The King's Cursed Bride

Epilogue

"Perhaps I could make it up to you."

"Perhaps."

Elon walked until he stood in front of her and extended his hand. "Walk with me?"

She would like to do nothing more. "I suppose so."

When she placed her hand in Elon's, he drew it to his lips and leisurely placed a kiss on each knuckle.

Carissa hoped—in vain—that Elon wouldn't see how furiously she was blushing. "I do hope you intend to do more than that as an apology."

Elon finally lowered her hand. "I've wanted to do that for a long time. And it had nothing to do with the apology." He winked at her before interweaving their fingers and tugging her forward.

The rasp of his calloused palm against hers was familiar and comforting. She liked the snug feeling of her fingers between his, the warmth of his skin on hers. It was amazing how she'd taken such simple things for granted before he'd died.

Light glimmered between the trees in the distance.

Elon grinned. "I think you'll like this."

They emerged from the forest into a tiny village. The cottages were snuggled together, framing a small stone street and town square. People crowded the streets and colorful banners stretched between the houses.

The people immediately shouted, tossing flowers and glowing lanterns that floated off into the sky.

She turned to Elon. "Is this... a party?"

Elon nodded, his grin spreading until it crinkled his eyes. "Yes. Ideally, you would have wandered up to the village and we all would have surprised you then—myself included."

"So what happened? Did your Foresight tell you that I wouldn't find it?"

"No. I just got tired of waiting."

Carissa laughed and drew her arms around Elon's neck. "Elon. I'd barely been here for five minutes."

"I know. It felt like an eternity." His fingers caressed the side of her face. "I've missed you so much, Carissa. Every morning, I was once again reminded that you weren't with me. Being apart from you was almost physically painful."

She pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Then perhaps we should make an agreement to spend as little time as possible apart, now that we're together."

A woman appeared at their side. "Could you wait to make this agreement until a little later, Carissa?"

Carissa glanced at the woman. Lyron's mother. Her name totally escaped her at this moment... Was it Kristen? Carissa's breath caught. Did that mean Lyron was here as well?

"Why do you say that, Kerstin?" Elon winked at Carissa.

Ah, Kerstin. That was it.

"Because she has a whole crowd of people who want to talk with her aside from you, Your Majesty. And if you continue to hold her, then perhaps they won't get to."

Carissa was prepared to tell Kerstin that they could wait—they had a whole eternity after all—but then Elon drew her in for a kiss.

It felt like she'd forgotten how to breathe. Her head spun, her heart nearly beating out of her chest. Pleasant tingles ran up and down her arms. Only when he drew back did she become aware of the crowd whooping and whistling.

Elon smiled down at her. "Go to them, Carissa."

Kerstin took Carissa's hand and led her into the thick of the crowd. She recognized many faces from the caravan but some she didn't recognize. A boy burst through the crowd, and she only had time to catch sight of his blond hair before he barreled into her.