AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Look inside," Amerlee said.
I opened the first pouch expecting to see a few silver coins. It felt heavy enough to have at least ten. Instead, they were gold. I'd guessed the number right, but not the value. In shock, I looked back at Jamik.
"This... My father receivedoneof these when he surrendered me to the gods!"
"And you'll make many, many more," he assured me. "There's a good chance you will not get the tea stain out of that dress, so you'll need another. One of those coins is for that. Another is for the damage to your face, because I think it will bruise. It's what a few minutes with a priestess is worth, little sister."
Chapter 24
Nariana
The entire ordeal gave me something else to think about. I'd heard the strength of those slaps. The next morning, Amerlee's face and chest had already started to color, and not even cosmetics could hide the bruises. My own cheek was a beautiful shade of purple, which had both Eladehl and Wraythe pissed off, but it was more than that.
I'd just seen what it truly meant to follow the Path of the Body. I had a feeling Amerlee had decided to let me witness that not simply because she needed another participant, but so I would see that sometimes the assignments were not nearly as glamorous as we students imagined. The man had wanted two things, rage and fear, and he'd gotten them both. Amerlee had received his rage, and my ignorant fear had fueled it.
I didn't spend the money, though. Eladehl helped me get the stain out of my red dress, and Amerlee gave me some lotion to ease the ache in my cheek. I didn't really need anything else, so I stashed the two little bags on the shelf with my books. For me, they were a reminder of the price we paid as priestesses of Zeal.
And I still hadn't decided on a Path. The more I thought about it, the less I wanted to choose. Every option had a downside, but they also had parts that were pretty good. None of them seemed like a perfect fit for me. No, I wasn't terrified of being in Amerlee's place. The pain had been quick and intense, but it faded fast enough. I certainly wasn't opposed to the idea of laying with a man. My concern was laying with a man like Lavin, the priest who'd tried to threaten me with a bad grade.
But the Path of the Word seemed worse. I was good with people. Everyone said so, and I enjoyed giving them what they needed. Just like that woman from the Temple of All Gods. She'd had the wrong idea about Priests of Temptation, but I'd managed to set her at ease. That felt very good, yet it wasn't a Path. Following the Word was more about teaching students, like Saval did, or organizing who was available for an assignment of the body. Only the highest priests got to perform holiday celebrations, and there were quite a few in line ahead of me. Never mind that I didn't like the idea of talking while everyone just stared.
Which meant I probably belonged on the Path of Action. Helping Amerlee get dressed and style her hair was one of my favorite things. As a Priestess of Action, I could dabble in hobbies and make them useful. I could assist Eladehl with his duties! I wouldn't be at every stranger's beck and call - just all the priests in the temple. I also would quickly fade from memory as the girl who spoke for a god. The downside was that I wanted a little more than that.
Being the person everyone needed was nice, but it felt like I'd spend all my time worrying about petty things. Enjoying reading was one thing. Selecting books for others wasn't the same. The Path of Action was meant to support the Priests of the Body and the Word, not take away from them.
But that made me consider the Path of Protection all over again. Spending time with my guys, I'd become tolerable with weapons, although that was a long way from good. Still, I could hold my own, and if I was chosen, I'd get even more training. After all, Ihadstarted a little late. I just wasn't sure I could handle the rings that went with it. Yeah, and I preferred to be pinned between a pair of men, not watching them. I also couldn't think of a single person in my class who I'd want to spend the rest of my life protecting except the one who already had a guardian. That, more than anything else, made me push the Path of Protection aside.
Which left me back where I started, at least until the tenth-year students finally got to witness a display in celebration of the darkest night of the year. It was the middle of winter, the temple was filled with dozens of roaring fires, and our entire class was told to assemble at the center of the temple an hour after dinner, in our best robes.
In years past, my class had always celebrated this holiday together, staying up as long as we could. The entire hall was filled with trays of food and spiced drinks. Cushions were thrown outside each door so we could gather. For the Temple of Temptation, it was a special time, meant to be spent with friends and loved ones. This was the one time when the temptations that came with night were given more hours than the responsibilities of the day. Each god had their special holiday, and this one was meant for Zeal.
I'd always known the priests had their own way of celebrating, but we were deemed too young to witness it. Prominent members of society were invited to come into the temple and join us, and for the first time, we got to see what that meant. As Eladehl, Wraythe, and I made our way to the center of the temple, we saw impressively-dressed men and women file in through the main entrance. Priests of Action took their winter coats and hats, storing them for safekeeping. Priests of Obligation manned the closets, making sure everything was hung properly. Priests of the Word greeted many of our guests like old friends.
But I couldn't see a single Priest of the Body or Protection. They were conspicuous in their absence.
Then we reached our destination. From the outside, I knew the Temple of Temptation had a gilded dome. This was the first time I'd ever been allowed to see the inside. The room beneath it was large and open. In the center of that was a pit. From the main floor of the temple, we looked down into it, with a heavy stone railing to keep us from falling in. Below was a room like I'd never imagined.
It was more like a stage, except lowered instead of raised. Props were set up in the middle, and the floor was all made of something padded, like one giant cushion. Chairs were set around the edge for viewing, with only a pair of downward steps between them and the show area. A few of the things set out were easy to identify, but others, like the giant X, weren't anything we'd discussed in class.
The three of us were bent over the railing, gawking without shame, when a laugh made me turn. Standing only a step behind me was Amerlee in her most beautiful dress yet. It wasn't typically formal, and I had a feeling it wouldn't be acceptable in public, but she looked absolutely amazing in the body-hugging black silk. A slit ran from her hip all the way down, exposing her creamy flesh each time she moved, and her breasts were bound tight enough that they strained to break free with each breath.
"You look beautiful," I told her.
She smiled and tilted her head at Jamik. "That's what he said. I figured since I'm not performing tonight, then I might as well get dressed up instead."
"Performing?" Eladehl asked.
Amerlee just lifted one of her red brows. "Don't be coy, young man. It doesn't suit you. A few years ago, Nari, Jamik, and I came to an agreement. It would be weird to think of each other sexually, so we simply won't do it. And so, for the first time in six years, I've asked to be excluded from the Darkest Night display."
"I'm sorry," I told her.
She shook her head. "I'm not. Besides, I only said the display. Shalsa and I will finally get to celebrate together, and my best friend won't have to imitate a statue for hours on end."
Jamik glanced away and sighed. "Thanks for making me feel useless, darling. And no, we are not going to spoil your fun. I have a feeling that in about half an hour, you will not want us anywhere near you. Just..." He caught my eye. "Do not let the excitement make you turn foolish."
"That sounds ominous," I teased.
He crooked his finger, encouraging me to step back with him, away from my friends. When we were as alone as it was possible to get in this room, he draped his arm over my shoulder and leaned toward my ear.
