Page 124 of These Fractured Bonds

“Weeping willow?”

“He’ll know where.”

Yareli was being left behind again; her throat tightened. She had meant it earlier—she didn’t want her friends risking their lives for her anymore. Thoughts of home flitted through her mind.She would go home, she reassured herself. Yareli only had a couple of things to do first. The energy in the room changed, tightening like a coiled spring, and she launched herself at Leo. His mouth formed an “O,” but it was too late—they shadowstepped.

Chapter 48

Inretrospect,Yarelishouldhave waited at Samire for Augrys. Hadn’t that been her affirmation in the earlier days?

Find Augrys.

Stay near Augrys.

He’ll keep me safe.

Hadn’t he asked her to wait for him? And yet, in the midst of Leo’s outburst, when she should have assumed the voice of reason, she had failed to rein them in, to say they could wait for Augrys and Erick.Bri was her friend. The thought of her beingimprisoned by Tuom had been unbearable, and now she was, if nothing else, facing the consequences of her actions.

Leo shadowstepped them to a patio by a pond with a weeping willow. Endrim was awaiting their arrival with his back to them.

“Honestly, Leo, how moronic can you be, bringing her here?” He chortled, turning and leaning against the metal fence that separated the patio from the water.

Yareli immediately realized her mistake; she walked into the enemy’s den without a backup plan.

Leo ignored his comment, demanding, “Where is she?”

“I’m afraid you’ve lost any bargaining power you might have held. You see, Tuom wants that human girl badly, and I had promised to trade for her, but here you are, the desired girl in tow, served to me for free. This might be my luckiest day.”

Leo shoved her behind him, gripping her wrist so tight she felt his panic. He hadn’t looked at her once since their arrival, his frustration palpable, visible by the throbbing veins in his neck. His back hid Endrim from view. Yareli wanted to apologize for her recklessness; she hadn’t meant to put them in danger.

“I’d never give you Yareli,” Leo snapped.

“Oh, but you don’t have a choice any longer.”

Soldiers exploded from every side, the illusion spell falling as they rushed toward them. Leo let go of her then, materializing his axe, and she took her daggers out, but they were two against too many.

She whispered to Leo, “Run. Return to Augrys and tell him where to find me.”

He knocked a soldier unconscious, his rebuke clear on his face. “I won’t leave you.”

She smiled sadly, knowing it would be his answer. “I know. So, I will.”

Yareli gathered the magic at the balls of her feet and leaped over the soldiers, landing a few feet away from the mass. Shetook off immediately, aiming for the weeping willow in the distance. She heard Leo’s shout of frustration, and she closed her eyes, shutting her heart to him. They were at war, after all, and sacrifices had to be made.

She planned on running until Leo’s magic signature disappeared from the area, but a chain hooked her ankle, tripping her into the dirt. She struggled with the chain as Endrim approached.

He crouched in front of her, clicking his tongue. “He left you, you know? You poor, poor disposable thing, but surely you knew he would have done it if it benefited his cause. That’s how Leo is.”

“He’s going to kill you one day,” she spat at him.

“Well, it’s unfortunate for you that day isn’t today.”

Endrim flicked her forehead, and she lost consciousness.

When she woke up, she was in a familiar white, underground room, tied to a chair. At first, she panicked, tugging at her binds, attempting to call upon her magic to no avail, but after a while, she gave up.

Sometime later, she sat, her head flopped back onto the chair, and she waited forhisinevitable arrival.

Fury kept her panic at bay. She had been mulling over her decisions and had determined that she, in fact, had been the bearer of her predicament. However, what wasn’t her fault was Tuom’s sick obsession with her. The longer she waited, the greater her anger until it had transformed into a sea of boiling wrath. She flung curses at Tuom, wishing nothing but the most horrible of fates for him. She wanted him to arrive to kill him, to rid the world of his stain, and be freed of his agonizing hold.