Bandit Bride

Elisa returned to the inn after nearly an hour of searching for Felix, and her stomach was knotted with worry. She hurried up to their room to see if maybe he’d come back while she was gone, but the room was empty. Elisa slid her sword back into her satchel with a sigh and went down to the small tavern to see if he was with Jack and the others. She found them sitting at the bar but there was no Felix.

“He still isn’t back?” she asked.

“You didn’t find him?” Jack hopped down from his stool.

“No,” Elisa said. “Is it like Felix to just wander off like this?”

“No,” Lyle said, reaching up to gingerly touch his nose. “It’s not like him at all.”

“Maybe we should all go out and look for him again,” Elisa said, wringing her hands anxiously. “He could be in trouble.”

“He’s well past trouble at this point.”

Elisa spun around to see the new speaker, her shoulders going rigid when she realized who it was. She could hardly believe what she was seeing.

“Thurston?” she said incredulously. Her jilted fiancé was standing before her, wearing a very fine coat and gloves, with a very displeased look on his face. Several other men flanked him, including the one she’d seen watching her at the bar.

“You know him?” Lyle asked, standing. “Those three are the men who attacked me earlier.”

“It was you?” Elisa recoiled as Thurston took a step toward her.

“Of course it was,” he snapped. “I’ve been looking all over god’s green earth for you.”

“I’m sorry I ran away, but I don’t want to marry you and I don’t have the dress, or the ring-“

“Why do people keep assuming I went to this trouble for the damn wedding dress?” Thurston rapped his knuckles irritably against the bar. “I am here for you, Elisa.”

“I’m not marrying you.”

“Oh, I’m afraid you are, my dear. I am not in the habit of just letting go what is meant to be mine.”

“I am not yours,” she said, bristling. His lip curled.

“I suppose you’ve handed yourself over to the thief. No matter. He’s not going to be a problem anymore.”

Elisa went still. The room was quiet as a grave for several moments.

“What are you talking about?”

“He’s dead,” Thurston said plainly and Elisa heard Jack draw in a sharp breath. He lunged for Thurston and Elisa caught his shoulders, fighting to hold him back.

“Jack, don’t.”

“You’re lying!” Jack yelled, trying to squirm free of her grip.

“Am I?” Thurston reached into his pocket and pulled out a pink ribbon. The ribbon Elisa had given Felix. Her heart dropped and she felt numb.

“To my credit I did offer him a chance to leave unscathed. He refused my generosity.” Thurston stuffed the ribbon back in his pocket. “I am hoping that you won’t all be as stupid as he was.“

Jack howled, his face pinched with both grief and fury. He ripped free of Elias’s grasp and ran at Thurston. This time it was Burns to catch him, clasping him tightly against his chest. Thurston was unfazed.

“I came for Elisa, and I will be leaving here with her,” he said. “You can let us go quietly and no one needs to get hurt. Or, if you want to try and stop me, I will have you killed where you stand. Or perhaps locked in a filthy rat-infested prison for the rest of your lives. You did kidnap a helpless young woman after all. Who knows what else you’ve done to her.”

“You know they haven’t done anything to me,” Elisa snapped. He shrugged.

“Does it really matter? If I say they hurt you, then they’ll hang for it.”

Elisa knew that he was right. Lyle and Allen both had hands on their swords but they were outnumbered. Jack was still wailing and kicking and Burns couldn’t even reach for his sword because he had to hold the boy down.

“Let him go,” Thurston said, coldly amused. “Let’s see how well the scrappy young man can hold his own.”

“No,” Elisa burst out. “Leave him alone.” Her shoulders drooped. “I’ll go with you.”

“Elisa,” Lyle said in a low voice but she held up a hand to silence him.

“It’s the only way,” she said. “We can’t fight our way out of here and even if we did, he’d just keep coming. I’ll go, and I won’t make a fuss. But they all leave here untouched.”

“We have a deal.”

Elisa felt nauseous; cutting deals with her fiancé was far worse than making ones with a highway robber.

“I’m going to get my belongings, and then I’ll go wherever you want me to.”

One of his men still followed her to make sure she didn’t escape but it didn’t even cross her mind. If she left Thurston would kill everyone downstairs.

“You can’t go!” Jack cried when she returned. “Everyone can’t leave me! You have to stay!”

Burns gave her a sad look over the top of Jack’s head. Lyle and Allen looked like they were at a loss. Elisa gave Jack and Burns an awkward hug.

“I have to go,” she told Jack. “He’ll hurt all of you if I don’t. I can’t let that happen.”

“Don’t leave,” Jack said miserably and somehow her heart broke even more.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, fighting back tears. “I have to go, Jack. I have to go.”

Thurston took her arm and pulled her away none too gently. Burns glowered darkly at him.

“I’ll have no more of these antics from you.” He dragged her away, Jack’s cries still ringing in her ears. “You have caused me complete humiliation.”

“Good.” She tasted copper and realized with a jolt that Thurston had struck her.

“Don’t make me do that again.” He shoved her into the waiting carriage, his voice soft but razor sharp. She took advantage of the distraction to pick his pocket for her ribbon. She stuffed it into her satchel while he spoke to the driver. Then she wiped the blood off her lip. It stung but she hardly even noticed. She just felt like she was submerged in icy water; everything seemed cold and moving in slow motion. Felix was dead. It was all her fault. And now she had to go home to face her devastated family and marry the well-dressed monster sitting beside her.

“The official story is going to be that you were coerced and threatened into leaving. These men intended to steal your finery and make your family think you were dead so they could demand a higher ransom for your safe return. And you are thrilled and relieved to have been rescued. Is that understood?”

“Yes.” Elisa stared straight ahead, refusing to look at him.

“Your family will join us as soon as I get a messenger to them.”

“Join us?” Elisa frowned. “Aren’t we going home?”

“I don’t much trust you after this little act of rebellion. I’m taking you to my winter house in Venere. The snow should make for an elegant winter wedding. And should my wayward bride try to flee again, snow will allow for tracks that are easy to follow.”

He leaned back in his seat, his disgusted expression turning into a smug one. Elisa said nothing, turning her head to look out the window but not seeing anything as the world flashed by outside. She folded her hands in her lap and tears fell silently from her eyes.