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"The Blade is right," Zeal admitted. "He's the first to figure it out, actually. The price is always less for my priests, but that doesn't mean it goes away. It's shared. Divided. That's why I gave her three of you."
"Who's the third guardian?" Grath asked from behind me.
"Eladehl," Wraythe answered before anyone else could. "His marks aren't on his back, though. They're on his dick."
"Which is where he's the most dangerous," Zeal agreed.
"That's not fair," Nari said. "Zeal, he's struggling with this."
"And you aren't?" Zeal asked, lifting a brow as he looked at her. "How far will you stretch yourself before you say it's enough? How much will you ask these men to deal with? When do youpush back,Nari? I didn't choose you because you're weak. I picked you because you raged!"
His voice had grown louder, but Nari didn't flinch from it. Instead, she simply nodded. "Ok. I can do that."
"We," I corrected.
Grath just took a step back, easing away. I noticed, but I was more worried about Nari. That feeling of doom and gloom was changing. It was starting to be something closer to resolve, and the shift was almost tangible, but I didn't feel it in my back. I felt it deeper, in the very middle of my being.
"That's the bond," Zeal told me. "You never held back from her. Not once, so I've opened it just a little more."
"Just mine?" I asked.
Zeal's lips curled, and he changed the subject. "She's going to need that shoulder cared for. Have her courses cancelled for the rest of the day because of the injury. Otherwise, there will be questions."
And then he was simply gone. Nari still leaned against the wall. That, more than anything else, made it clear she wasn't completely healed. She hadn't been given a chance to warm up. She hadn't been allowed to set up and brace for the attack. Ghale had pushed her, and now all of her muscles were paying for it, but she'd held her own.
"Let's take her home," Wraythe said.
I wanted to scoop her into my arms and carry her, but I wouldn't. Nari had too much pride for that. Instead, I looked back at Grath. "We all meet in the Salle after dinner. Come ready to train with real guardians."
"I can do that," the man promised.
So I turned Nari up the hall, wrapped my arm around her waist, and let her lean against me. She did, but I had the funny feeling that she didn't need to. Something had changed with that fight. Some fire had been lit inside of her again. it was almost as if this had been the proof she needed to see that she really was doing it all.
She wasn't failing, she wasn't making a mistake, and no matter what, we would all follow wherever she led. I got the feeling my beautiful woman just needed to see that for herself. We'd all told her, but I understood. Sometimes, seeing someone step up meant a lot more than them saying they would.
And we'd all stepped up, even Grath.
Chapter 30
Anver
Isat at the table in my room eating dinner while Zeal stretched out on my bed again. He was telling me all about the spar between Nari and Ghale that morning, and how impressed he was that she'd held her own. Just as he got to the ending, someone tapped on my door.
I pushed the bowl away and eased my chair back. "Expecting someone?" I asked Zeal.
He shook his head. "I'm not, but I'm also not surprised."
Which meant it was probably Tishlie. She'd been demanding more of my attention lately, trying to say that we needed to practice together. In truth, I got the impression that she was hoping to make me uncomfortable. That annoying little bitch had embraced being shallow a little too easily. Or maybe she'd always been that way and I was just finally seeing it.
But when I cracked open my door, there was a man on the other side. Grath. He had his arm leaned against the wall beside my door and looked a little smug. Shifting over, I blocked the view through my door.
"Aren't you supposed to be with your ward?" I asked.
He chuckled. "Um, she's studying with a friend. I thought this was a good time to talk." His eyes jumped over my shoulder. "Not alone?"
"I'm alone," I assured him.
Grath just reached out and pushed my door open wider. "Yeah, that's what I thought," he said once Zeal was revealed. "The lost one, huh?" And then the man stepped into my room without an invitation.
