AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"I was being gentle," Ela said. "Anver, you need to realize that. I was being nice so Nari wouldn't fail. I was holding back as much as I could. I hurt people, and I'm actually ok with that because it's not chasing my family away."
"Do you hurt Nari?" Anver asked.
He shook his head. "No. She's my limit. Well, they are. Evidently, the only thing that can stop me is hurting someone I love." And he lifted a brow.
Anver simply nodded. "Yeah, sounds like you. Growing up, we all knew to leave Wraythe alone so you didn't come at us. And then Wraythe stopped growing up and started growing wide, and it was all muscle. Somewhere in there, we forgot which one of you was supposed to be the scary one."
Talin flicked a finger across the table at me. "Nari is. She's the one who's being chased by a god. She's the one he gave weapons to." Then he made a circle with his hand, meaning Ela, Wraythe, and himself. "Trust me, she's the scary one. It's just that we all get so distracted by her beauty."
"Me too," Anver said, turning to smile at me. "Are you sure I can come back? Because if you don't tell me not to, I'd like to... I mean, I still need to study, and your place is nicer."
"The more the merrier," I told him. "I'm also drowning in my classes, so I'll never turn down a little help, company, or anything else."
He reached over to catch my hand. "I replaced you as my best friend, though. Zeal gets that title."
"I'm honestly ok with that," I assured him. "I kinda think he needs a friend, and I have a feeling you're a good one."
"Yeah," Anver mumbled, "I kinda thought that's what you'd say. Ela, if making Tishlie talk like that is a part of being a punisher, then I don't care how cruel you are. Clearly, you're doing it for the right reasons. I trust you - all four of you - and I swear to you that I'll prove you can trust me."
"You already have," I told him. "Over and over and over again. It just took us a bit to be ready to hear it. Welcome home, Anver. Tell Zeal he can stop hiding now."
"Or you can," Anver said. "I think he listens to you more than me. Love has that effect on a god."
"And a man," Ela said. "Or men."
Chapter 50
Nariana
After that, it became normal for Anver to come over after class to study. Day by day, the five of us grew a little more comfortable with each other. Before I knew it, Anver was the one making tea and coffee for everyone. About a week later, he knocked and cracked the door, letting himself in with nothing more than a word of warning that he was here.
Now, our place was basically his. Sometimes Zeal showed up too. Unfortunately, my classes were only getting harder. While my practical classes like Eroticism, Sexual Orientation, Grappling, and Cooking were about the same, the ones with more reading and testing were drowning me. Every day, I got out of class, came home to study for a bit, ate, went to the Salle for an hour, then back home to study until I couldn't keep my eyes open.
Twice now, I'd been carried to bed because I fell asleep reading. Once, I did it in the bath, the heat and relaxation being more than I could take. I knew my instructors were trying to wear me down, but I refused to give in. If they wanted to fail me, then they'd have to actually do it, not just push until I quit.
Then Oryll assigned us to practice battery. Just like with all the other session assignments, we were first given a chance to try it on our own, but Ela wouldnotbeat me. That was his line, and he flat out refused. Instead, it was Anver, and he did it in the Salle, leaving just enough bruises that Oryll would have nothing to complain about.
I also learned how to block a true swordsman in the process. Talin could see what Anver was doing, but Ela didn't even think about it until Oryll commented on the proof of our assignment. Then a sly smile touched my partner's lips as he glanced back to where our guardians leaned side by side by side.
Because Anver was quickly becoming more our guardian than Tishlie's. He was always with us. He reacted more protectively for Ela and me than he ever had for Tishlie. Best of all, Wraythe and Talin had no problem with it. Most guardians became a bit jealous if someone hovered around their ward for too long. Our guys encouraged Anver instead.
So much so that when I had to head down to my Cooking class, Talin suggested that Anver watch me. He wanted to check on the progress of the shooting range, and it sounded like a few of the guardians were meeting up to try out Talin's guns. Wraythe promised that if Tishlie needed a guardian, he'd step in, but the look on his face made it clear she wouldn't like it.
I had a feeling it was a cheap excuse, but seeing Anver stand a little straighter, losing some of that dejection he'd carried for so long, made me agree that it was a brilliant idea. After changing into my worst clothes - because I knew I'd get filthy in the kitchens - I showed him how to get to my Obligation course.
When the pair of us came down the stairs, a few looked over, but they were used to me by now. Seeing a new man shadowing me, however, had the head cook in a tizzy again. Dusting off her hands, she scurried over the exact same way she had that very first day.
"Guardian," she greeted Anver, "how can we help you today?"
"Um..." He looked at me, begging for help.
"Ati, this is Anver. He's standing in for my guardian today. Talin was adamant." He hadn't been, but I knew saying that would make Ati feel better. "You know how Priests of Protection are."
"I do," she promised, gesturing for Anver to follow her. "I made peanut butter cookies because Talin likes those. I hope you aren't allergic. I can get you something else if that's - "
"I love all cookies," Anver promised her. "Thank you, Priestess. I assumed I'd be standing in the corner trying to stay out of the way." Then he groaned. "Oh, that smells so good."
"They're better with milk," she promised. "Let me get you a glass. We should have some chilled."
