Page 27 of The Weaver

Rekosh gestured in apology to Ahmya and Garahk, bowing his head. He spoke first in English, and then repeated his words in vrix. “Please forgive the delay.”

Garahk chittered, thumped a leg against Rekosh’s, and replied with what Ahmya understood as essentiallyglad to have you along. When Rekosh’s eyes met hers, their intensity triggered something inside her.

Lacey nudged Ahmya with an elbow. “The heat again, huh?”

“You are too hot?” Rekosh asked, leaning closer to Ahmya.

Ahmya shook her head and glared at her friend. “I’m all right, Rekosh. Really. Lacey is just teasing me.”

He growled, gnashing his mandibles.

“Oh, come on!” Lacey pointed at Ahmya. “It’s not like she never teases me.”

Ahmya gaped at the other woman and pressed a hand to her own chest. “I wouldneverdo that.”

Lacey rolled her eyes. “Of course, you wouldn’t.”

At Garahk’s signal, the group set out. Ahmya, Lacey, and Rekosh hung back, allowing the thornskulls to pass.

“Maybe we should invite Telok along too,” Ahmya suggested with a saccharine smile. “You know, to keepyouout of trouble, Lacey.”

“Low blow, Ahmya,” replied Lacey with a laugh. “Low blow.”

“I know those words, but I do not understand,” Rekosh said. “Ahmya did not blow on you.”

Chuckling, Ahmya shook her head. “Blow is another one of those words with more than one meaning. In this case, it means I hit her with my words.”

“There’s at least one other meaning I can think of…” Lacey grinned at Ahmya, waggling her eyebrows.

“We’re not going there,” Ahmya singsonged as they trailed after the thornskulls.

Rekosh hummed thoughtfully. “I have much to ask, humans.”

Ahmya’s body flushed hotter. “No, no, no. No need to ask about that.”

“But Ahmya,” Lacey said over her shoulder, “don’t you want him to learn our ways?”

“What ways do you speak of?” Rekosh asked.

“Mating rituals, like blow jobs and—ouch! Ahmya! Did you seriously just pinch my ass?”

“And I’ll do it again,” Ahmya said. She gripped Lacey’s backpack and pushed, steering the woman across the bridge. “Conversation over. Let’s go! We have a jungle to explore.”

Lacey snickered as they continued out of Kaldarak.

To Ahmya’s relief, Rekosh didn’t press for more information, but she knew that it was only a temporary reprieve. His silence meant he was thinking. He was always observant andunabashedly inquisitive, especially when it came to language. He wasn’t going to forget. He was just waiting for a better time to ask again.

And Ahmya wasnotready to explain what a blow job was.

Do you want to show him instead?

Shush!

But it made her to wonder… Did vrix even perform oral on each other?

Considering their sharp teeth and lack of lips, Ahmya was inclined to guessno, which meant Rekosh had likely never had a blow job, and she could be the first one to?—

Stop!

---