Page 143 of Earthbound

Yeeran

‘Slow down, there’s no need to rush. Lean on me, there you go.’ Yeeran guided Furi gently through the Royal Woodland.

‘I feel like a fawn just out of the womb,’ Furi hissed.

‘You’re walking and that in itself is impressive.’

Yeeran could hear the crowds of citizens ahead of them. The last time she had seen the entirety of Mosima show up for anything was her own execution…

‘I’m only walking with your help,’ Furi said, her lips drawing together into a pout.

‘Barely.’

Furi laughed at her lie. The sound was the sweetest music Yeeran had ever heard. There was a time when she didn’t think she’d ever hear it again.

Yeeran stopped and gripped her hand.

‘What is it? Did you forget something? I don’t think I’ll make it back to the palace—’

Yeeran pulled Furi into her chest and kissed her deeply.

‘Thank you for surviving,’ she whispered against her neck.

‘Thank you for not letting me die,’ Furi’s voice cracked at the end. Yeeran kissed her again, her hands clenching the silk of her dress as though she were ready to pull it from her body.

‘Not here,’ Furi murmured against her lips. ‘We kind of have something important to do first.’

‘Oh yes, of course. Just the small thing of voting whether to surrender or not…’ Yeeran’s mouth twisted with bitterness.

Furi nipped at her lips with her fangs, sending a shiver up Yeeran’s spine. ‘It’s the right thing to do.’

‘I know.’ After talking to Golan, Yeeran felt surer of her decision, but ultimately it was up to the citizens to decide.

Amnan came up beside Furi and Yeeran helped her onto his back. She was impressed by the queen’s improvement; her muscles gripped the obeah with a strength Yeeran had thought would never be possible a few weeks ago. ‘Are you sure you’ll be all right up there?’ Yeeran asked.

Furi nodded, her jaw set with a stubbornness Yeeran loved.

‘Stay close?’ the queen asked.

‘Always.’

Yeeran felt the coldness of Pila’s nose by her hip.

I brought you strawberries, Pila said. There are only a few left, the locusts took the rest.

Yeeran looked at the slobbery mush Pila had brought and shook her head. I’m full, you eat them.

She was, of course, not full. Their rations were strict–even stricter in the palace compared to the rest of Mosima, as Furi wouldn’t have it any other way.

Pila finished the strawberries and they continued on after Furi and Amnan.

It was mid-morning and the air had a chill to it. The fae gathered in the square outside the palace. There were fewer of them than the last time Yeeran had seen the population all gathered in one place. More subdued too.

The siege had broken their spirit and Yeeran knew in her gut which way the vote was going to go.

Rayan was already standing by the edge of the stage when they arrived. His gaze was distant, an expression she now understood to mean he was looking through Ajax’s eyes.

‘Rayan, we’re here,’ Furi said gently.