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Then he turned me toward our usual table, talking as we walked. "The god-lace is nothing more than pieces of our soul brought to the surface, according to Zeal. The parts that match us with our desires?" He paused to let me sit, then took the chair across from me. "Nari, that's your soul under my skin. He said that's why we have a connection. It's because he's tied us together. It's why it was so easy to fall in love with you, but notwhyI did. Just why it was easy."
I looked over to Wraythe, who'd claimed the chair beside him. "But what about us? Why does Talin get a part of my soul but you don't?"
"Pretty sure the larger shapes of your lace match the pattern on my arms up by my shoulders. Maybe even the bit across my back." He shrugged. "I also don't need your soul to be in love. And Ela? I think those swirls on his dick match the ones at your collar bones. Wrong place, same effect. Could explain why he's taking his sessions harder than he should."
"Yeah," I agreed, realizing he had a point. "But then who amIbound to? They all say that the lines down my spine should be where the match is, but no one matches."
"Zeal," Talin said softly.
But that didn't feel right - or not completely right. Yes, I was bound to Zeal, but not the same way Talin and Wraythe were bound to me. I didn't have the same obsession to always know where he was and if he was ok. Still, I had a funny feeling that our god had done something with my marks. And if it was his soul, then what did that even mean? After all, he was a god, and his soul had to be bigger, deeper, stronger, or moresomethingthan a normal person's.
"It's not that serious," Eladehl said as he returned carrying four heaping plates. "Talin, grab two of these?"
Without getting up, Talin did, passing one to me and the other to Wraythe. Ela set another in front of Talin, then moved around to claim the chair beside me. I waited until he was comfortable before filling him in on my thoughts.
"No, it's not that," I insisted. "I'm less worried about how big of a deal it is and more about what it means."
"How so?" Talin asked.
I was still trying to work this out one piece at a time, but I could almost feel the answer sitting just out of reach. "They said the guardian marks are pieces of our soul, right?"
"Yep," Ela agreed. "Jamik's said something about the same."
"Difference is," Talin interjected, "that Zeal actually confirmed it to me."
"Regardless," I said, "who do I match? Even if the pattern is Zeal's, it can't be his soul. Not if he's so worried about me being able to handle..." I quickly shut my mouth.
"Nope," Ela said. "Finish that."
"Sex," I mumbled.
"With a god," Talin finished for me. "Just before we left, our little temptress had a make out session with Zeal. Seems he is taking things slow because fucking him isn't as easy as one of us."
"Why?" Wraythe asked, completely unconcerned that I'd kissed Zeal.
"Because," I said, doing my best to recite what I'd been told, "a man loves my body but a god will love my soul. It's supposedly not an easy thing. I got the impression he's worried about hurting me."
"Understandable," Wraythe mumbled, shoveling a bite of food into his mouth. "Been there."
"And none of you care that I kinda made out with him?" I asked, giving them the chance to speak up.
"Not really," Ela admitted. "Kinda figured that was his end goal, and it's not like you'd turn down a god - admit it, he's gorgeous. Anyway, the whole point, Nari, is that if Talin's wearing your soul, and Wraythe is wearing mine and yours, then Anvercannotbe wearing Tishlie's. Sure, his marks are smaller, but those two? They havenobond. None. Anver takes care of her because he has to, not because he wants to."
"Who do I take care of?" I asked, looking at all three of them in hopes of an answer.
It was Ela who had it. "The temple. I don't know, the whole system?"
"Really?" Because that kinda felt like something a god would do.
He just shrugged. "I'm guessing wildly here. Zeal wants you to bring back his faith. His temple is supposed to keep it alive. Doesn't it kinda make sense that he's basically asking you to protect the Temple of Temptation as a whole?"
"And all the priests in it," Talin groaned. "Shit. That's a big burden to carry."
"More or less of one than a piece of a god's soul?" I wondered. "I'm willing to bet our god's soul is heavier than all the people in Calseth."
Talin just cocked his head and shrugged. "I honestly have no idea. I think a better question is how you could manage to do either. I mean, a god? A temple full of priests? That's more than one person's responsibility."
The words came out of his mouth just as Anver and Tishlie made it into the dining hall. I could still see the red mark from her hand on his cheek, and there was clearly no fondness between them. Anver followed his ward into the line, but he looked resigned, almost as if he'd rather be anywhere else. Even worse, I had a feeling this slap wouldn't be the last. If anything, she was getting more brazen about the abuse.
