Page 18 of These Fractured Bonds

With that ominous message, the woman's presence vanished, and Yareli was left gripping the counter, sweat perspiring on her forehead. August was gone, and it was only Don at the cafe. Her mind raced. Would it be possible for the movie-type of impeccable timing? Would August walk through the portal upstairs as the door opened? Was there a secret exit in the back? Either way, she was too slow to act; the doorknob turned, and the door swung open.

A man with pointed ears, dressed in a dark green military uniform, walked in, followed by two men dressed in gray. The gray streaks in his dark hair spoke of years of service, but what really worried Yareli was the thick scar that ran from his temple to his left cheek. To survive something like that… He had to betenacious, and that was something to be wary of. She swallowed, but her throat was dry.

“Welcome to Enchanted Brew,” she croaked, her mind grasping for the familiar.

The man in green took a seat at the counter. “A cup of coffee. Black with Arabica beans if you have them.”

She stared blankly at him for a long second before her muscle memory kicked in, and she began roasting the beans.He wanted coffee?

As she prepared his cup, he spoke. “There’s a saying I live by. An eye for an eye. Are you familiar with it?”

Yareli stilled, her hand on the cup’s handle.Who wasn’t familiar with it?

She eyed the kitchen door and prayed Don was contacting August. “Sounds like a painful way to live.”

The man cracked his neck before motioning her toward him, hurrying her along, saying, “I simply return what was done unto me, and your dear First General Augrys has taken much from me.”

There was that name again—Augrys. Clinging onto her last shred of courage, Yareli placed the cup in front of him. She forced a blank expression.

“I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

The man ignored her, bringing his cup to his mouth to waft the aroma. His pleased expression was unnerving. Yareli backed away and gripped the counter behind her, attempting to ground her racing mind. She glanced at the Fae behind him, their expressions bored. She wouldn’t find any allies in them.

“Coffee is the one human delight I indulge in. It is the only worthwhile contribution humans have made to this world.” He nodded at Yareli.

Without a word, the men moved toward her.

“I have nothing to do with this.” Her voice cracked, but the men ignored her.

Yareli threw plates, cups, utensils, anything within reach while backing away, but her panic set in. They were forcing her farther away from the door. She cursed when her back hit the end of the bar, and she hopped over it. No matter how many things she threw at them, their advance remained steadfast. She tipped tables over and threw wooden chairs, but they bounced off the men without even a flinch.

“Please,” she said.

Tears streamed down her face, and her breath came in short gasps. The back of her foot hit the wall. There was nowhere left to run. The men lunged, and she threw herself to the side.

Yareli scurried on the floor and scrambled onto her feet, but before she could flee, a pair of hands hooked onto her arms. She cried out. Her instincts kicked in, and she scratched and kicked at the Fae who now had a hold of her. They struggled to keep her still. She screamed for Don, only for it to be cut short. Alarmed, she tried again, but no noise came from her throat.

The man in the green uniform stood up, his lip raised in disgust. “Now look at the mess you’ve made. Humans are dirty, little parasites that destroy everything they touch.” He walked toward them. “Stupid, weak vermin who don’t know their place.” His voice hardened. “Stop struggling, or I’ll make sure your friend doesn’t take another breath.”

Yareli glanced behind him, and a third gray-uniformed man walked out, dragging Don behind him like he was nothing more than a sandbag. Don was in bad shape, and she doubted he was still alive until his eyes flickered open. Blood seeped from him, creating a red pool on the floor. She went limp.

“Good. Let’s go. We’ve wasted enough time here as is.”

She let herself be dragged across the cafe, numb from the adrenaline thundering through her veins. She shut her eyes,trying to stem the tears that ran down her face, but the faces of her family kept them fresh. The eldest daughter going missing, presumably dead, would devastate them. A sob escaped her throat, and she received a harsh tug from her captors. Right as Yareli passed out, there was an intrusive, foreign feeling in her head, like a sharp ache. She heard Don’s voice.

August… will… find you.

Chapter 8

Growingdiscomforttuggedherout of sleep, dragging Yareli from its sweet oblivion. For a moment, her movements were languid; she sat up, rubbing the crust off her eyes and wondering when she had fallen asleep. She shivered and opened them, taking in the dirty, dark walls that surrounded her. A whimper escaped her lips at the iron bars that ran from the floor to the ceiling.

“No,” she whispered. “No, no, no.”

Like a torrent, flashbacks hit her—the black-haired woman, the scarred-face man, and Don. It hadn’t been a nightmare.Her mind went silent, the situation’s severity dampening the noise in her head. She pressed her face against the cold iron bars, but she saw nothing other than empty cells. Her calls for help went unanswered. She tugged the cell door, and when that was unsuccessful, she inspected the rust-covered bucket in the corner. It reeked of old piss. With nothing else to do, she sat on a haystack, staring at the ceiling. The smell of mildew told her she was underground, but she had no idea where she was. Helplessness—the kind that filled her veins with an icy liquid seeping into the very marrow of her bones—pervaded her. She was alone, cold, and in danger. Her stomach grumbled—and hungry.

Time passed, and Yareli fell into a fitful sleep. The next time she woke up, there was a tray with nothing but a cup of water. She paused, remembering the Fae woman’s warning about food and drink. Odorless and colorless, it seemed harmless enough. She chanced it, downing it in one gulp. She held her breath and smiled when nothing adverse occurred. She considered the bucket in the corner, but squatting over it seemed crude. Eventually, her bladder won, and her cheeks burned as she covered herself the best she could. Relieved she didn’t have a cellmate, she returned to her cot and lay her head against the wall. The grimy, low ceiling pressed down on her, reminding her of her imprisonment.

A sigh escaped her. She hadfuckedup big time. It was just her luck to get kidnapped by some vindictive asshole. Would August save her?He had to, she thought. To believe otherwise would break her composure. Yareli didn’t think of her family, refusing to openthatcan of worms. She lay down, determined to sleep. Whatever was in store for her, sleep could only help.