"That would be nice…Do you think I could get something to eat?"
"Sure. I’ll see about food and clean clothes while you wash up."
Saimura led John down another narrow tunnel. John could smell the woody scent of istana soap. Beads of condensation glistened on the stone walls.
"Here you are." Saimura stopped in front of a heavy door and shoved it open. The room inside was small and covered in white tiles. The floor curved down to the center of the room where a metal drain was inset in the tiled floor. At the far corner there was a water pump and two buckets. Tucked back behind the door stood a short wooden stool, two folded towels, and a shaving kit.
"This is the private bath for Ji’s students," Saimura said. "Feel free to use my shaving kit. It didn’t sound like you had much of a chance to pack your own."
"Thank you."
"I’ll be back with clothes and something for you to eat."
"Thanks." John studied the big iron water pump and the heavy pipe that fed down from the ceiling. Faint rust stained the tiles at the pump’s base. Thin wisps of steam drifted up from the pipe.
"The water should be decently hot," Saimura said. "The water pipes run along the venting shafts for the ovens."
"That was a clever design," John commented.
Saimura nodded. John began to undress, then paused as he realized that Saimura hadn’t moved to leave the room. John glanced to Saimura, who gazed back at him. Both John and Saimura stood for a moment in silence. A slow but deep blush spread across Saimura’s face and throat.
"I thought…" Saimura’s cheeks were almost scarlet. "I thought I should take your clothes to have them washed."
"Right," John replied.
He undressed, setting aside only his knife and the stone Saimura had given him. Pale yellow bruises still colored his calves. His hands looked rough and red against the delicate whiteness of his bare thighs.
Saimura glanced briefly at John. Then he gathered the discarded clothes.
"Some of those are just rags," John commented. "I don’t know if they’re worth washing."
"The washers will salvage what they can. The rest can probably be pulped for fuses and wicks." Saimura turned and cracked the door open. He stepped out and then glanced back at John.
"Enjoy your bath," Saimura said. His blush had faded to a slight pink hue beneath his tanned skin.
"I will. Thanks," John replied.
Then Saimura closed the door. John found that there was a small clasp lock on the door and he secured it. After that, he pumped steaming hot water into the two large wooden buckets and scrubbed his body clean.
He had grown used to smelling sweat, blood, and soot on his own body. The scents had haunted his sleep and clung to him as constant reminders of the Holy Road. Now, as he rinsed away the soap and filth, a sense of relief washed over him. He worked soap through his tangled hair and then poured an entire bucket of water over his head. The water was almost painfully hot. John relished it. He scoured his skin with soap and bristle brushes until it grew tender.
John took the shaving kit and found the scissors. He propped the small mirror up on a high shelf while he trimmed his beard. He set aside the scissors and worked a mass of lather up in the shaving tin. A cold breeze stirred the humid air and for a moment John thought that someone had cracked the door.
Then he realized that it was Ravishan opening the Gray Space. Ravishan stepped out of the air only a hand’s length from John. A fine scratch traced the line of his cheek and he looked tired.
"I can’t move as freely as I would like in this place," Ravishan said.
"No?" John asked.
"There are wards. I don’t know if they’ll react to movements in the Gray Space or not. I decided to not take any chances." Ravishan ran his hands over John’s chest. His fingers were cold against John’s bare skin, but they warmed quickly.
"I couldn’t follow you into the chapel," Ravishan said quietly. "What happened in there?"
"They questioned me. Ji agreed to allow me into the Fai’daum."
"That’s all?" Ravishan asked.
"They gave me fathi," John said. "I told them that you were my lover."
Ravishan’s dark eyes went wide. "Then they know I’m here?"
"No, I told them that I didn’t know where you were."
"How could you lie with fathi in your blood?"
"I didn’t. I just didn’t know exactly where you were when they asked."
Ravishan smiled. He took the shaving brush from John and worked the lather into John’s beard.
"So, you found a way to lie while telling the truth." Ravishan picked up the razor and carefully shaved away a swathe of John’s beard. "You could be a very dangerous man, Jahn."
"I know. I could bring everything down on top of us right now." John stared into Ravishan’s dark eyes. Ravishan carefully shaved the whiskers from John’s chin.
"No. You won’t tell them anything," Ravishan said. He rinsed the hair and lather from the long blade of the razor. "You’ve already gotten the Fai’daum to accept you. You’re good at this kind of thing."
Ravishan smiled at John and returned to shaving him.
"I love the way you smile," John said. "Your mouth is so sensual. You have perfect lips. The inside of your mouth is so hot." He closed his eyes while Ravishan finished shaving him. His thoughts lingered on Ravishan’s full lips and inviting mouth while Ravishan toweled away the remaining traces of shaving lather.
"I keep thinking of how good it felt when you went down on me at the hotel in Nurjima," John murmured.
"Really?" Ravishan looked amused. "The fathi still hasn’t worn off, has it?"
"No." John flushed.
Ravishan grinned and set the razor aside. "Tell me more."
"I don’t like to talk." John pulled Ravishan close and kissed him deeply. Ravishan’s tongue slid past his own. His mouth tasted sweet and salty. Ravishan ran his hands over John’s chest and traced the cleft of his abdomen down to John’s hips. John closed his eyes, focusing on the feeling of Ravishan’s playful kisses and alluring caresses.
Ravishan’s teeth lightly grazed the thick muscle of John’s shoulder. He bowed his head and darted his tongue over John’s nipples, sending a shiver of pleasure down John’s loins. At the same time, Ravishan’s warm hands teased the tense flesh of John’s groin. Then Ravishan knelt and took John in his mouth.
John’s knees almost buckled. He braced his arms against the wall to steady himself. Intense pleasure surged through him. He ran his hands through Ravishan’s short black hair, fighting the need to pull Ravishan closer. He strained for control as the rhythm of Ravishan’s flicking tongue and hot mouth rocked through him. His muscles trembled with a mounting urgency.
John wanted to tell Ravishan how much he loved this, how much he loved him. He would do anything for Ravishan. How he would die without him. Inarticulate ecstasy built through John and then at last burst free. He heard his own hoarse voice and realized that he had whispered his every thought.
John knelt down next to Ravishan. Ravishan’s lips were red. His cheeks were flushed. John kissed him.
"Tell me that you love me," Ravishan whispered.
John knew he had already said as much. He had said much more. "I love you. I always will."
Ravishan touched John’s cheek, tracing the line of his jaw. "It’s hard to watch you from the Gray Space when I can’t touch you or protect you."
"I know. I’ll try to talk to Ji about you as soon as I can."
"Be careful when you do." Ravishan stroked John’s smooth jaw. John slipped his hand under Ravishan’s shirt and stroked the delicate skin of his stomach. Slowly, he moved his hand down to Ravishan’s belt. Ravishan caught his hand and pulled it up to his face. He kissed John’s red, chapped knuckles.
"It’s done already," Ravishan said. He looked a little embarrassed. "When you were in my mouth – "
Ravishan’s words were cut short by a gentle knock on the door.
"Jahn?" Saimura called. "I’ve got some clothes for you."
"Thanks," John replied quickly. "I’ll just be a few more minutes here."