Page 53 of Beyond the Ruby River
Daka met her intense gaze. For a moment, the others faded into the background as he connected with his sister. “I know.” Admitting it out loud caused a pang of fear.
“You should go to him.”
“He doesn’t want me to.” Daka glanced down to his empty plate. Ants had already found the crumbs. “Harder to pretend it’s not happening among witnesses. I’m worried.”
“Wait,” said Meri. “What’s the matter with Mahu?”
Daka shooed the ants away. “He has a cough.”
“It’s worse than that.” Niya sniffed the air. “There’s also a smell.”
“A smell?” asked Herit.
Daka caught Niya’s eyes and subtly shook his head. Humans couldn’t detect scents so faint as Mahu’s sweet, prickly sickness. They wouldn’t understand.
“I don’t know,” said Niya to Herit. “Maybe it’s nothing, but I think he’s ill.”
Sebek gave a sad nod. “He’s slowing down. On our walks to oversee the papyrus harvest, he’s out of breath too quickly. Not like him.”
Daka’s stomach clenched. Listening to the others talk about Mahu while he wasn’t here felt wrong. But they were his friends; their concern was normal. Still, Mahu wouldn’t like it. He never wanted to be the center of attention or to cause a fuss of any sort.
“Has he been to see the temple priests? Perhaps a tonic…” Meri trailed off.
“Yes, though it was several weeks ago, and they told him a hot citrus drink with honey would help.” Daka fixed the simple concoction nearly every evening these days. It did soothe Mahu’s throat in the moment but did nothing to prevent the fits from starting.
“Does it work?” asked Niya, her tone laced with skepticism.
Daka hunched. “Maybe a little.”
Mahu coughed loud enough their entire group could hear, even the pure-blooded humans whose senses were dull compared to Daka and Niya’s.
With a sigh, Daka rose to his feet. “I’ll go check on him.”
“Call out for us if you need help,” offered Sebek. He and Meri exchanged a worried glance. They must be thinking about Mahu’s wife and children. They’d passed away during population-wide bouts of the great sickness, and coughing had been an early symptom of the disease.
Daka followed Mahu’s scent to the man himself, hidden amongst a dense array of greenery, on his knees, head bent low, staring at the ground. Though muscles still bulged in his arms and shoulders, somehow he looked frail. Daka’s eyes watered, but he fought back the urge to cry. Mahu wouldn’t like that.
“Are you all right?”
Startled, Mahu crumpled the cloth in his hand, but not before Daka caught sight of blood.
“Mahu!” Daka flung himself to the ground next to him and circled a gentle arm around his shoulders.
“It’s nothing.” Mahu coughed, bringing the bloody rag back to his lips. “I only need a minute.”
Daka eyed the ruby droplets. “That’s not nothing, my love.”
Mahu’s back shook as he drew a rattling breath. “It’s the season. All the plants blooming. It irritates my throat.”
Daka would let him have his excuses for a little while longer. For this afternoon, in the sunshine, surrounded by their friends and family. But tonight when they were alone, it was time for a discussion. Mahu would have to confess the extent of his illness, and Daka would have to tell Mahu what he’d begun to plan in his mind. He’d need to send for Temaj. Perhaps Niya would take the message.
Daka rubbed circles over the strong plains of Mahu’s back. He patted when Mahu coughed and returned to rubbing when the fit was over.
Mahu stared at the dirt until it passed. He rolled his shoulders and lifted his head to face Daka, his garnet eyes cloudy. “That was a bad one.”
Daka could only nod. He tried to keep his gaze off the bloody evidence, but it was impossible.
Mahu tucked the cloth into folds of his tunic. “Please don’t tell the others. I don’t want anyone to worry.”
