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I caught his fingers, holding his hand in mine. "So, you're telling me to be patient?"
"I'm telling you to stop regretting that you told her you love her. Give her that vulnerability, and let her weigh it. Let her realize that it's real, and it's ok to feel the same way. Love her, Talin, because you can't stop yourself. You can only make yourself miserable."
I dropped my eyes to the god's hand in mine. "And Eladehl?"
"You two would make each other happy, if you can tolerate him. That would make the four of you happiest. He's not an easy man, though. He pretends like he is, but that's how he protects her."
Which didn't actually surprise me. The guy was as close to perfect as I'd ever seen, so long as Nari was in the room. When she wasn't, the facade fell away, revealing a guy who didn't understand limits. Grabbing my ring that first day had simply been a natural reaction for him, because when it came to what he cared about - mostly Nari and Wraythe - Eladehl didn't care who he hurt.
Which left me one last question. "How is she supposed to live on this new Path? As a Priestess of Temptation, I mean?"
"No," Zeal said, shaking his head. "That is not a test, Talin. It's a gift. It's an open door for my Chosen to figure out who she wants to be. It isherPath, not mine. Not something I set her upon. She said she liked parts of each Path and hated others, so I gave her what she wanted. It's nothing more than a chance to realize that she doesn't need to ask permission. She is not mypuppet.She is my savior. Stop and think about that."
"The woman who'll save gods?" Because, yes, that sounded mind-blowing.
"Exactly. So how does she walk this Path? However she needs to so she can hold her head up. She no longer has rules. She also has no limits. That woman is myChosen. My partner. And yes, my obsession. While you may want to buy her fancy weapons and pretty jewelry, I can only give her this. Most people call it liberation."
Which sounded great on the surface, but it was never that easy. "Then how do I help her?"
"Help her learn how to believe in herself, because I already believe in her completely. Just like me, Talin, she needs faith, and that has to come from you. Eladehl and Wraythe are important, but you? You are her guardian, the man who will be her eternal shadow. There's a safety in that, which should not be overlooked. Let Eladehl lead her into temptation. Let Wraythe protect her from harm. You? Your only job is to make sure that through all of it, she can hold her head up with pride."
"Easier said than done," I told him.
"I know. And that is why she is an initiate. She hasn't learned how to walk her Path yet, but it's not something anyone else can teach her." Then he tipped his head toward the door. "And you should make sure the golden one isn't causing problems. He's about to get annoyed with Jamik."
"Hey," I said, pushing myself off the wall. "You're always welcome in my room. I know you want to give her privacy, but it's not something I'm used to. If you ever want to talk..."
Zeal smiled, his eyes dropping to the ground as if he was trying to hide it. "Not tonight, I think." And his gaze slowly returned to my face. "But I'd like that."
And then, as fast as he'd arrived, the god was gone. As I headed back into the Salle, I couldn't help but wonder if gods could blush. Or if they ever let mere mortals see such things.
Chapter 13
Eladehl
Iwatched Talin head into the hall with Zeal, leaving Nari behind to spar with some guy. Irila started snapping orders at her, pushing her to try just a little harder, and Nari gave it her all. Interestingly, I wasn't the only man watching. Wraythe and Jamik were supposed to be sparring, but the first time the other guardian, a guy named Harlin, made contact, both of them turned in unison, their overprotective natures taking over.
Granted, I wasn't any better, but it was still amusing. Jamik sighed, realizing what he'd just done, but Wraythe grumbled under his breath, the sound almost a growl. Thankfully, Nari's group was far enough away they couldn't hear.
"It's fine," Jamik told Wraythe. "Just training."
"He fuckinghither," Wraythe pointed out.
"Yeah," Jamik said, "just like I hit you. Not hard, and not enough to do more than teach her. I promise he pulled the shot."
So Wraythe turned back and found his stance again. "She's going to be bruised."
And an idea sprang into my mind. "Make you a deal, Wraythe?" I said, glancing at the door where Talin had vanished. "How about you help her work out those aches tonight?"
"Do not want to know," Jamik said, gesturing for Wraythe to come at him.
But I wasn't done. "I mean, we don't want her alone tonight, right? And I figure I can ask Talin what he got from our mutual friend, so you can give her a massage..."
Jamik sighed and turned to me, giving up his attempt to restart training. "Eladehl, do you haveanyidea the rumors you four are starting? The fact that you swap out guardians so easily has already been noticed. The fact that you and she are ok with it has definitely caused rumors. Unless you want someone checking their rings, I suggest you learn how to be subtle."
"No," Wraythe said, sounding like he'd just had an idea. "If we start hiding now, then we always will be. If we start acting like this is normal, people will wonder, but never see anything out of the ordinary. We'll be weird, different, and gossiped about, but dismissed because it's what we've always done."
Which made perfect sense. "Yeah," I agreed. "And the more comfortable Nari and I get with you two hovering, the easier it is to explain why you're crashing on our couches, right?"
