Ghost Monkey, стр. 35
One day, after weeks of dinner together, Sugriva saw Prisha alone in a hallway. There were usually servants around, but this time no one lurked around the corner.
She kept her face down, and watched Sugriva in the coy manner of a maiden. "Sir," she whispered as they passed, her fingertips touching his forearm. It sent a jolt straight up his elbow and into his shoulder. He made a fist to keep himself from shoving her against a wall and kissing her.
"Prisha," he said, and they walked past each other. This happened several times when Sugriva visited, like she planned the brief meetings.
After it went on for a while, as she touched his forearm, there was a voice behind her. "Prisha, that is improper." It was Divyan. "Get ready for dinner."
When she left, he said, "I'm sorry, Sugriva. That was immensely inappropriate, and I know your reputation is already in such a tenuous situation." He bowed several times. "Again, I'm so sorry."
Undeterred by Divyan’s warning, Prisha approached Sugriva after dinner. "Meet me on the roof before you leave tonight."
Monkey's vision went dark, as his heart beat rapidly. He could only nod, leaving her to giggle as she went off to her room. At least he wasn't reading her wrong.
Sugriva said goodnight to Divyan and Amu. Prisha had excused herself to bed earlier, and the wife never remained long after enduring a few pecks of dinner.
Once out the door, Sugriva shifted into a monkey and scrambled up to the top of the nest. There was a note.
Meet me in the canopy.
Sugriva's mouth opened, and he wanted to howl, but he kept silent. He hopped around a little, then scampered up the tree, darting between the branches. A few hawks hunted under cover of night. A few neared Sugriva, but the monkey easily shooed them off, and they went toward less lively prey.
Bursting through the canopy, Sugriva glimpsed Prisha in her janaav form, half hawk and half girl. She laughed at the sight of Sugriva. "You came. That's wonderful." She went back to looking at the stars. "Do you ever wonder what's in the heavens? If the Ashtadash are watching us and guiding us? Or if they forgot about us and don't care?"
"Why say that?" He moved closer to her, though not too close. It could be a clever trap set by her mother, but he hoped for something to happen. Perhaps she just wanted an exotic friend to confide in. It would be a scandal, but it would not constitute stepping off the path.
She continued, "What if the castes are just to keep us obedient? You seem like someone who would understand that. Your parents, they were of different generations, but that's forbidden. Why? They produced a fine janaav they should be proud of. You even followed them into the warrior caste."
The subject chafed his heart. "Did it produce a fine janaav? I still can't shift into my form." He sighed. "But I think the Ashtadash are here. Met one who rode a bull and kept the local Fangs at bay. He made a potion to slow my corruption. But one day it didn't help." He wept, flashes of the broken memories coming back to him.
Prisha moved closer. He wrapped an arm around her, and her muscles flinched before warming to his finger. Sugriva stopped when he felt a rope under her chest. In the darkness it was impossible to see. The rope wrapped around several times and bound her wings. Prisha frowned and looked away, as if this was a shame she hid from Sugriva. He asked, "Why are your wings bound?"
"I don't know how to fly, so they are bound except for lessons until I learn how to properly use them."
"What does that mean? Can you or not?"
Prisha laughed. "A young sparrow can reach the sky. But the hawks are proud, and there is a right and wrong form. My form is juvenile."
"I never noticed it before." He reached out and caressed her wings. She recoiled at first, then moved into him.
"As a human, it's just fine rope wrapped around me. Any outfit would hide it." She smirked and flexed the wings a little. "I don't have wings sticking out."
"That makes sense. If you can fly, why wouldn't you? Just undo the knots and take off."
"I don't know how to redo them. Do you?"
His fingers fumbled with the rope, then moved under them, touching her back as he looked for the knots. Then he moved forward, and her breath caught as he went just below her breasts. He looked into her eyes, and his fingers went lower. Stomach muscles went taut at the cool touch, then he felt her back tense as he embraced her. Lips pressed against each other with an appreciative sigh. Her tongue was uncertain as it pushed through his lips. Her mouth opened too wide, as if trying to eat him. Untrained fingers fumbled over Sugriva's body.
She shook her head, trembling. "No. This is too fast."
"I'm sorry. I should go."
"No," she said forcefully and grabbed his hand. Their lips met once more before she pulled back. "Now you can go."
SUGRIVA AND PRISHA saw each other nearly every day, often through planned accidents, so they could meet in public and not raise too much suspicion. People still whispered on how the two janaav teetered on the edge of their paths, but Divyan dismissed the gossip.
Sugriva and Prisha bumped into each other at the market. Sugriva had some beets, while Prisha bought a beautiful collar. A warm smile touched Sugriva's lips. "How strange to see you here, Prisha. I see you bought a beautiful neck thing."
Prisha laughed, cheeks turning red. "Yes. It's a collar made of turquoise. It's supposed to be lucky." She nodded to the beets