Shattered Bonds A Second Chance Mate (by Yui) novel Chapter 112

Chapter 112

Chapter 112

Ellaine (Now Edith) Point of view:

“Frans…”

His name lingered in the air like the soft aftertaste of honey tea–warm, strange, and unexpectedly comforting. I couldn’t s stop smiling. My fingers, idle, traced the fabric of the blanket I sat on, brushing over a seam again and again as if doing so would help me make sense of the feelings swirling inside my

chést.

Why?

Why did his name stir something in me–something gentle yet chaotic?

We had barely spoken beyond what could be considered polite conversation. A few words. A few glances. And yet, his voice, low and rough like velvet dragged over gravel, clung to my memory more stubbornly than it had any right to.

I sighed and rolled onto my back on the bed, staring at the ceiling of the small, warm inn room. The wooden beams above were old, carrying the scent of pine and the creaks of stories long forgotten. The lamp flickered gently beside me. I was supposed to rest. Damon said we’d leave early in the morning, but I hadn’t even begun to pack.

I was… hesitating.

Something about this place–it clung to me like dew in the morning. Something I didn’t understand. Something I didn’t want to leave behind.

Knock. Knock.

The sound startled me, and I sat up abruptly. The smile that had been fading returned, replaced by surprise as I padded softly to the door and opened it.

“Damon?” I blinked.

He smiled, shifting the weight of his satchel on his shoulder. “Sorry if I disturbed you,” he said with a kind smile. “But the others mentioned we’ll be leaving early morning tomorrow. Just wanted to give you a heads–up.”

I nodded, slightly confused. “Okay… I’ll collect and prepare everything. But why the rush?”

He shrugged, glancing down the hallway before meeting my eyes again. “Just a rumor, maybe nothing. But… the others are a bit uneasy.”

My brows knit together. “Uneasy? Why?”

He scratched the back of his neck. “It’s just–this treatment we’ve been getting. It’s… unusual.”

I tilted my head, still not understanding. “What treatment?”

“Dinner. A warm welcome. A place like this to stay. It’s all very generous.” He looked around, then added, “In all our trading trips, we’ve never been offered this kind of hospitality. So… we’re being cautious. Just in case.”

The words settled in my chest like dust. Suspicion. Doubt. I didn’t want them.

“I see,” I said softly. “Okay, I’ll follow your lead.”

He smiled again and raised a hand in a casual wave. “Alright. See you at sunrise.”

The door clicked shut as I leaned against it, exhaling slowly.

So… we’re going.

I looked around the room–so simple, yet it felt more like home than the past few places we’d stayed combined. My gaze fell to the window. The

1/4

Chapter 112

moonlight cast soft shadows over the wooden floor. I crossed the room and pulled the curtain slightly aside.

The city outside shimmered quietly in the night, alive but calm. I remembered walking through the marketplace earlier, how everything had felt born old and familiar. The smell of spices. The hush of whispers in a dialect I didn’t fully understand but still felt I should have. And then there was the moment

met him.

Frans.

Just thinking his name felt like pressing against an old bruise I didn’t know I had. Not painful–but it made me aware. Like something in me stirred. Not fully awake, but certainly not asleep either.

A part of me wanted to dismiss it. I had always been good at pushing things away, burying emotions, building walls and walking away with a straight spine. But this… this was different. This wasn’t just curiosity.

I hugged myself, resting my forehead against the cool window glass.

Why do I feel sad about going back?

It wasn’t logical. I had Mara waiting. She’d be worried if I delayed more than this. The others had no intention of staying either. I had no ties to this city

Or so I thought.

Why did this place feel like it was… calling me?

Maybe it was the way Audrey had looked at me earlier. Gentle. Protective. Familiar. Or the soft pat on the shoulder Monica gave me, like we’d been friends for years. Or maybe… it was something deeper. Something in the bones of the city. The heartbeat under its cobblestone skin.

Maybe… it was him.

“Stop it,” I muttered, pushing away from the window and grabbing my travel bag from under the bed.

It’s ridiculous, I told myself. I just met him. Barely even talked to him. I’m projecting. That’s what Mara would say.

But my hand hesitated on the clothes I was folding,

Would I ever see Audrey again? Monica? The kindness in their eyes… it had felt real. Not forced, not formal. Like they knew me.

No. That was ridiculous.

I kept packing. Silently, efficiently. I folded everything I had, even though I moved slowly–lingering just long enough on each item as though hoping they’d argue back and tell me to stay.

When I finished, I placed the bag by the door and crawled back into bed. But sleep didn’t come easily. My eyes stayed open, staring into the darkness.

Just before my eyelids grew too heavy, a whisper stirred in the back of my mind. Familiar. Soft.

“Stay.”

1,

The Next Morning

The inn was alive with movement. People whispering, bags being shuffled, footsteps creaking across the wooden floors. Damon greeted me with a short nod when I stepped out, my pack slung over one shoulder, my cloak draped over my arm.

“We’ll move fast today,” he said. “No stops if we can help it.”

I nodded, my throat too tight to answer.

2/4

Chapter 112

The group began to gather outside in the courtyard, the sun still barely stretching its fingers across the sky. I noticed the guards agam. More than usisa Quiet. Watching.

We left without fanfare, the city waking slowly behind us. As the horses trudged forward along the path leading out of the stone gates, I glanced back

once. Just once.

And there he was.

Standing just beyond the far arch, leaning against the wall like he had every right to be part of my memory. Dressed simply in a dark coat and boots, a scarf tucked loosely around his throat.

Frans…

He didn’t wave. He didn’t call out. He just stood there, watching

And I–coward that I was–looked away.

Two Days Later

I had hoped distance would dull the ache.

But it didn’t.

meg

This is weird…

With every mile we put behind us, the feeling only grew. This pull. This ache. This… longing. I had never felt anything like it before. It wasn’t just about a man. It wasn’t infatuation or the thrill of a stranger’s attention.

It was something else.

A memory that wasn’t mine.

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify