The Hunchback's Reluctant Bride ✔

20 | Omen

Cursed. She was cursed.

Till now, she'd only said it in a broad sense. But how far did this curse extend?

Wyrn entered and she hid the paper behind her back. Eventually, she tossed it onto the bed and hurried to clean what she could of the room.

Unsurprisingly, Wyrn joined her, picking the broken vase up.

"It was childish," Vadde said, pensive.

"No matter. You can come to my room. In fact, we'll likely get a house built now that we're official." She stood and he looked up at her, his smile shaky. "You really don't mind being married to a—?"

He sounded like a person drowning. Even the shape of his mouth distorted.

The more and more she tried, the less calm she felt.

Finally, she settled on one thing. She'd give up. If she was cursed, would it affect Wyrn?

She could barely admit to him why she'd been given away.

Her woeful expression had him holding her face. "What's wrong?"

Those blue eyes on her stole most of her resolve. What was wrong? Nothing that he was to be blamed for. But if she didn't stop moping, he'd misread her reaction. They'd just spent the night together; he'd observe everything about her for the entire day.

Turning her face to press her lips to his palm, she kissed his hand.

He smiled.

Now a couple, they exited the room to everyone's undivided attention.

Wyrn hated that response the most. By the doorway, he'd set down a basket. Now, with everyone staring, he hesitated to pick it up. Vadde was different. She caught sight of Shaza's frown, and it fueled her smile as she picked up the basket and caught Wyrn's hand as she walked out of the yard with her head held high.

Vadde's husband wasn't as cooperative. "I should do the chores first."

But his chores involved feeding livestock. He'd—he'd surely smell.

Vadde watched, helpless as Wyrn made his way toward the pigs first. It went without saying that one pair of eyes was on her, and they were. Shaza's smirk took time maturing but it came.

A body ran past her, and Bonn reached Wyrn in time to snatch the bucket up before he could touch it.

"No worries, Brother, I'll do this." Bonn nodded back toward Vadde. "You two have fun."

Face crimson, Wyrn cleared his throat and said, "I'll, I'll milk the cow—"

Another brother joined Bonn, offering his help. Then another. By the final one, Wyrn's discomfort won out.

Vadde bit her lips inward to keep from laughing at Wyrn's grim expression. He snatched the basket from her, forcing her to grin as he dragged her instead.

"It's not funny." Wyrn grumbled, "They'll misunderstand."

He walked strong but flinched when she struck his backside. Now with the entire morning free, they walked further up river to avoid meeting anyone. It was Vadde's first time in this area of the valley.

Wyrn stepped into the water with his boots but forced her to hold the basket as he picked her up and carried her across.

"Are you sure we can make it? You can just let me walk," she complained.

"Need I...." He kept his grip sure as he planted his feet. "Remind you...." With one final grunt, he leapt to the other side of the riverbank. "Of the rabbit?"