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"And take a week off from sessions," I added.
Her smile fell. "So you heard more than I expected. I asked Amerlee not to mention that."
"She didn't. Everyone else did."
Faylie sighed. "Nari, I'm used to it. I enjoy it, and there aren't many people who can meet my limits."
"But Ela did," I realized.
Her tongue darted over her lips. "And then some. He needs lessons. He's chosen a difficult specialty, and one that most often comes back to bite a priest if they aren't careful. I'm trying to teach him how to minimize the marks, but he likes the sight of blood too much."
"Shit," I breathed. "That's why he won't talk about it."
"You didn't know?" she asked. "I just assumed you were a submissive as well. When I asked, he slapped me." Her eyes narrowed. "Because you're his limit."
"What?"
She shook her head. "We all have limits. Some are soft and can be pushed. Others are hard. A straight man with another man, as an example. Not his thing, and he has no interest in trying it. Conversely, a straight man being touched by someone he can't see and will never know, well, then it may matter less to him. Hard limits and soft. When it comes to submission and masochism, my limits are considered extreme. I'd prefer not to die. My soft limits are broken bones. Your partner? I haven't been able to find where he loses the taste for it. The further he goes, the more enthralled he is - but not with you, it sounds like."
"He's ashamed of it," I told her, realizing that I no longer hated this woman.
I wasn't sure what had done it, but I didn't. I'd been jealous because she could give Ela something I couldn't, yet the longer we talked, the more I realized that wasn't the case. I gave Ela something no one else did. That was why he was with me as my partner. Not because of our years together - or notonlybecause of them. He was with me because I was the one woman who he wanted to be gentle with, and no one else could make him feel that.
But Faylie was pondering what I'd said. Finally, she nodded. "I'll have to work with him on that. I heard the room is almost done? Wraythe said Eladehl crashes hard after a session. Emotionally, I mean. I know Quin can carry me back, but I'm not sure your partner's safe in the halls if he gets in that sort of mood. Not yet, at least."
"He'd be safe," I assured her. "He's always been proud of his control."
She smiled, the look almost mischievous. "It seems it's your brain I should be picking instead of his. With his guardian being a friend instead of a former lover, it's even more difficult. Would you be willing to help me?"
"Can you help me understand him?" I asked.
She nodded again. "Of course! Eladehl's going to be one of the temple legends, Nari. I hear you will be as well, so it makes sense that you'll be together. And if you can tame his darkness, then he'll handle more than simply punishing."
"What do we specialize in?" I asked. "We're supposed to pick next semester, but I'm not a submissive. Talin suggested I look into dominance, but while I can, it's not really my style."
"Well, there are five categories to specialize in," Faylie explained. "Sensuality, Entertainment, Control, Subjugation, and Exotics. I studied subjugation. Eladehl will likely focus on Control, which includes both dominance and sadism. From what I've heard, you sound more like Sensuality, and you're required to pick a style for your last year of initiate training."
"What's Entertainment?" I asked.
"Displays. Usually a lot of exhibitionism or gymnastics. Exotics are the stranger fetishes, like urination or animal clothing."
"Ah." That made more sense.
But Maela heard something that made her turn away from Amerlee. "Did you say gymnastics?"
"Sexually," I explained. "I was asking about my specializations for next year."
"Oh." But Maela didn't look shocked yet. "Do you know what you'll do yet?"
"No," I admitted. "Ela and I want to work together, which means we should take complementary specializations, but it's proving to be a harder choice than we thought."
"Together?" she asked, latching onto that one word. "As in, you'd, um..."
"Put another person between us," I explained.
"Nari!" Faylie breathed.
Maela just waved her down. "I am the wife to the Baron of Temptation. Sadly, the only education my mother gave me about sex involved a finger and a buttonhole. She told me it would hurt, that was natural, and that if I was lucky, I'd have a child soon. In one talk with Nari, I learned so much more, and I'm supposed to be the liaison between the temple and the populace, right?"
