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Nari grunted, making it clear that what Zeal was doing hurt. Wraythe tensed, but I grabbed his shoulder with my free hand, keeping him in line. I had a feeling that hitting Zeal wouldn't turn out well for any of us. Nari just pulled in a long, slow breath while Zeal kept pushing. Then lace began to come to the surface of her skin, branching out from his touch. Nari inhaled again, but this time sounded easier even as Zeal moved his hands over her wounded joint.
"Whoa," Grath breathed.
"Happens when he makes out with her too," I said.
"You... What?" Grath asked.
"Zeal's Chosen," Wraythe told him. "It's a rather literal title."
Zeal laughed. "Wasn't meant to be. She's just a little too appealing. How's that feeling, Nari?"
"Better," she assured him.
"And..." He pressed again, sending out another rush of black swirls from his contact. "That?"
"Bit on the back side," she told him.
So Zeal reached over her shoulder and did it again. "Ok, that's the tear. Let me..." Then he smiled. "And now?"
Nari just let out a heavy sigh. "It still aches, but it doesn't hurt. More like a bruise."
"Good." Zeal removed his hands and gestured for me to straighten her shirt. "Once, I could've done that easier, but at least I can still take care of you."
Nari smiled up at him, nothing but true devotion in her eyes. "I'll be fine."
"Yes, you will," Zeal assured her. "I can't do everything for you, but you will be fine. No matter what they do." He reached up to caress the side of her face. "You push yourself harder than any other student I've had. That wasn't my intention. Your Path was a gift, Nari. I will remind you of that as many times as I need to until you understand that there were no strings."
She nodded at him. "I've missed you."
He shifted a little closer to her, not caring who was around. "I've been with the lost one. You barely have time for your own worries, so I will take care of this. Just remember that grades never brought faith. Your actions do that. Your bonds with your men do that. I never asked you to be a perfect student."
"No, but passing will make what I need to do easier," she told him. "The whole temple is broken, and it feels like we're the only ones who can fix this."
Zeal nodded. "It took a very long time to get this way. It's going to take more than a few days to fix it."
She groaned. "But don't you get it? If I get kicked out of my classes, then I can't help as much. This is about who has power, Zeal, and they're trying to take awayyours. They think that if they can push me down thenthey'llrise up, and that's not how it works."
The god leaned in slowly to press his lips against her head. "Then stop bowing down before them. Make a scene, my Chosen one. Stop beingmeek."
"I'm not meek," she assured him.
Zeal's lips curled into a smile. "I promise I know that, but you've been acting like it lately. You're trying so hard to be good, to pass, or whatever else, that you're forgetting to be furious. This broken system has trained you too - to obey. It worked, and every fiber of your body wants to play by their rules instead of making your own. If you want to change things, then change your own thinking first. You're here to forge your own Path, Nari, so stop doing what you're told and start fighting forsomething. I don't even care what."
"Oh," she breathed, and the expression on her face changed.
It was as if she'd just had an epiphany. Something had just clicked into place for her, and that pride surged back to the surface. Unfortunately, I didn't get to enjoy it for long because Zeal immediately turned his attention to me.
"This won't be easy for you," he said.
"I never asked for easy," I promised him.
But my god simply straightened and turned to face me. "No. Listen to me. Your bonds are growing. Your ties are strengthening. That means every hit she takes will feel like a blow to you."
I just leaned into his face. "And less for her, right?"
"Wait," Nari said.
Wraythe shifted around so he could see Zeal too. "What do you mean?"
