Page 75 of These Fractured Bonds

“Hungry?”

“Starving, actually,” she answered.

“I know of a place. Do you mind if we do takeout? I’d like to get started on the scroll as soon as possible.”

“Sure.” Fewer people to meet, fewer stares to avoid. She’d had enough of being outside; the safety of her room’s walls beckoned.

“Great.”

She followed him down the street, walking past multiple shops. He turned right and came to a stop in front of a teal-colored building, the bright yellow lettering spellingCozy Canary. She raised an eyebrow.

“Wait here,” he said, a spark in his eyes, and headed inside.

She peeked inside, but all she made out was a typical restaurant entrance with a front desk. Augrys placed an order, and she pursed her lips. He was being secretive on purpose. What was so special about this place? A short time later, he walked out with two takeout containers. When she asked about their contents, all he said was that she would see soon enough back at the inn.

“Takeaseat,”hesaid, pointing at the coffee table.

“I hate surprises, you know.”

“I hope you’ll allow me this exception.”

Rolling her eyes, Yareli sat on the floor cross-legged. They had returned to her bedroom to eat dinner together before she attempted to break her magic core. Erick was out for the evening, having headed out mumbling about needing time off.

He presented the container to her, placing it on the table in one smooth motion. “Buen provecho.”

Her heartbeat slowed.Spanish. That’s right—her mom had used Spanish with her; she could speak it. She had forgotten, and that twisted something in her chest more than finding out who August really was. She blinked furiously and opened the container instead. She couldn’t afford to cry now. The sweet, earthy smell ofmolefilled her nose, and she looked at Augrys in disbelief. A Mexican dish in Izmari.

“How… ?”

“That’s not all.” He pulled out a package of tortillas.

Her throat tightened. She hadn’t expected a taste from homehere. She knewmolewas one of her favorites from the way her mouth watered and her stomach grumbled.

“I thought a familiar dish would be comforting,” Augrys explained. “Although I’m not sure what you do or don’t remember.”

“I remember this. Thank you,” she said quietly, picking up a tortilla.

Her heart was full, swollen with bittersweet nostalgia and gratitude. Lost in her own contemplation, she ate in silence. She’d been—was still—unwilling to touch the memories of her family. She’d get to it soon, she promised. Indulging in a smallcomfort couldn’t hurt. Yareli swallowed her guilt, burying it under themole’searthy taste and enjoying the spice on her tongue.

Withtheirstomachsfull,Augrys prepared a space for Yareli to break her core. A part of her was suspicious of his friendliness.

It must have shown on her face, because he asked, “Is something wrong?”

She cleared her throat. “I, uh…” Then, thinking better of poking the bear, she gave him a strained smile. “It’s nothing.”

His slow blink told her he didn’t believe her, but he didn’t push it. Yareli let the topic drop between them in the ever-widening abyss that had severed their previous friendship. She wanted answers about his past and why Tuom had targeted her, but the answers could wait. Acquiring power could not.

The task at hand beckoned, and she settled into position without a word. A few minutes later, Yareli’s incorporeal form stood in front of the steel wall. Her neck cracked as she tipped her head back to look at the top. With how smooth it was, scaling it was impossible. She imagined her hands in front of her, and they sprang into being, awe filling her. Emboldened, she decided to give her flamethrower idea a whirl. Two burning minutes later, the flamethrower fell from her hands, disappearing into nothingness once more. The smooth steel stood without any signs of damage. Augrys’s voice came through to her, echoing in the vast darkness illuminated by the sun that was her life force.

“Remember, you need to feel strongly.”

It was easier said than done. The wall was cold to her touch, and she grunted through its sting, focusing on her desire tobreak it. As nothing occurred, frost accumulated on her hands, covering her forearms in an unforgiving blanket.

Come on, open. She gritted her teeth and pushed. Her skin burned as frostbite quickly set in, but she dug her feet in and kept pushing.

“I have to pull you out,” Augrys said, urgency lacing his words.

The wall gave a little. “No, give me a little longer.”