Page 74 of These Fractured Bonds
“Human goods have been smuggled since the Prohibition Decree,” Augrys countered, his eyes narrowed. “Unless you are implying the unthinkable.”
“Oh, Auggie, you know I’m not a fan of exaggerations. I speak the truth. Human pets will soon reign supreme.”
Yareli clutched her mug. Human pets? The thought disturbed her, but it wasn’t implausible. Hadn’t she, herself, suffered at the hands of a Fae abuser? A sobering thought crossed her mind. Tuom was only one bad apple in the rotten bunch. Others like him enjoyed the degradation of humans.
“We have to stop them,” she whispered to Augrys.
He glanced at her, giving her a curt nod. Smuggled human goods were one thing, but enslaved humans? Yareli couldn’t allow it to happen; no one deserved to go through what she did or worse.
She turned to Hale, asking, “Do you know when to expect the fall of gold?”
He shrugged. “Might be tonight. Might be in two weeks. Who knows? But I suggest you keep an eye on the courts.”
That was all the confirmation Yareli needed. The Watchers were behind it all, but the scope of their threat was intensifying. Even if she went home, the threat would linger over her like the drab gray skies of winter, but without the promise of spring. They had to be stopped.
Augrys pivoted the conversation, asking, “What of the two requests I made?”
Hale handed him a card. “It’s embarrassing to admit, but we were unable to find out much about either. You’ll find there’s a scroll in the care of Mr. Manie that you’ve placed a deposit on. I’d suggest heading there before the end of the day. He’s quite fickle, that man.”
Augrys tucked the card away. “We’ll make sure to do that.”
“As for the general, we lost one of our best to him, and our findings were minimal.” Hale took a long sip of his drink. “He’s a frequent visitor at Stone Prison.”
“Stone Prison?” Yareli once again interrupted; she really sucked at keeping quiet tonight.
He raised an eyebrow. “Where did you happen to find this dazzling gem, Auggie? She must have grown up in the most secluded village in Izmari.”
She laughed, rushing to try to cover up her mistake. “You’re right. I grew up very sheltered. I’m an only child. Since I was always sick, my parents were overprotective and kept me at home.”
“And pray tell, how did you manage to get away from your parents to make it to the capital with Auggie?”
She looked down at her beer. “They, um, passed away in an attack. Auggie found me and took me in.” Yareli was surprised at how easily the lies came to her without guilt. Emboldened, she decided to add some more flair to her story, taking a swig of her beer. “It’s only been a few months.”
Hale seemed to buy her story, giving her a sympathetic nod. “A story is becoming more common these days. Take heart. I heard the council was called to enact action against the ghastly creatures preying on our innocents.”
He held his own beer up in a cheer. She returned the gesture, clinking her mug against his and taking another long chug.
Augrys interjected. “Thank you, Hale. Your information has been most valuable.”
“It’s been a pleasure working with you as always, Auggie, and…” Hale turned to Yareli, a pointed look on his face.
Shit. He wanted her name, but giving her real name to an information broker seemed dubious.
“Ines,” she replied, choosing her middle name.
“Ines,” Hale said, giving her an appraising look. “A fitting name for such an exquisite flower.”
She smiled, pulling up her hood to hide her discomfort, and waved goodbye. There was something off-putting about Hale’s attention. Augrys pulled her in front of him, his hand on her lower back to guide her to the exit, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe Hale didn’t buy her story after all.
Chapter 28
Ontheirwaybackto the inn, they stopped at Mr. Manie’s shop. Yareli waited outside the door, deciding she had had enough of meeting strangers for that day.
The wooden sign swung back and forth despite there being no wind. Its faded blue letters readLaura’s Baubles, and she wondered who Laura was. Wife? Daughter? Ex-lover? As evening approached and people scurried to dinner, she was reminded of the countless lives that surrounded her. None of them knew her, knew that she didn’t belong. The self-consciousness that she kept bundled around her loosened, flitting away with every passing stranger who paid her no heed.
For the first time in Izmari, she breathed easier. If the circumstances were different, if she had come to Izmari out of her own volition, then the thrumming magic in the air, ground, and herveinswould be exhilarating. An image of her sitting on the beach, feeling the cool ocean’s spray on her face as she meditated, drawing magic to her, flashed across her mind. To master wielding magic as a human… She suddenly understood Augrys’s love for learning.
The small bell on the door jingled, signaling Augrys’s return. She pushed herself off the building. Peace would come later. He slipped something into his robe’s pocket.
