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"Zeal gave us to her like a present," I said, trying my best to explain. "He talked to all of us in our Choosing, making it clear that we're each supposed to do something for her. To protect her in our own way. Well, what happens if things go bad in a group? Bed, ball, doesn't matter. If there's more than Talin and I can hold off, do you think Ela's going to throw up his hands?"
"I'd break someone," he grumbled.
"Yeah. Zeal got him a cane. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a sex toy. Doesn't that kinda say he expects Ela to learn this too?"
"And," Talin added, "Ela will actually be the closest to her. For us, we'll have to cross the room. He's right there."
Ela groaned. "This means more grappling lessons, huh?"
Jamik just chuckled. "I could ask Balon to work with you..."
Ela made a face. "He's a nice guy, but not really my type. Now, Harlin..."
"Is straight," Jamik said.
"Still wouldn't mind him throwing me around," Ela insisted.
I buried my face in my hands. "You're insatiable."
"Like you're any better," Jamik teased.
Beside me, Talin laughed, but I felt my face getting warmer. "It's not like that," I tried to say.
Jamik just lifted a brow, looking at me like I was an idiot. "Right."
Except that, right now, I felt like one. Giving up, I blew out a breath and reached for my own glass, taking a gulp to keep them from giving me any more shit. Sadly, none of them started talking about anything else. They were all still looking at me.
"I wouldn't do anything like that in public," I grumbled. "So it's not like that."
"You'd definitely do it in her room, though," Talin joked.
"I just..."
"It's ok," Jamik assured him. "First, because I really don't want to know. Second, because there's nothing wrong with being shy."
Ela's head snapped up. "I never would've put that word with him."
"Then what?" Jamik asked.
"Quiet," Ela offered. "Sometimes surly. Usually big. He's not shy, because he has no problem speaking up when he has to."
"Has to," Talin repeated. "Wraythe, are you shy?"
"Fuck off," I told him.
He reached up to clasp my shoulder. "I'm being serious. Are you?"
"No." But they weren't going to give up that easy. "Look, I'm not one of you pretty guys to make the women look. I also have my girl. Well, woman." My eyes jumped back to the table just in time to see Nari lifting a hand to shield her mouth while she laughed. "I always knew I was going to be a guardian, so I just didn't worry about it."
"And his attitude is a good complement to mine," Ela said, trying to look over his shoulder casually, and failing. "Fuck it, someone tell me what has him so interested?"
"Nari," Talin said. "She's talking to my sister-in-law as comfortably as if she'd been born into high society. That group looks like any set of high-born ladies that you'd meet in any fashionable event. You can't tell that most are priestesses."
"She grew up," I added. "I don't know when, but she kinda grew up on us."
"So did you," Ela pointed out. "Trust me, no one will look at you and see a boy. Not even a guy. Wraythe, you are all man."
"Yeah," I agreed, but they still didn't get it.
