And perhaps it was the look on Ferma’s face, the sincere belief, the unyielding love, that held back Elena’s retort. She grasped on to that look, let it anchor her. Let Ferma wrap her up in her arms and kiss the top of her head like she had done when Elena was a child. Her arms were strong, dependable. Elena closed her eyes and pressed her face into Ferma’s chest.
“Oh, look at your hair,” Ferma said after a while. “It’s a mess. Come, let me fix it,” she coaxed, but Elena shook her head.
“I’d rather do yours. Sit here,” she said. She needed to take her mind off her father, do something with her hands or else they would stay clenched in fists. Ferma obligingly sat before the vanity as Elena stood and ran her fingers through her long hair—softer than silk, harder than diamond.
Once, after Aahnah had died, Elena had slipped out of the castle and into the squalid slums of the outer city. She could not remember how she had gotten there, only that a man had led her back to his home to show her shobu puppies and then shut the door on her. She had panicked and kicked him between the legs, then bolted into the street—headfirst into Ferma. The Yumi did not say a word to Elena. She simply walked into the hut, her hair writhing behind her. Elena had watched as she had pierced the man’s body, blood spilling out. When Ferma came back out, not a single drop stained her strands.
Elena began to weave Ferma’s hair into a long, thick braid. Ferma sighed and closed her eyes, relaxing her head back against Elena’s knee.
“You know, no one has braided my hair in a long time,” she murmured.
“Probably because you scare them.”
The Yumi chuckled. “I thinkyoudo.”
Elena smiled as she twisted another strand into the braid. “I’m sure Samson is intimidated by you.”
“Ah, the Sesharian.” In the reflection of the vanity mirror, Ferma gave a lazy, mischievous grin. “How are things going with our famed hero?”
Elena snorted, though she felt her cheeks warm. “Fine. We’re going for a ride later.”
“The successful Arohassin hunts are winning him favor with the guards and our soldiers,” Ferma said. “Looks like his bet on Yassen Knight paid off.”
Elena thought back to Yassen dancing with her in the studio. The way he had held her aloft and lowered her gently. The way his pale eyes had met hers in the desert as he touched the barrel of the pulse gun.This isn’t just your home. It’s mine too.
Despite his past, Yassen believed in Ravence, or he made a good show of it.
Elena turned her attention back to finishing the braid. “When I become queen, I want you to retire,” she began. “You deserve the rest—”
“I’d rather you throw me into quicksand,” Ferma said, eyes still closed.
“I was going to say you deserve rest before I promote you to be my Astra,” she said, giving a teasing tug on the braid.
“Easy.” Ferma’s eyes fluttered open, and she looked up at Elena. “Astra, eh?”
“I could think of no one else,” Elena said.
“But I would better serve you as your Spear,” Ferma said. She pulled away from Elena and turned to face her. “You have Samson. As your king, he’ll be your closest confidant. That’s the way it works.”
“It doesn’t have to be that way, though,” Elena said.
“Shutting out Samson will only weaken your reign. And he’s a man. It’ll bruise his ego. He’ll start to plot against you from the shadows.”
Elena scoffed. “Now you’re being dramatic.”
“I’m being realistic.” Ferma drew up. Her thick braid snaked down her shoulder. “You have a strong ally in Samson.Use him.”
“But I needyou,” she said and took Ferma’s hands into her own. “You’re my strongest ally.”
“And I cannot be your only one. I’m growing old, Elena.” Ferma softened her words with a smile. “I will serve you until my last breath, but it will come sooner than Samson’s.”
“As my Astra, you won’t have to put yourself in the line of fire,” Elena insisted. She could not imagine ruling without Ferma by her side. “It’ll be a cushy job, and you’ll have servants to see to your every need.”
“There is no cushy job in Ravence.”
“Just think about it, Ferma.”
The Yumi sighed. She gave a slow nod, but Elena could see the sorrow in her eyes. “I’ll think about it.”
