Page 25 of These Fractured Bonds

Leo sat on a stump across from her, leaning back on his forearms. The sun reflected off the sweat on his brow, and a smirk was still plastered on his face. “Who do you think trained me?”

“Don’t tell me—”

“Yup, Bri.”

Yareli released a groan as she stood. “My mistake. Remind me to never skip your history lessons.”

Every.Muscle.Hurt. She glared at him, wishing she could wipe the smug look off his face. Yareli headed inside, settling for a cold shower. Rinsing quickly, she stood before the wide mirror and stared at her reflection. She traced the soft lines of her features—round face and round ears. She was undoubtedly human. Why had someone as high-ranking as Tuom kidnapped her? She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to remember, standing there until her teeth chattered. But she rememberedno more than she had that morning—her favorite season was autumn, which was unhelpful.

Plink…

Yareli turned, watching as another droplet fell from the faucet and into the tub. Another dropped, then another, and another until she forgot her shivering and lost her sense of self in the droplets that formed on the faucet. With every plop, a memory of a man bubbled closer to the surface of her consciousness.

A flash of hazel eyes and dark hair, his face was a smeared mess of colors, but she was certain she had known him well. He reached for her, but she didn’t feel afraid. A yawning desire flooded her veins. She leaned into his touch, shivering when he thumbed her cheek. She opened her mouth, his name at the tip of her tongue.

August.

His name tore through her, ripping the seams that kept the memory intact, and it disintegrated. Nausea hit her, and she heaved into the sink.August. August. August.She muttered the name like it was her salvation. Whoever he was, she needed to find him. He would help her get home. She was sure of it.

She rushed out of the bathroom, vaguely aware that she was covered only by a towel, and burst into the living room where Leo waited.

He jumped to his feet. “What’s wrong?”

“I need to find August.” She stumbled over her words. “He… Black hair, hazel eyes… He can help.”

Leo was silent, his face revealing nothing. It was unlike him to be so quiet. Had she said something wrong?Whowas August?

“I think I know who you’re talking about.”

His words stunned her.

“Can you take me to him?”

“He’s not in Izmari right now. I’ll send a message, but it may be a while.”

Her shoulders drooped. Her mind blared, like a siren directing her to findhim, but she couldn’t. Not yet.

Leo cleared his throat. “I’ll help you meet him, I promise. But… for now, let’s get you into some clothes before your lips turn blue.”

Yareli realized that the towel was much too small for her. It barely reached past the top of her thighs, revealing much of her short legs, and left very little to the imagination. She met Leo’s gray gaze and yelped, running to the bathroom. Her heart thudded, but for a very different reason than before. Being seen by Leo…

Oh, what a cliché.

But it sent a shiver down her spine. She dressed, her thoughts returning to the mysterious man—August. Who was he? Who had he been to her? If Leo knew of him, then he was also Fae. How had she crossed paths with August then? An influx of questions cropped up, leaving her frustrated. She would meet him soon. Leo had promised.

Duetotheirbusyschedules, Bri and Leo alternated their visits. At least one would be present for dinner every day—a small gesture that meant a lot to Yareli—and once a week they would have a group dinner. Yareli and Leo spent the rest of the afternoon cooking up a storm. They made a creamy truffle soup with sides of salad, sweet potatoes, and chocolate-dipped strawberries—Bri’s favorite. By the time she arrived, Yareli and Leo had the table set up, waiting for her to begin the feast.

Bri hurried to her seat, exclaiming, “After a long day in the sun, this is a welcome sight.”

Yareli laughed and began to eat. She hummed in appreciation; they had outdone themselves with dinner. Bri recounted theday’s events, including a young Fae who had gotten himself stuck in a barrel attempting to sneak into a shed for a nap. Instead of using magic to free himself, he had panicked and fallen over, knocking over other barrels and causing a big ruckus. As punishment, he ran laps for the remainder of the day.

“You see, Yareli,” Leo said, “despite having magic, Fae are like humans. We, too, have flaws.”

A thrill ran down her spine, and she looked away. Despite her attempts to ignore it, she liked his attention, desiring more every time.

She cleared her throat and said, “But I’m more scared of fools with magic.”

Bri raised her glass of wine. “Agreed.”