Page 71 of Earthbound

‘We could never leave,’ Furi said wistfully. ‘Pretend the outside world doesn’t exist. Abandon our mantles of ambassador and queen.’

‘And what would we eat?’

Furi pointed to the milled flour. ‘Bread, of course! And we have the river for water. It’ll be basic, but we’d be free.’

Yeeran’s smile wavered. Though the morning had been a true wonderment, they had a lot of healing to do, and Yeeran knew they could not do it within the confines of the mill. ‘You want to stay in here with that?’ she said, looking at the rat.

Furi turned a shade of green. ‘No, thank you.’

She dressed quickly after that.

The midday air was humid in Mosima and Yeeran found herself yearning for the hot springs that ran beneath the city, but she’d have no time to bathe today. She had to speak to Malak. Somehow, they needed to get through this.

Pila, are you far?

No, in the mango trees with Amnan.

They waited for the obeah by the river, each immersed in their own thoughts.

‘Is that the tomcat from earlier?’ Furi pointed to a ball of ginger fur. He had tucked himself by the wheel of the mill and was mewling softly.

‘Looks like it.’

Furi bent down to coax him out. ‘He doesn’t sound very happy.’

Her capacity for gentleness always shocks me. She so rarely shows that side of herself.

‘Come here, little one, let me see you,’ she cooed. The cat limped out from the shadow of the mill.

‘It looks like he’s hurt his paw,’ Yeeran said.

‘Yes, I’ll call on Jay, they’ll be able to help him.’ Furi bundled up the cat into her shirt.

Yeeran smiled. ‘If only the chieftains could see the fierce fae queen now.’

Furi stuck her tongue out at her just as Amnan and Pila arrived. The obeah nudged her nose against Yeeran’s hand.

‘Pila, your mouth is sticky with mango juice,’ Yeeran laughed.

That’s because I ate mangoes, she said.

Yeeran jumped onto her back.

‘I’m going to go see Malak,’ she told Furi. ‘See you back at the palace?’

‘Wait!’ Furi called before Pila set off.

‘What is it?’ Yeeran asked, her heart stuttering with Furi’s sudden concern.

‘I just wanted to do this, one more time as two nobodies.’ Amnan brushed up against Pila so that Furi was alongside Yeeran. Then she reached for the nape of Yeeran’s neck and pulled her towards her.

The kiss was long and slow. It would have gone on for longer if the cat hadn’t squirmed beneath Furi’s shirt, breaking the moment.

‘I should get this cat to Jay. See you soon.’

Furi released her, leaving Yeeran dazed.

Shall we go, or would you like to keep staring at Furi’s behind?