Page 24 of These Fractured Bonds

Bri would be a great teacher.

Yareli relaxed. “On such a hot day… Good luck to them!”

Leo laughed, but he remained by the door, giving away what today’s lesson was.

She blew air from her lips. “History lesson, again?”

“History is a valuable tool for those who recognize its worth,” he responded with a hint of amusement.

Leo was a patient teacher. Yareli was often distracted by thoughts of her home, the human world.

While Izmari was a magical land, she was confined to Leo’s cottage and its yard. Whatever magic he used to keep unwanted visitors away also kept any strange creatures from approaching. It was safer that way, but it did leave Yareli wanting. Even Leo’s home was plain, as non-magical as possible. She sighed.

She wished to see more of Izmari, and since she couldn’t, she yearned for home. Strange thoughts would come and go, rising to the surface of her consciousness but slipping away before she could grab them. She had made no progress with her memories; in fact, they seemed to be worsening. She’d see a bird in the sky and think she once flew, but her anatomy told her that was false.

She hauled her bucket of weeds toward the house. Leo had a point—she had to learn about Izmari’s history. Intentional ignorance of the world she now inhabited was foolhardy.

Leo jogged to her, taking the bucket. She thanked him, noticing how the light bounced off his gray eyes, turning them silver. He wore his white locs in a low ponytail, complementing his high cheekbones. His cool, umber brown skin was radiant, his smooth complexion highlighted by the natural light. Leo’s attractiveness was not lost on her; under different circumstances, Yareli might have acted on her impulses.

The thought of another dreaded history lesson froze her hand on the doorknob. She spun, almost bumping into Leo’s chest, and startled him. His eyebrows raised.

She gave him her best smile. “Since we had a lesson yesterday, how about you help me with combat training instead?”

He smirked and leaned in, his nose almost brushing against hers. Up close, his gray eyes had flecks of blue, a shade so beautiful it was as though he had been granted a piece of the sky.

“Are you certain?”

She held his stare, swallowing. “Yes.”

“Don’t regret it.” His eyes dropped to her lips, flicking back up.

Her pulse quickened, heat rushing to her cheeks. She cleared her throat and pushed past him to the dirt training ground. She rolled her shoulders in feigned nonchalance.

Getting romantically involved with a Fae while missing most of her memories spelled disaster with a capital “D,” but it didn’t stop her thoughts from wandering to another word starting with “d.” She shook her head. God, she was incorrigible.

She stretched while Leo conjured weights.

“Let’s start with warm-ups,” he said, passing her a pair of dumbbells.

Her fingers brushed against his, a jolt passed through her, and she dropped the weights.

“Sorry!” Her ears burned.

She wasn’t a kid anymore.Get a hold of yourself.

His laugh only embarrassed her further. She cleared her throat, muttering about his teasing.

“What’s that?” He came close again.

He was near enough that she could see the individual strands of his eyebrows.

She pushed him away. “I said you don’t respect personal space!”

That only made him laugh harder. She grumbled until they began their warm-up.

Anhourandahalf later, Yareli was sprawled on the ground, her breathing labored.

“You’re awful,” she said.