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"Nari..." Ela tried.
I just lifted a hand. "It's not your fault, there's nothing you can do, and I'll be fine. I just..."
"She needs a minute," Wraythe finished for me. "Want me to run the water?"
That made me finally smile. "No, I can do it, but thanks."
"Take as long as you need," Talin said.
I nodded again, then started pulling off my shirt before I was even in the bedroom. Behind me, I could hear the guys talking, but it was soft enough that I couldn't make out the words. That was ok. I had a feeling they were just as annoyed as me, but handling it differently. Right now, I just wanted to forget.
For a moment, I debated making the water cold to counteract the heat of my anger. Then I changed my mind, cranking up the temperature in the hopes that relaxing my muscles would help with my mood. While I waited for the cold water to flush out of the pipes, I stripped, haphazardly tossing my clothes into the bedroom, and then I stepped into the steam-filled shower area.
The hot water ran down my back, so I stepped back to soak my hair. Using both hands, I slicked the water the whole way down, and then turned around to just let the blissful heat wash over my face. I couldn't believe those two! Tishlie knew that Talin was the baron's brother. She would've told Ciella. I couldn't even say they were just confused. No, those women were intentionally trying to make my life as hard as possible.
But what could these rumors really do? For starters, my Path of the Body instructor was already taunting me about my relationship with my partner in class. I had a feeling that it wouldn't be long before someone suggested the pair of us go back to the initiate wings, which would split all four of us up. And I'd seen those rooms. Living that close together, it wouldn't take long before someone realized that Wraythe and Talin didn't have working rings.
It wouldn't matter if that was because of the time they spent with us, or just a loose pair of pants at the wrong time. The truth would come out. Living as partners gave us a little more protection, because the priests around us accepted that the rings worked. There weren't jokes about someone not controlling their dick, because the priests around us had already made it through their initiate training. They were also too busy with their own assignments and patrons to worry about a handful of secondary students spending too much time together.
Unfortunately, I didn't know how to make people stop talking about me. I couldn't think of a single thing that would stop the rumors, let alone make them go away. If I tried to say they weren't true, then everyone would assume they were, my denial being all the confirmation they needed. That was the problem with this juvenile crap.
Which meant the best I could do was ignore it. Giving in, I pushed out a heavy sigh and let my head drop. Water coursed down my face, splattering onto the tile at my feet, but it seemed the heat was working. Slowly but surely, my anger was washing away.
Then I heard the sound of water change and a gentle hand touched my side. I didn't even need to turn to know who it was. Since the door to the shower hadn't opened, that left only one option.
"Hello, Zeal," I said softly.
His hand encouraged me to turn around. "I'm not the God of Compassion." When I was facing him, he reached up to wipe the water from my face. "I also can't stop temptation."
Which meant he knew why I was frustrated. "Guess the rumors even reached you, huh?"
Zeal gently slicked back my hair, shifting me so the water from the shower was helping. "When Wraythe told me, yes. He's worried about you."
"I'm just annoyed," I told him.
His hypnotic eyes dropped to my lips. "I'm sorry I made things harder."
"You just said that you didn't tempt them to do this," I pointed out. "Well, that's what you were getting at. Zeal, it's ok. They're shallow and selfish. They always have been. The fact that you burned off Ciella's hair when she went after Ela is enough."
The god's other hand slid a little lower on my waist, the water making his touch slick. "Once, long ago, I would've been able to smite them."
"Mhm." And I stepped closer, aware that the darkness covering him was his lace, not clothes. Zeal was as naked as me. "Which is why you need our help, right?"
"I am suddenly forgetting all about bigger plans," he teased. Then he tugged me against him. "Body is definitely your main Path."
"Oh? Not Word? And here I thought I was starting to understand you pretty well."
To prove my point, I reached down to cup his balls. Held against him, it was impossible to miss the way his eye color changed, his pupils flared, and how Zeal pulled in a breath. Only a moment later, I felt him hardening between us.
"That is a dangerous game you play, little priestess," he warned.
I just tilted my face up to his. "Didn't you all but ask my guys for permission the last time you were here?"
The sound he made was like a growl, and then he pushed. My back hit the wall and his mouth was on mine. Zeal kissed me hard, his tongue thrusting into my mouth to take control, and I let him. My body relaxed into his arms, and I moaned softly. He drank it in, but kissing a god was nothing like kissing a man. It felt like every plunge of his tongue caressed my emotions. His touch was so intimate, even though he was touching nothing more than my waist and head.
Once, he'd warned me that loving a god was different. I'd kissed him before, but this time,hewas kissingme,and I could finally understand. Zeal might look like a man. He might even feel like one as his body pressed into mine, but he wasn't. He was a god - my god - and he could reach deeper than just my flesh. Every pass of his lips felt like he was teasing my very soul.
Then his mouth dropped to my neck. "I will not take advantage of you," he breathed.
