"I’ll have Tanash bring you yellowpetal," Ji said. "Will you need bandages as well?"
Ravishan didn’t respond right away. John knew that he didn’t want to admit the extent of his injuries. John answered for him.
"That would be good. My neck is a little cut up." John smiled down at Ji. "Thank you."
"You’re welcome." Ji gazed at John. "Though, next time maybe you should tell me before you decide to rush into an ambush."
"I sent Eriki’yu to you," John said.
"You should have come with him instead of going to fight. And you shouldn’t have fought so well," Ji said. "I don’t know how I’m going to convince Lafi’shir that you’re unsuited to military service now. Arren has already been hinting that you should be sent out."
"But I’m your student," John protested.
"Yes, well, we’ll see," Ji replied. "Don’t worry about it right now. Just take care of Ravishan."
Ji gave a heavy sigh that made John want to reach out and pat her head. He restrained himself.
"I’ll send Tanash in a little while." Ji turned and loped back towards the central tunnel.
"Well, you heard her," Ravishan said softly. "Take care of me."
He smiled at John. It was an inviting smile, but John recognized the bluff in it. Ravishan was exhausted and sick from spending so much time in the Gray Space. He stood at the verge of collapse, far too proud to admit it.
John took Ravishan’s hand and pulled him into the small tiled room. He closed the door and locked it behind them. Ravishan slipped out of his heavy coat. John helped him strip off the rest of his clothes. He paused a moment, seeing the gold key that Ravishan wore on a silver chain around his neck. John didn’t try to remove it.
He made Ravishan sit down on one of the bathing stools. John kissed him gently and washed him. At least two dozen thin, red cuts crisscrossed his chest, arms, and legs. A strange, stale ozone scent clung to his skin. John filled bucket after bucket of hot water and rinsed away the dirt and dank scents.
The water splashed over John, soaking the leg of his pants. He quickly stripped them off and continued washing Ravishan.
"I feel like your prize goat," Ravishan muttered as John worked lather through his hair.
"My goat. You know, my thoughts were headed in an entirely different direction," John replied. He rinsed the soap out of Ravishan’s hair. They kissed again.
Ravishan draped his arms over John’s shoulders and leaned against him. He closed his eyes and rested his head against John’s neck.
"Are we going to be safe here?" Ravishan whispered.
"I think so," John said.
"I’m tired of hiding."
"I know." John kissed Ravishan’s clean dark hair.
Comfortable warmth radiated from the pipes running overhead. John held Ravishan close and felt the tension drain from his body. Ravishan’s breath slowed to a deep, relaxed rhythm.
There was a loud knock at the door. Ravishan bolted upright and instantly disappeared into the Gray Space. John started to grab him but then thought better of it. A moment later, the air next to John shuddered. A hiss of brutal cold escaped as Ravishan reappeared. He looked a little dazed and embarrassed.
There was a second knock at the door.
"Who is it?" John called.
"Tanash. I’m loaded down like a pack animal so you have to open the door for me… ahem, if you’re decent."
John took a towel for himself and tossed another to Ravishan. Ravishan wrapped it around his waist. John opened the door.
Tanash staggered in. The stack of clothes and baskets in her arms was piled high enough to almost block her vision. She carried at least two jackets, several shirts, and pants, as well as bundles of socks and underwear. John recognized the clothes. Larran had made them for him.
John quickly took the two baskets that balanced on top of the clothes. Clay pots of medical salves and bandages cluttered one of the baskets. The other contained a jar of oil, brushes, a shaving razor, and a tin of tooth powder.
Tanash stared past the huge stack of clothes in her arms to Ravishan. Ravishan regarded Tanash with slight suspicion. Tanash blanched and then turned quickly to John.
"Ji wanted me to bring your clothes. And she sent yellowpetal and your shaving kit as well…"
"Thank you," John said. He took the clothes and piled them on the bathing stool. "Let me introduce you. Ravishan, this is Tanash. She’s another of Ji’s students."
"I’m new to the Warren too. My father sent me up from Amura’milaun to study here," Tanash said. She smiled, showing her protruding front teeth. Ravishan didn’t smile in return.
"I’m Ravishan. I’ve come from Rathal’pesha."
Tanash nodded. "Everybody’s talking about you. They’re saying that you’re an ushiri."
"I was," Ravishan said. "I’m not one of them now."
"Did you really kill Lyyn with a touch of your hand?" Tanash asked in a whisper.
"I used a Silence Knife," Ravishan replied.
"Oh." Tanash frowned slightly. John doubted that she knew what a Silence Knife was. Ravishan didn’t seem inclined to explain. He was probably too tired to realize that he ought to. John handed Ravishan the jar of yellowpetal salve.
"Did Ji say if Ravishan would be initiated at dinner tonight?" John asked Tanash.
"I think so." Tanash’s smile returned when she looked to John. "Ji’s going to sponsor him."
John nodded. He wondered if his underwear would fit Ravishan. He guessed that it didn’t matter. Ravishan rarely wore underwear.
"Now we’re going to have two men in the Witches District." Tanash grinned. "Kansa was flapping her fingers like mad. But I told her that you’re going to room together, so it won’t be indecent."
"She wasn’t worried about that when I was living with you," John commented.
"No, but you’re…you know…" Tanash blushed. "Harmless."
"Harmless?" Ravishan demanded.
Tanash’s face flushed from pink to dark red.
"It’s all right, Ravishan," John said. "There’s nothing wrong with people feeling safe with me. That’s all Tanash meant."
Ravishan frowned but didn’t say anything. He still hadn’t applied any of the yellowpetal to his injuries. John realized that he wouldn’t while Tanash stood here, watching.
John glanced to Tanash. "Ravishan and I should probably finish cleaning up and get dressed. We’ll see you at dinner, all right?"
"Oh, of course." Tanash went to the door. "I’ll see you later."
John nodded and Tanash left. John locked the door again.
"You’re not harmless," Ravishan said.
"She meant that I wasn’t likely to force myself on any of the women." John lifted the lid off the jar of yellowpetal. He rubbed a little of the salve over the cut on Ravishan’s cheek. The skin felt hot, but it wasn’t swollen or red. Injuries from the Gray Space could be slow to heal but they rarely became infected. John guessed it was a result of the Gray Space’s intense sterility. Nothing survived there for long, not even microbes.
"Does everyone here know about us?" Ravishan asked.
"Nearly. Word travels fast. Lyyn and his friends knew before they even met me. That’s why they wanted to ambush me." John continued treating the lacerations that marred Ravishan’s skin.
"I should have killed all three of them," Ravishan said.
John just shook his head.
"Why not?" Ravishan asked.
"We didn’t need to." John set the jar of yellowpetal salve aside. He bandaged a deep cut just above Ravishan’s knee.
"It isn’t wise to let an enemy live," Ravishan said.
"No. I suppose it’s not." John found it strange to consider murder so practically. He should have been repulsed. He looked up at Ravishan’s handsome face. There was a hard pragmatism to Ravishan, but it didn’t disgust John. Ravishan made John ponder the value of lenience.
"It’s not smart to make more enemies than we have to," John said. "Those men all have families here in the Warren. I think that showing a little mercy might work in our favor."
"I know you’re right, but the thought of someone hurting you again…" Ravishan touched John’s cheek gently. "I couldn’t just let that happen."