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"My price," I told him. "It's the cost of your Temptation. You have to decide if you're willing to pay it."
"More than you can imagine," he said softly.
Chapter 6
Nariana
Over the next few days, I realized that Ela was right. Ghale and Oryll both went out of their way to watch me, often calling me out for seemingly no reason just to make me look foolish. Now that I knew they were trying to set me up, it felt rather obvious. I also had no idea how to change their minds.
I wasn't just doing this because I wanted to be a problem. I was on the Path of Temptation because I was trying to save Zeal's life! Well, existence, or whatever he called it. I was starting to get used to having my god around, and the idea of him vanishing completely? I couldn't even imagine what that would be like. All I knew for sure was that I'd miss him.
In truth, I actually liked our little game where I called him and he always appeared in the exact opposite direction of whichever way I was facing. Lately, I'd also started to notice the way his eyes hung on me. He wasn't like a normal man. He didn't gawk at my chest or ass. Instead, his gaze followed the line of my jaw, the way my hands moved, and other things that made me hyper-aware of my body.
And he flirted. It was subtle and elegant, but our talk that evening had given him the permission he needed. Sometimes, he'd appear between classes to walk with us and rest his hand against my lower back. Other times, he'd trail his fingers down the length of my neck, daring me to look into those kaleidoscope eyes and lose myself.
I wasn't the only one. He made playful comments to both Eladehl and Talin. Twice, I caught him watching Wraythe when the big guy was busy with something else. Mostly, though, he continued to spend time with Anver. I wasn't sure what was going on between those two, but they'd grown rather close.
The day after our talk, Tishlie tried to hit Anver again. This time, Zeal was beside him. The moment the girl raised her hand, Zeal pushed Anver's shoulder, forcing him to dodge the hit. Anver went with it, pretending that the motion had been his own idea, and then he'd made it clear that he would no longer tolerate her abuse. Saying that if she kept it up, he would request a re-immersion for another partner or another Path.
Tishlie gaped at him, so the rest of us hurried on before we were noticed. Not a single one of us laughed, though. Sure, her shock was amusing, but the situation wasn't. The whole ordeal also stirred something inside me. I couldn't quite describe it, but the urge to protect Anver was almost overwhelming. It was as if some force inside my body woke up and wanted to lash out.
I funneled that sensation into my training sessions with Jamik and Irila. Slowly but surely, I was getting better. Not good, but I'd made enough progress with hand-to-hand and short weapons that I no longer got the crap beat out of me in my grappling class. I could dodge now. My hits were also impressive enough to push even Jamik back, but they had absolutely no effect on Wraythe.
Then, on the next to last day of the week, Harlin made an appearance. I was in the middle of blocking jabs from Jamik when the door to the Salle opened and two men came in. I heard them, but I couldn't risk looking or Jamik would get inside my guard. Irila, however, didn't have that problem.
"Balon!" she called. "I think you've been avoiding us!"
Jamik immediately lowered his arms and gestured for me to relax. "Or getting lazy," he teased the new guy.
Balon, for that had to be the name of the man with Harlin, just chuckled. "My desire's been 'claimed' by the Baron of Inspiration's wife. Afternoons are the woman's 'free' time." Then he smiled at me. "I can only assume you're the Chosen that I've heard so much about."
"Nariana," I said, dipping my head his way in greeting. "My friends call me Nari. You can decide which you are."
"Ok, Nari." He grinned to make sure I noticed. "Rumors are running rampant about you. The Baron of Temptation, huh?"
Right on cue, Talin groaned. "Please tell me they don't think he's a patron!"
"He's not?" Harlin asked.
Talin shoved his hair back. "He's my fuckingbrother.I was the one invited. She went because she's my desire. She's also an initiate, so not taking assignments!"
"Funny how the stories leave that part off." Balon turned to my guardian. "So I assume you're Talin Ranndor, hm? The seventh son."
"Priest Talin," he corrected. "I gave up my surname when Zeal accepted me, just like everyone else. This is Wraythe, my own partner, and Eladehl, his ward."
Balon's eyes ran across Eladehl. "Wraythe, you're a lucky man."
"And straight," Wraythe said. "He's my best friend."
Balon chuckled. "The opposite of myself and my desire, then. You ever need someone to help train Eladehl, then I'm your man."
"You break him and I'll break you," Wraythe warned.
"Wouldn't want to destroy that much beauty," Balon assured him. "The goal is to keep him pretty."
Ela just sighed. "Nari, right about now, I envy you for those marks on your back."
"Uh huh," I said, turning to Harlin again. "Hey, I have a question for you. What do you know about Ghale and Oryll, the instructors for Body and Protection this year?"
