"Please come with us," Carissa said.
She could see the pity pouring from Dove's eyes and was tempted to shake the woman. Elon wasn't crazy; this was a matter of life of death. And yet Dove stood there, her polite smile barely showing her teeth, her hand patting Carissa's shoulder as if she were the one out of her mind.
"Oh, that's all right, dearie. I'm certain you and the King of Nysia will manage quite all right on your own. And I've got plenty of business here. I can't just up and leave all of my clients."
But Elon was worth leaving everything for. If she'd just give him a chance—
Elon slipped his hand into Carissa's. "We should go, love."
She followed his gaze to a group of men who were watching their departure. There was something dark looming in their eyes. In fact, they almost seemed hostile. Though Carissa couldn't fathom why; what had she and Elon done?
Elon turned toward her. "Now."
Carissa cast Dove one last beseeching glance, and Dove dipped her head, denying Carissa her gaze.
"You'd best be off, dearie. I'm sure you and your husband will have lots of fun adventures... wandering off into an Esmerian forest without supplies. And heading toward the most dangerous pass in the kingdom. Yes, lots of fun. I only wish I could join you."
Elon tugged at her hand, and Carissa walked with him to the border of the forest, waving to the nightwomen who'd helped her. The women waved back—Renita flapping her hand enthusiastically and the redhead tossing her hand in what might have been a dismissal. Dove simply stared, something sorrowful and heavy in her gaze.
That woman probably thought they were marching off to their deaths. Why couldn't Dove understand that it was her path that lead to destruction?
As they strode through the forest, walking over logs and weaving around trees, Carissa began to ask Elon where he'd found the previous supplies he'd left her and how he'd formed those protective circles around the campsites.
His replies were uncharacteristically terse, and as they ventured deeper into the forest, a dark mood seemed to overtake him. Soon, no amount of teasing or flirting on her part could coax a smile from him.
Carissa ventured to walk closer to Elon, wondering what danger lay ahead and how she could best pry the truth from him.
His gaze slid to her, and he offered her a small smile. But it wasn't like the radiant, genuine smiles he'd shared with her last night. "All in good time, love."
She kicked a cluster of leaves out of her path. "I suppose you already know what I want to ask."
"Of course. You're quite predictable like that."
A small rock was her foot's next victim. "And I suppose you're not going to tell me anything."
Light flickered in his eyes—nothing stronger than a candle's flame but she was glad to see it. "Now, what's the fun in that?"
She directed her next kick toward a stick. Which happened to be a root. And a very solid root, at that. She hissed hopped on one leg, wishing her boots were off so she could massage her toes.
Elon laughed, and despite the pain in her foot, she would have stubbed the remaining nine toes if it meant she could hear more of that laughter. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders to steady her as she hopped.
"Are you all right?"
She glared at him. "You could have warned me."
He simply grinned in reply. Then he helped seat her on the forest floor. "I suppose this is as good a place as any."
She frowned. They'd been walking for an hour, maybe two. There was plenty of day left with which to walk. "I'm not that hurt, Elon. I can walk it off, and—"
"I don't mind stopping."
"But we usually—"
He shot her a sharp look, and she clamped her mouth shut. They obviously weren't stopping merely because of her stubbed toe. There was something else afoot.
Elon set his pack down and began to clear an area for their sleeping pads. She slipped out of the straps of her pack and helped him arrange a ring of stones for a firepit. A sharp crack in the depths of the wood made her tense, and Elon's knuckles grazed her arm.
"Would you like to duel, Carissa?"
It seemed a strange time to duel. But she had no doubt that he had a particular purpose in asking it. "Of course. I'm afraid I've gotten rather rusty."
Elon unsheathed his sword before extending it toward her.
"What about you, Elon? Do you have another sword for yourself?"
"I'll fight with a dagger."
"A dagger?" Despite the impending danger, Carissa smiled. "Someone's gotten a bit arrogant."
He flashed her a wink. "It's not arrogance if I'm right."
She grasped the hilt of the sword and drew position several paces away from Elon. Something fell on her head, startling her, and she glanced up. Rain tapped against the canopy above, an occasional drop spilling from a leave.
The whistle of a blade through the air was her only warning as Elon charged.
She staggered backward beneath the blow. She darted back and next his next swing smoothly. She slashed toward him, and he danced out of the way, more graceful than she could ever be. They darted around their small campsite, occasionally leaping over a bedroll. The sword gradually grew heavier, making her wish she'd thought to exercise her arms more within the past few days.
"Do you tire, Carissa?" Elon paused in front of her. His forehead didn't even glisten with sweat, and his breathing was deep and even, as if he'd been sleeping rather than fighting.
She grunted and surged toward him. Only to pay for that reckless move when he slammed his dagger against her sword, making her blade fly through the forest and land by the firepit.
Elon stepped nearer. "I win." He ran his fingers through her shortened hair, making shivers ripple down her spine. "What should the victor receive for his prize?"
"I have... a few ideas." Her voice sounded breathy and weak rather than the strong, seductive tone she'd been hoping for. She'd have to work on that.
Elon bent and pressed a kiss to her neck, trailing his lips to her ear. "Those men from the town, they followed us."
Well. Her romantic plans for the evening had officially been ruined. Though with Elon acting so strange, she should have known better. "What will they do?"
Elon settled a hand on her waist, his thumb brushing the smooth skin beneath her shirt. "Attack us when they think we're distracted."
Her body leaned toward him, almost of its own accord, and she found her breath coming faster and harder. "And we're not?"
Another flicker of light in Elon's gaze. "Of course not. We're only pretending to lure them out." He pressed her closer and pressed a kiss to her lower lip, then her upper lip.
"You're doing an excellent job pretending," she muttered against his mouth. "Could've fooled me."
Elon laughed softly. "If it helps, I think I'm fooling myself as well." Then he stiffened, drew a sharp breath. "Now, Carissa."
She wasn't certain what she was supposed to do. But Elon shoved her to the ground, making the decision for her. A blade slashed the air where she'd been seconds ago, and Elon met it with his dagger.
Carissa swung her gaze around the campsite. Aside from the man engaged with Elon, five more lurked in the forest. An archer crouched high above in a tree.
And her sword was still by the fire pit.
***
Author's Note: I will get the sneak peek up later. I will. Just wait for it. ;) (And feel free to tell me how much you'd like to read the sneak peek in the meantime.)
UPDATE: Sorry it's late, but the sneak peek is up and ready!