Page 132 of These Fractured Bonds

The pieces fell into place.

“It’s sick,” she said, biting her thumb, unsure why a great entity would be calling her. “It doesn’t make any sense…” she muttered.

“Indeed,” Queen Reamiria said. “It is through the Fae Queen’s magic that it lives on, but its illness has progressed too far to continue for much longer. I suspect you may have had dreams?”

She nodded. The dreams were calls for help, its dying whimpers. Yareli hesitated; she hated asking questions with answers that she already knew, but she did it anyway in foolish hope.

“What happens if it dies?”

“Izmari will cease to exist.”

The words settled on her conscience like a heavy stone. Loud footfalls rushed past the door again, filling the hushed room. The increasing movement worried her. It had been so quiet outside the palace, she had thought the fighting was over.

Queen Reamiria stood with great effort, pushing herself up on her hands. “We’ve run out of time. The traitors are close. I want you to take this.” She pulled a vial from her dress pocket. “I knew what you sought, still I withheld it from you for I was a coward who could not do what I am about to do.”

The red liquid in the vial sloshed as she placed it in Yareli's hands.

Yareli shook her head, saying, “He’s dead. I don’t need it anymore.”

“Take it anyway and flee Izmari.”

Queen Reamiria closed Yareli’s fingers over it. Disgust filled her; she didn’t want anything of that man, but the queen pressed on.

“You are in great danger at no fault of your own. You deserve to live your life outside of what is demanded of you.”

The slight hardening of her voice sounded bitter, like there was more, but if there was, she didn’t say. Her determined expression left little room for argument, but Yareli’s mind was frazzled as she attempted to keep up with everything—the pulse, the Great Tree, the queen, the coup, Weni.

She asked, “Aren’t you afraid of the tree dying? Isn’t that why it’s calling for me—to save it?”

She received a short snort.

“No. Certainly, there are plenty of innocent Fae who will suffer the consequences of their fellow Fae’s mistakes. However, Izmari’s corruption has no remedy. It must be removed by destroying its very foundation.”

“But—”

“This is a Fae matter. Do not concern yourself with our survival. We do not deserve to be saved. Return home and live a long, happy life.” Queen Reamiria turned away from her, moving toward her patio doors on the opposite side of the room. “Now go. Leave me so I may enjoy the stars in private one last time.”

“It’s my calling. Shouldn’t I get to decide?” Yareli pushed.

“You do not know what you speak of. You are but a foolish, young human with no notion of what awaits should you choose to stay.”

Again with the cryptic messages, the patronizing tone… It peeved her, and Yareli decided she would risk it all and said, “And you are not my queen. I do not obey you.”

She didn’t wait for her reaction, spinning on her heel and rushing to the door. Queen Reamiria snapped her fingers, and the crushing sensation of shadowstepping overwhelmed Yareli. Her eyes widened; she didn’t want to leave without the Great Tree’s power. She had endured and sacrificed a great deal; it was hers. Besides, she was tired of others deciding her fate. Let her determine what she wanted to do.

She whipped her head toward the queen. “Stop!”

But the spell had been cast, and the queen didn’t bother to look at her. The view of Queen Reamiria standing under the moonlight, her shoulders bowed with exhaustion, painted a despondent picture.

“A long life, Yareli. Live it.”

Her last words were garbled as Yareli was forced through the fabric of space again, except this was different than before. It seemed to pull her as much as it squeezed her. Her screamswere nothing more than whimpers through the pressure on her throat.I am going to finally die, she thought. Only, she didn’t. She landed on something cold and hard, her body sighing in release as the crushing sensation disappeared. She was in so much pain; it was as if her bones had been ground to dust, and her limbs, jelly—her body finally drained and exhausted. She couldn’t pass out yet; she didn’t know where she had been sent, so she forced her eyes open, and when she saw the familiar Milky Way on the ceiling shining down at her, she let her mind relax. She was home.

She succumbed to her eyelids’ heaviness and fell asleep under the stars.

Chapter 51

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