Sansha by Alison Naomi Holt

Author:Alison Naomi Holt
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Alison Holt

Chapter 3

Later that morning, Sansha sat in a chair in the middle of the Aramus’ private suite being fussed over by Mindin. The old woman refused to leave her side until she’d applied a smelly salve to her cut lip and put a cold cloth to her swollen black eye.

The Aramis had pulled on a starched blouse and was fighting with one of the buttons on her sleeve. “That’s enough fuss, Mindin. I think she’ll live.” She glanced over at Sansha and winked as the old woman clucked and tsk’d while gathering her basket of bandages and herbs.

Ryman stood leaning against the far wall with both his arms and legs crossed comfortably in front of him. He watched as Kara held the door open for Mindin and chuckled when the old woman couldn’t resist a few more pointed comments about “reckless young girls climbing out of third story windows.”

When Kara and Rand began to follow Mindin out, the Aramis stopped them. “Stay.”

They both immediately resumed their positions on either side of the door and stood stiffly at attention.

Having finally wrestled the button on her cuff into submission, the Aramis leaned against the desk and crossed her arms. She stared at Sansha long enough to jangle the girl’s already jangled nerves.

The straight-backed chair Sansha sat in had an uncomfortably hard seat. Pushing herself up straighter to relieve some of the pressure on her backside, she held the woman’s gaze for as long as she dared, then took the coward’s way out and began to study her knees. She jumped slightly when the Aramis began to speak.

“So, I don’t even know your name.”

Sansha tried to sound confident and sure, but her voice came out as a shy whisper. “Sansha.” Not remembering how to address the Arm of the Queen, she hesitated before adding, “Yer Highness?”

Ryman chuckled.

The Aramis sent him a mock glare and then turned back to Sansha. “You can call me Aramis Jaes. Jaes is my family name. Someday, maybe I’ll tell you my given name, but for now, Aramis Jaes will do. So, Sansha, do you trust me?”

Sansha surprised herself by shrugging timidly. She’d never been timid in her life, but for some reason she felt small in front of Aramis Jaes.

“Is it male or female?”

Stiffening, Sansha’s guard went up and she began looking anywhere but at Aramis Jaes while she tried to come up with a plausible lie. Nara, who’d climbed in through a window shortly after they’d arrived back at the castle, gently stroked her cheek, and Sansha wondered if her friend actually trusted these people. The chub could sense intent, and Nara must be comfortable if she was trying to comfort her.

Rising from the chair, Sansha began to pace. Moving helped her think and after a short time she came to a decision. Turning to face the woman, she said, “Her name’s Nara.”

Jaes nodded and said softly. “Nara, will you trust me enough to show yourself?”

Ryman pushed off the wall and began nervously fingering the hilt of the knife he wore at his side.

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