Page 12 of Six Burning Candles

Keida blanched, her eyes wide as she stared at me. My cheeks roasted, two bell peppers I pressed to the flames and left to burn. I felt like I’d thrown myself onto one of the torches lighting our way back to the cathedral. Stomach in knots, the rest of me turned to stone, we lingered in that limbo. The sun dipped another inch lower behind the mountains, draping the kingdom in Avaris’ embrace. Staring at Keida, I forgot how to breathe.

Why can’t I say no to you? Why can’t I stop myself? Why can’t I…

“Keida,” I whispered her name, stepping toward her. Her eyes darkened in response, a blown-out expression that made me shiver. Keida closed the space between us, pressing my back against the side of the patchwork stone wall. Darkness made it feel intimate as my fingers ran up the front of her robes. I tugged on the fabric, winding it around my fingers. She inhaled sharply. Her arm pressed over my head and caged me in. It looked like she might say something only the bells rang over our heads and we both jumped out of our skin. Flyingover the cobblestone, we continued our dead sprint back home. The bells beckoned all those who desired blessings from the goddess into her temple. There was a small crowd lingering by the front doors. They were steadily let in by clerics who didn’t spend the day dancing around the object of their attraction at the festival.

Stepping through the side entrance into the small, cozy nook of cloaks for leaving the cathedral was suffocating. Especially as I scraped my hooves off on the mat, watching Keida dunk her hands into the cleansing pool. Her heated look, so dark and hungry that encompassed me back against that wall was gone. Instead, her features were cool, serene, back to center with herself. As I stepped up beside her, a long slender sink full of purified water that never needed to be drained or refilled, she glanced up. She dabbed a slightly damp rag across my face and I felt the purification of the day settle into my skin.

While the magic water could remove the dirt on my cheek or the gravel under my nails, it couldn’t remove the imprint of Keida on my skin.

She dried her hands and bowed her head to me. “I’ll meet you in there.”

My frosty cleric disappeared into the cathedral, leaving me in the small, wool-heavy room. It smelled of worn leather and damp fabric in desperate need of drying. And as I dunked my hands into the purification pool, watching the stains on my hands and knuckles disappear, I couldn’t help but think back to the garden, to Daphne’s study, or even to the tree where she kissed me. Keida’s touch was seared into my brain.

She wants to pretend like this isn’t real…but I don’t want that.As much as I wanted to be the high and mighty Melrose ‘never chase a person who won’t chase you’ St. Augustine, I felt weak to Keida? Maybe she was the exception to my one rule.I swore I’d never beg to be loved but I was feeling like my knees on the cathedral steps wasn’t a bad idea. My ego wasn’t in the picture in the least. I wanted her so bad it hurt.

My eyes trailed up the two wooden steps into the building, following a darkened hallway toward the source of the joyous ruckus. I considered how much I was willing to do…to get Keida to at least admit she wanted me.

Even if she couldn’t commit to it, even if she couldn’t give in, I deserved the truth.

And that’s how I ended up in the front row of the cathedral, staring up at the massive altar, watching Keida stand behind it. Imagining what I’d rather have draped over that stone slab than candles kept my mind busy as all the pews filled beyond capacity. An elbow into my ribs that was followed by a remorseful ‘sorry’ whispered in my ear from another cleric woke me from my trance. I searched the room for Leonardo and found only Keida leading the ceremony. There was no time to ask one of the other clerics, as Keida proceeded to call upon the crowd to join in the sermon.

As much as I hated to admit it, Keida commanded a crowd. Her stony exterior was never due to her inability to relate to people. As she wove through the story of the six candles, reminding the kingdom of the importance of our goddess and her worship, I swooned like a fool. Memorizing the shape of her face while she spoke of how Avaris held the world in her embrace during winter. Dreaming of her mouth against mine as she explained the moon and sun chasing each other in the sky, two lovers sworn to each other but never together much. Fantasizing of those fingers as they drew sigils in the air. Sparks of lightning filled the air shortly before magic soaked into the room.

“Melrose?” Keida turned to face me, and my body stilled into a statue. My thighs clamped together with a hard knock of myknees. She took the three steps down the stage and extended a hand to me. “Will you join me? A St. Augustine should still light the candles.”

My palm fit into hers perfectly. As I rose to my hooves, a shiver ran down my spine from the way her fingers curled around me. She led me up to the altar where a long match was placed in my hand. One palm to the crook of my waist, another guiding my palm, the match was lit with a snap of her fingers.

“First we pray to Avaris. For the blessing of a good rest. May the crops return in the spring and may the cool of her embrace hold us safely.” She led my match down to the first candle and my heart skipped a beat. The fingers at my side dug in. I shifted in her touch and felt them press harder into the fabric of my dress. My match neared the second candle. With each name and prayer, the congregation murmuring their part to the ceremony, all I heard within my own heart…Goddess, please, all I wish for is her. I do not need riches or fame. I do not desire good business. The only thing I need is Keida.

I nearly swallowed my tongue as she plucked the match from my fingers. Lifting it above us, the room full of faceless people bowed in prayer. My eyes were on Keida as she finished reciting the prayer to the gods. Illuminated in dancing candlelight, her face was cast in beautiful amber. Then those frosty blue eyes flickered my way and as she blew out the match, my lungs cast out all oxygen. Her fingers bruised against my waist, and I thought for a moment she might kiss me. Only for the room to fill with glowing magic as the blessing lifted off the candles.

A blessing was bestowed upon every person in the room.

I stepped in closer to her body, stifling the shivers from her cold touch. Keida dropped the match down into the minor bucket of water at the edge of the altar. It hissed, a plume ofsilvery smoke dancing off its surface. Keida’s gaze locked with mine as I whispered in her ear, “I am in need of a confessional, pardon me.”

My heart thundered as I gave Keida a low bow. Stomach in knots, nipples hard as rocks, and thighs trembling, I felt her following me with the same dark eyes from before. Hungry orbs of crystal blue that told me she wanted to devour me. And Ineededher to do it.Goddess preserve me.

Chapter Eight:

~Keida~

Ibarelygotawayfrom the parishioners in time to storm through the cathedral. As the other clerics cleared the room, I marched toward the far corner of the church.Please still be there.I shouldnothave considered fucking Melrose St. Augustine in the confessional booth. I absolutely should not have thought of doing itwhen I was the head cleric in the church.With only a few moments to spare when we arrived, I was told her father was still being seen by the queen’s healers. It left me in charge. Anytime he traveled or needed time off, I was the stand in.

The rational thing to do would be to talk to all those in the pews and ensure the application of the goddess’ blessing like Leonardo did every year. What I did, instead of my very important job, was rip back the doorway to my portion of the confessional booth. A small, six by six room with a sheer curtain running down the middle. Moonlight poked through the crystal slot along the top of the room, illuminating Melrose in an ethereal light. As I stepped into my portion of the booth, the door clicking behind me, she rendered me breathless. She wasn’t wearing a single piece of clothing.

“Melrose,” I warned, stepping closer to the curtain. She sat perfectly on a short leather cushioned bench by theconfessor’s altar, hands in prayer in front of her face. Her gaze finally lifted from her hands. A wicked smile played across her features.

“Goddess preserve me, for I’ve been wicked,” she murmured, winking. Even through the gauzy curtain, I could see her clear as day. I pushed the sheer silk aside and inhaled sharply through my nose. Sitting back on the bench, hands clasped in front of her, with sparkling eyes, Melrose gazed up at me like I were made of stars. Every inch of her skin prickled with gooseflesh.

“Melrose,” I warned again.

“You’re supposed to ask, ‘what is it the goddess need forgive you for, my child’.” She grinned from ear to ear. Rolling back her shoulders, she put her pebbled nipples on display. My clit buzzed with excitement and desperation.Why…goddess give me strength.But not even Avaris’ disapproval could sway me as I stepped up before Melrose. One hand cupping her chin, I held her with all the restraint I could muster.

“And…what is it that Our Lady Avaris needs to forgive you for, Trouble?” I exhaled a shaky breath. Every muscle in my body tightened. Melrose leaned into my touch, and I bit down on the inside of my cheeks.

“I’m having lecherous thoughts.” Melrose lifted her hands to the front of my robes, tugging on them lightly.

“Youalwayshave lecherous thoughts, naughty girl, what’s different this time?” I teased, lips curling.