Part 42 (1/2)
”Maryam. This is not proper.”
At least those were the words that formed themselves in Bora's mind.
They seemed to stick in his throat, so that only a croak came out. Then he gasped as if he had run miles as Maryam undid the sash of her robe.
As she stood, she shrugged herself out of it. Bora had never imagined that a woman's b.r.e.a.s.t.s could be so splendid. b.r.e.a.s.t.s, and all the rest of the dark lushness now revealed.
”Bora,” she said, and the word itself was a caress. ”Bora, you have never lain with a woman, have you?”
He had no words, but his eyes seemed to speak clearly. Maryam moved to him and pressed herself against him, from shoulder to knee.
”Then you must have a chance, before you ride into the mountains.” She continued to press herself against him, while her hands went deftly to work on his clothes.
Presently he had the wits to help her with that work, and at last to follow her to the bed.
Raihna rolled over in the bed as Conan entered. Bare shoulders alone showed above the blankets. He sat on the bed and ran his hand along the curves under the blankets. He knew that Raihna usually slept naked.
His hand ran back up to the edge of the blankets and started to dive under them. Raihna rolled on her back, letting the blankets slide down to her waist. Before Conan could touch what this movement exposed, she caught his hands and held them against her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.
”You're all but healed, from that gash at the Red Falcon,” Conan said.
”I heal quickly, Conan. I wish the same could be said of Ma.s.souf.”
”His wound is elsewhere. Has he been whining again?”
”I would not call it that, Conan. He wants to come with us, into the mountains.”
”He does?”
”He spoke to both me and Illyana.”
”Supposing that he did, what will I hear that you said to him?”
”We will let him come.”
”Crom! Where's the Powder?” Conan started to rise.
Raihna s.h.i.+fted her grip, so that he could not do so without some discomfort. She looked at his discomfited expression and laughed.
”Raihna, this is a poor jest. Ma.s.souf wants to kill himself.”
”So we surmised. Since Dessa jumped lightly into Khezal's bed, he has known she is not for him.”
”Then why, by Erlik's yard, can't he find another woman? That little trull isn't the only bedmate in the whole world for a lad like Ma.s.souf.
He's a fool. It's like my pining away because I can't bed Illyana!”
Something pa.s.sed over Raihna's face at those words. Jealousy? No, something different, more complicated, and likely to be revealed only in Raihna's own good time. Conan gently disengaged himself from Raihna's grasp and sat down at the foot of the bed.
”You don't love Illyana,” Raihna said at last. ”Ma.s.souf-well, he would not believe what you just said. He loves Dessa too much.”