Page 59 of Beyond the Ruby River
No, some weakness of his mixed-breed heritage caused the deficiency, and though his family all kindly ignored the failing, Daka had never let it go. An incubus trapped in his physical form, a failure to his own species.
But Niya? Niya could drop whatever she was doing to come to him. And she did.
Appearing from the ether, a shimmering image of his sister blinked into place, her presence taking up all the space in the tiny room.
Daka stopped his chanting and relaxed.
Hands on hips, Niya made a careful study of him from head to toe, decided he was all right, and quipped, “What do you want? I was in the middle of something.”
Daka could see that. She was naked save for a slip of a robe, for one, which didn’t bother him as nudity was entirely ordinary among his species, but one leg was covered in some sort of purplish glop he could not identify and the other dripped suds on the gray rug.
“What is that stuff?” Daka scrunched his nose. It smelled like rotten carcass, and the color was unnatural.
She rolled her eyes. “Wax, dummy. To remove the hair.”
Daka liked his hair right where it was, thank you. “But the smell?”
“That’s bat’s blood, probably.” She shrugged. “Or sulfur, take your pick.”
He recoiled. “Ick.”
Niya’s gaze roamed the little room and landed on a wooden stool. She positioned it in front of Daka and sat. “You say ‘ick,’ but have you tried going hairless? The sensations are worth the effort, I promise.”
Daka had doubts. Lots of them. “If you say so.”
“Anyway, the process is time sensitive, so what have you brought me here for? Is Mahu all right?”
Daka deflated at the question. Mahu was most definitely not all right. “It’s getting bad, Niya. I need to speak with Temaj. Would you ask him to come to me, please?”
“Temaj?” Her eyes narrowed, then as realization struck, they widened. “Of course. You need his blood. But how long will that last?”
Daka shook his head. She only half-understood. “Not a transfusion, Niya. I want Temaj to turn him. Do you think he will?”
Niya leaned back. “I don’t know. He’s never made another, has he? You might have better luck asking Solon.”
“Solon is too far away.”
“Mahu’s condition is that serious?”
Daka gave a solemn nod.
“Do you want me to tell Temaj why you’re sending for him?”
Daka had thought about this. Temaj would be curious at the request. Daka had never asked him for favors, and when Temaj had granted him one, he’d offered it before Daka had even thought to ask. “Yes, I think so. Perhaps giving him the time to think on it before he arrives would be good.”
“All right. I will speak to him the moment he wakes.”
“Thank you, Niya.”
“Where should I send him? Will Mahu be expecting his arrival?” She studied Daka’s face and said flatly, “You haven’t told Mahu.”
Daka flinched. “I brought it up once.”
“And he said no.” A statement, not a question. Niya always read him so well.
“That was before the sickness progressed,” Daka argued. “He doesn’t want to die, Niya, and he doesn’t want to leave me. He may still change his mind. He must.”
She tutted and shook her head. “Careful, baby brother. Tread lightly. If he doesn’t come around, and you do this anyway, he’ll have an eternity to hate you for it.”
