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"Yes!" I said, looking up at Wraythe, hoping he'd agree.
Instead, he just shrugged. "Sure, I can get behind that. But are you sure you're ready for more sessions with other priests, Nari?"
That was the real question. I walked a few more steps, thinking about it. And yet, the answer always came back the same. "This is my Path, Wraythe. Zeal let me choose what to follow, and it's where we all know I belong. We've always known the Path of the Body was going to be Ela's. I don't think there's a point in resisting it, so why not just embrace it?"
Wraythe paused, halting me so I had to face him. "Just promise me one thing, ok?"
"Anything," I swore.
"Don't let anyone push you further than you're willing to go. I don't care how far that is, butyouare the one who sets your limits. Just you, Nari. Not a patron, not another priest or even an instructor. Not even Zeal. You may have surrendered to your god to get us, but that doesn't change anything. Your body is still yours, and if anyone tries to push you too far, Talin won't be the only one throwing them out."
I reached up to wrap my arms around his neck. "I promise," I breathed as I hugged him tightly. "If I feel the least uncomfortable about anything, I'll stop. And if they won't, I know you two will make them."
Wraythe hugged back, letting out a relieved sigh. "And no laughing at me when you finally get some pretty guy between you and Ela."
"No jacking off in a session," Talin teased.
"Nah," Wraythe said, turning me up the hall as he started walking again. "Figure I can wait till it's done. She kinda likes to watch that, you know."
"No," Talin said, sounding like he was trying not to laugh. "I actually didnotknow that. And I'm kinda wishing you'd waited until after this class to mention it."
Chapter 2
Nariana
When we got into class, I headed to the side to begin stretching. Since we weren't the last to arrive, I hoped that meant we weren't too late, but it didn't matter. I barely had my topmost shirt off before Priest Ghale made his way over to glower at me. Bracing for the latest lecture, I began pulling my arm across my chest, deciding that I could both stretch and pretend to listen.
"You're late," he snapped.
"Yes, Priest," I agreed. "My apologies."
"If you think that parading around with Calseth's high society makes you immune to rules..." he began.
But I cut him off. "Actually, I was trying to deal with complications that arose when I was gone. I also wasn'tinvitedto the baron's house. I was required to go because it would be unfair to ask my guardian to spend a week without me."
Ghale's mouth opened, but then simply closed without his reply falling out. It was almost like my answer wasn't at all what he'd expected. I decided to press my advantage.
"As we both know, I'm not a true Priestess of Protection. I never will be, so I can only barely fathom many of the responsibilities they shoulder so easily. That doesn't mean I take them for granted. I assure you that I would've much rather been in the temple celebrating the Darkest Night alongside my god than parading around the city, but my guardian had no choice, so I did my best not to shame him."
"Oh," Ghale breathed.
His change in attitude gave me an idea, though. Yesterday, I watched a priestess hit her guardian. That the man taking the abuse had once been a dear friend of mine only made it worse. That was what I'd had nightmares about last night, and I just couldn't stop thinking about it.
The whole situation felt wrong. Not like a spat that I'd accidentally witnessed, but worse. Like a chronic problem. Knowing Anver, that was just a little too likely. The man just wanted to please, and in many ways, it was his greatest flaw. His desire was exactly the kind of woman who'd take advantage of that.
So, tilting my head, I gestured for my grappling instructor to step aside with me. Naturally, the man's face grew surly again, but I honestly hoped that the one moment of compassion I'd seen from him might be enough to help someone else.
When we were far enough away to not be overheard, I turned to my instructor again. "Priest Ghale, can I ask you a question? I think I need an instructor's advice, because I have a problem I don't know how to handle on my own."
"If this has to do with your relationship with your guardian, I'm not sure I can help," he warned me.
"Not mine, actually," I assured him. "A friend from our primary training years. Multiple times, I've seen his ward hit him. Slaps across the face in public. He never retaliates, but..." I paused to shove my hair back, trying to find the right words to explain my real problem. "If she's doing that in the halls, thenwhatis she doing to him behind closed doors? Like I said, I get it. The bond makes a guardian willing to tolerate much more than he should, but isn't there a point where it's abuse?"
"Are you so sure it's not their own style of affection?" he countered.
I sucked at my lip. "I'm sure. Mostly because this particular guardian isveryasexual. His idea of affection is a long conversation. Twice now, I've heard her say something about him being meant to please her in some way. Sensually, pampering, and basically servitude, it sounds like. Sadly, he's not really my friend anymore, Priest Ghale. He used to be, but we had a falling out a couple of years ago."
"So why do you care?" His attitude began to soften.
