Page 49 of Beyond the Ruby River
Daka obeyed, pouting. “If I must. It’s for me though, later?”
“Later.” Mahu regained his composure. “I’m going to release your legs so you can stand, ready?”
Daka would prefer to stay cradled, but he consented. “Yes.”
Mahu pulled the hand under his thighs away first, and Daka’s legs sank. As they neared bottom, Mahu kept his chest afloat. But when Daka’s naked feet touched the riverbed and sank ankle deep into the slimy glop, he shrieked and all but leaped back into Mahu’s embrace.
“What in the demon’s armpit was that?” Daka clung to Mahu, shaking the terrible sludge off his feet.
Mahu caught his gaze, assessing. “You all right?”
“Are you standing in…that goo? Are your feet in what my feet just touched?” Daka couldn’t believe anyone could be partially enveloped in such a dreadful substance yet remain as calm as Mahu.
Mahu’s laughter came as a surprise. His eyes squinted with delighted amusement, the corners crinkled, his mouth a wide grin revealing the entire upper row of gleaming white teeth.
Daka gripped his shoulders. “Well, are you?”
“Standing in goo?” Laughter hadn’t yet released Mahu from its clutches. “Yes, I am. It’s just the riverbed. Wet dirt. What did you think it would feel like?”
Awkwardly reaching beneath the water, Daka carefully cleaned between each toe. “I hadn’t thought of it, but not like that. Not like cold liver pudding. How do you stop from sinking completely?”
“Well you could learn to swim,” said Mahu between chuckles. “But the bottom grows firmer beneath the layer of mud. You must not have made it that far.”
“And I won’t either. Please don’t put me down. It’s awful. I don’t know how you stand it.”
“I’m used to it. I’ve swum in this river since boyhood.” Mahu shrugged. “The bottom’s always been mucky.”
Daka brought their faces close together. “I’m sorry to have failed you, but I can’t stomach touching”—a full-body shiver racked through him—“that again.”
Mahu kissed him. “You could never fail me, Dakarai. I haven’t laughed that hard in years. I promise to protect you from the goo.”
“My hero.” Daka returned the kiss. “Let’s do something we’re both good at. Hmm?”
“I could be convinced.” Mahu took them closer to the shore.
Daka whispered the words,“Sthi unda writcha vaici,”and his horns and tail were uncovered from their enchantment. He coiled his tail around Mahu’s strong thigh and nudged his sac with the tip.
Mahu, having carnal knowledge of the extra appendage’s dexterity, moaned at the contact.
“You did say I should do all the work,” Daka reminded him.
“By all means.”
The next kiss stole the air from Daka’s lungs, but he found he could float without it after all.
14
Mahu
Mahu packed two jugs of beer in a shoulder bag nestled among a blanket so they wouldn’t rattle or break. Meri and Herit would be bringing the food, and Niya had offered her family’s sweet grape wine. They couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful day to host a picnic. Sunny, a little warm, but still early enough for the heat to be bearable.
Daka looked stunning in his new blue tunic to match Mahu’s. Around his wrists and neck he wore gleaming gold jewelry with shining red stones, but his smile outshone the trinkets.
Mahu’s friends were eager to welcome Daka into the fold. Sebek had been nagging him for a proper introduction for weeks. The picnic was Herit’s idea, and a good one, as the children would have each other to play with and might give the adults some peace.
Daka had invited Niya. She’d arrived in Naukratis the night before, and though Mahu had offered to host her, she’d found somewhere else to sleep. Daka explained she’d probably exhausted the workers at the Golden Jackal and slept there. Mahu pretended such a thing was perfectly normal and went on with his preparations sans demon houseguest.
“Are you bringing tiny scrolls for the children?” asked Daka as he gathered a second blanket.
