Page 46 of These Fractured Bonds

Yareli blinked. It was a grand undertaking, one with strong consequences.

“You would kill him?”

“I would kill him regardless of whether it broke the curse or not.”

She stayed silent, ruminating on the concept of murder once again. She had never thought of taking another’s life, but something had changed. It changed the moment she had taken Bri’s dagger in her hands—when her rage, borne of hurt and pain, had shaken free of its bondage, nestling deep in her in a steady slumber and occasionally rumbling to remind her of its existence. Yareli wanted to drive her blade into his heart until his life spluttered into nothingness. Admitting it out loud still seemed wrong, like she would reveal her corruption to the world,but hearing August declare he would kill him reassured her it wasn’t a moral failing on her part—Tuom deserved death.

“Me too,” she whispered, pressing her legs closer to her.

August looked at her, the conviction clear on his face. “He deserves far more than death.”

She nodded. The relief she felt at his acceptance was brief, overshadowed by shame. Her mom would tell her to forgive and move on. Holding on tocorajewould make her sick and bring about bad karma, but Yareli’s wrath argued this was an exception.

“What’s the second option?” August prompted.

“Bring the Curse Eater a vial of Tuom’s blood.”

“I suppose that might be the quickest way to break the curse. It would have the least repercussions if done correctly,” he muttered, rubbing his chin.

Yareli stared at him, astounded. He acted as if neither option would pose a significant problem. It seemed ridiculous how murder could be such a trivial thing. She tittered, then laughed, and soon she couldn’t stop. The looming, dark cloud over her was lifted. There was nothing August couldn’t do, nothing he wouldn’t do to get her home. With him, she might make it back. When she finally stopped guffawing, she smiled at him.

“Thank you.”

He met her eyes, and her heart thudded in response. The greens and browns of his eyes swirled in the campfire’s light, reminding Yareli of her favorite caramel green apple lollipop. It had a sticky caramel that took forever to lick off to reveal her favorite part—the sour, green apple. She shuddered at the thought of him baring himself to her and imagined running her tongue along his chest, wondering if he’d taste sweet. When he spoke, the words ran across her skin, leaving an electric current in their wake.

“Iwillget you home.”

His plump lips glistened in the light, drawing her attention to their soft curves. Desire overpowered logic, and she cupped his cheek with her palm. Soft, warm. He was so unlike the icy shell she had ascribed to him a few days ago. August froze. His breaths, however, gave him away. Rapid and short, they mirrored her own. She leaned toward him until their foreheads were close enough to brush.

“Tell me,” she said. “Tell me why I feel like this.”

His hot breath skimmed across her lips. “Like what?”

“Like, kissing you is the only answer.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes.”

Yareli waited—an agonizing feat considering the rush in her veins and her incessant need. It shouted at her to close the distance and suckle on his plump, pink bottom lip. But she waited. She wanted him to take the final step. She closed her eyes.

The whisper of a touch against her lips.

A groan.

Shuffling.

Cool air met her palm, and she opened her eyes.

“I can’t,” August said, running his hand through his hair. “Not while your memories are missing.”

Yareli protested. “They’re not missing.”

He raised an eyebrow at her.

“Okay, they’re messed up a little, but I remember you. I know this is what I would have wanted before!” The words flew from her mouth without much thought, and she felt a little foolish saying it when she, in fact, did not know if it was true. What she did know, however, was that she wanted to kiss him now.

August’s eyebrows scrunched downward, giving him a pained expression.