AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Almost," I repeated. "And that's exactly how it should be. I love you almost as much as her too."
And then I pressed my mouth to his. The words that should be an insult somehow felt like a promise, like we were ok with being on the same page. Talin's tongue met mine, his lips moved with me, and we kissed slowly, taking our time about it, letting this kiss say all that words never could.
I was his, he was mine, and we were both hers. That was all that mattered.
Chapter 56
Nariana
Idon't know how long I dozed before Talin woke me. He smelled clean, and the lace on his neck had faded to a pale grey, but the wound it surrounded was almost healed. A dark line was visible, yet I couldn't even call it a scar. In truth, it seemed like Zeal's power was still working, healing Talin even as our god couldn't be here.
"How do you feel?" Talin asked.
My answer was a soft groan. "Been better. You ok?"
"I'm fine," he assured me. "Nari, there's a group of priests here to check you over. Healers from Action."
I turned to look beside me, not surprised to find Anver still sleeping. "Is he ok?"
"They're going to check him too, but he's breathing fine. Amerlee said it's the same thing you did that first time."
"And Tishlie?"
Talin scoffed. "She was pissed that he walked out. Sounds like Osas saw his eyes and said they were a god's. He ended the session, Tishlie had a fit about how she'd better get an excellent, and then headed home on her own. Saval's been checking the other students, but most stopped when they heard the commotion."
"Nyrren?" I asked.
"He's dead," Talin admitted. "Jamik..."
"I saw," I assured him. "I just wasn't sure. Is Jamik ok?"
"Everyone's worried about you," Talin told me. "I'm all but useless, and Shalsa said it'll take me a few days to recover from the blood loss, but that's it. You're the one who's in pain. Can I bring the priests in?"
"Sure," I agreed.
He left, and I heard the sound of people outside my bedroom, but didn't think much of it. Soon enough, the priests were led in. Talin wanted to stay and help, but Ela turned him away. Instead, Wraythe hovered at my side, clearly serving as my guardian while the two older women eased the blanket down and checked my body.
One began pushing at my abdomen. I sucked in a breath at one point, but she kept going. As soon as she pressed on my ribs, I cried out, feeling like someone had just stabbed me. Wraythe surged forward, but the priestess simply lifted her hands.
"Broken rib," she explained. "Internal bruising, but I'm not seeing signs of abdominal bleeding. She's your desire, priest?"
"Yeah," Wraythe said, leaving it at that.
The second woman stood and made her way to him. "No lifting anything heavy for a week. If you can keep her in bed - alone - that would be better. I don't care if she sleeps beside her partner, but with you would be better. Sex is not going to be tolerated for at least five days and probably more."
"I can do that," Wraythe assured her.
"Good. Now, we'll get her ribs bandaged, but it would be better for you if you wait outside."
"Not happening," Wraythe said.
The woman chuckled as if she'd expected nothing else. "Then can we at least call in someone to help so you won't try to stop us?"
With a sigh, Wraythe headed to the door. "Irila? They need backup."
A split second later, Shalsa's guardian stepped in, and her eyes went right to me and then slid down my body. "Oh, Nari," she breathed. "That's purple."
"The color of the gods," I pointed out. "Wraythe's about to be stupid, it sounds like."
