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"It's no different than what I'm supposed to be doing now, right?" I asked.
"Not to start. In the end, I hope that the awe you inspire will give you power, as well as me. I truly hope that you will use that power to reshape my temple. To sway the highest positions in my favor. Maybe even to change the way my priests think of your duty, because I want the temptations to be as pleasurable for you as for the patron tithing for the opportunity. I want, Chosen, to reclaim my religion, and the first step is for your men to see me."
Chapter 51
Nariana
After that, Zeal answered our questions. Well, most of them. Some he blatantly ignored. I did my best to act as the go-between for him and the guys, but I had a feeling something was lost in translation. Wraythe wanted to know if they could take off the rings. Zeal said it was possible, but it might be painful still. Eladehl wanted to know how he was supposed to lead me. Zeal told him he'd figure it out.
Then there was Talin. He asked why Zeal hadn't just let him go. Zeal said it was two-fold. First, because he knew that Talin would not be happy anywhere else, and second because he deserved to overtake his brother. When Talin asked what that meant, Zeal casually changed the subject. None of us noticed until later.
When Zeal finally left that evening, after talking to us for hours, the guys needed a bit to process it all. Eladehl and Talin decided to head to the dining hall and get a few drinks. This time, the idea was to enjoy and relax, not to overindulge. Wraythe opted to stay with me, saying the guys could handle it.
The moment they were through the door, he moved over to the couch beside me. "Hey? You doing ok with all of this?"
"This?" I asked.
He turned to see me, bracing one arm against the back of the couch. "Everyone knowing you're marked for five Paths. Ciella getting bitchy. A god telling you he plans to use you? Seeing him when we can't?" His eyes watched me. "This.Allof this. The Path of the Body, the guardian, and everything that's happened since our Choosing."
I snuggled closer, tucking myself under his arm. "I was just thinking that today was the first time you and Talin just came over like you belong here. So, yeah, it's been a little hard - what with all of us trying to adjust to our new roles and limitations."
Using his fingertips, he traced the line of my cheek before gently easing my hair back. "I woke up with a hard-on today. The fucking ring made it take a bit to go down, but it didn't hurt at all."
"So they're better?"
"For me," he agreed. "I didn't ask Talin. Just kinda seems weird to ask a guy about his dick like that, but it doesn't cut me anymore. Doesn't hurt when I touch it. Doesn't pinch if I move the wrong way."
My eyes dropped to his crotch. "And what about when it's rubbed?"
Amusement flickered in his eyes a moment before Wraythe grabbed my leg, pulling me onto his lap. "Haven't tried. Kinda had class this morning, remember? The edges of it aren't sharp anymore, either. I'm just saying it's weird to think that some god, who happens to be into guys, is messing around with my dick."
I scooted closer, sliding right up against his hips, my hands cupping both sides of his neck. "It's no different than the people who put it on. I mean, unless you had priestesses do that?"
"No," he grumbled. "Priests. Four of them."
"Four?" I paused, realizing I had no idea how that works. "If it has teeth, and hurts to get off, then how do they even get iton?"
"Um..." He held up a finger between us, demonstrating with his hands. "It's like a tube, right? They lubricate the inside, have the ring at the end on the outside, and slide the whole thing down the shaft. Sounds like that's how they get it off, too. But they strap us down, sitting with our legs spread. Three of them hold us, and the fourth steps between our legs, grabs the dick, and does the thing. Between the fear - because they show us the ring before it happens - and the cold room, I'm pretty sure everyone's dick is soft. Means the tube just fits over it, so the teeth? Yeah, they're like a warning at all times."
"That's barbaric," I breathed.
Wraythe nodded. "Irila said that the women get pierced, which is actually easier in the end, but harder in the beginning. They seal the end of the ring so it can't come undone, and have to cut it if she ever changes Paths."
"I'm sorry you had to go through that." I let my thumb caress his jaw.
Wraythe leaned into it. "You know, I woulda been ok with being celibate if it hadn't cut so bad. They judge the size of us when we're soft, right? Doesn't matter how much it swells when it's engorged. The whole point is to learn how to stop that, but it's a natural response! I promise, I do not intentionally get a hard-on in the morning."
"I was so worried about you," I whispered. "And when I saw the blood?"
"I didn't want you to see that," he admitted.
"Why?"
His hands found my waist, sliding slowly up my back. "Because I'm supposed to be your big, strong protector. I want to be the one you can lean on without feeling weak. I want to pamper you when you're sick, not the other way around. Nari, I didn't want you to worry, because I love you and just want to take care of you."
"But that goes both ways," I reminded him. "You can't always be the tough guy. Even you need to ask for help sometimes, and I will always be here for you. That's why we work, right? The three - er, four - of us."
He smiled at my correction. "You like him, don't ya?"
