for argument, and her heart nearly stopped beating.

He knew.

She nodded and drew away. Though Elon strode at her side, he made no move to take her hand. He said nothing more until they'd reached their tent.

Elon picked up the tent flap, and Carissa was grateful she'd had the severed strings replaced. He dropped it, his gaze scanning the tent before settling on her. "Would you care to tell me what happened?"

Carissa sank onto the cot, keeping her fingers interlaced so tightly that they began to tingle from lack of blood. And then she told him what had happened.

***

Elon's blood boiled within his veins, fury erupting in his chest. If he chose to kill Algernon, at least it wouldn't be in cold blood. Judging from Carissa's paling features, he was doing a poor job of hiding his emotions.

Elon pivoted and strode back out of the tent. It was time he had a talk with Algernon.

"Elon, wait." Carissa followed him out of the tent. She grasped his arm and clutched it to her chest.

Elon tensed, preparing to pull his arm free, but stopped. No matter his anger, he couldn't—wouldn't—toss Carissa off.

"I am so, so sorry."

"And once I'm finished, Algernon will be as well."

"Elon." Her voice quavered. "You have to know that this wasn't entirely Algernon's fault."

Heat cinched his chest, and he locked his jaw lest to prevent his questions from escaping. He pulled her back into the tent and tied the flaps closed behind them.

He turned towards her. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't push him away, Elon."

The heat inside of him flared into an inferno. But beneath it was a pain so sharp that he could have sworn she'd plunged a dagger into his chest. Lands, even breathing hurt.

"It shouldn't have happened." Her eyes brightened with unshed tears. "I should have pushed him away sooner, but I didn't."

Elon breathed deeply, until he was certain his pain and anger wouldn't escape through his words. "But you eventually pushed him away."

She paused, then nodded.

"So why did you hesitate?"

"I didn't want to hurt him, and I knew he was still grieving over his sister."

Elon turned away to process what she'd told him.

Carissa darted towards him, perhaps fearing he was leaving again. "Algernon's not completely responsible, Elon."

"So you've said. But do you not think he's deserving of my judgement?"

Her teeth dug into her lower lip. "I–I don't know. He was drunk and grieving, whereas I was neither."

Regardless, it was time Algernon learned to keep his hands to himself.

***

Author's Note: Sorry this is late! And the sneak peek is up.