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"It's still not Nari's fault," I grumbled, unable to figure out where the blame laid in all of this.
"It's really not," Ela agreed. "It's Kinen's. He has made it clear that he will destroy the entire temple to hold onto his position, never stopping to think that being the High Priest of nothing isn't a very glamorous title."
"So what do we do?" I asked.
Ela just shrugged. "Fuck if I know, Wraythe. I mean, that's why I want to get this letter before Nari's back. I also don't want to rub it in Talin's face that I'm probably going to end the night by going down on his brother in his carriage."
We had just turned down our hall, so I slowed my steps a bit. "So what do I need to watch for with Thiemo?"
Ela chuckled once and then the sound simply stopped. "Don't let me hurt him?"
"Promise," I said. "What else, Ela? What do you want to happen?"
He shoved a hand through his hair. "He's hot, Wraythe. Fuck, all the Ranndors are. Yamina's beautiful, the boys are sexy, and the older sisters are stunning. Looks are not a problem for that family. Tath's a complete asshole, and Kanten is trying to follow in his big brother's footsteps. But Thiemo?"
"And Lord Horvat?" I asked, because those two clearly had something. "If Thiemo intends to go home with him, how do you feel about that?"
From the look on Ela's face, he didn't like it. From the feelings in my lace, I knew it had more to do with pride than jealousy. Still, as we got closer to our door, I watched as my ward worked it out in his mind.
"I want him to want me," Ela finally admitted. "I want to be so alluring that they can't help themselves. I also think Thiemo might end up as my friend, and I want him to be happy, so remind me of that if I start to sulk?"
Wrapping one arm around his shoulders, I pulled him against my side in a fast hug. "But you're so cute when you sulk." Then I let him go to open our door and hurried through first.
He wasn't going to let me get away with that. "You said I'm cute again!" he called after me when he paused at the table by the door to check the mail.
That made Talin look up from his place in the kitchen. "You are cute."
"I am stunning," Ela corrected. "I am sexy, irresistible, and alluring. I am the man that no one can resist."
"That too," Talin agreed. "You can also be cute, but I'm pretty sure that no one gets to see it but us and your little side piece."
He meant Peyron, and I looked between the pair, waiting for someone to get pissed about that. Instead, I found Talin struggling not to grin and Ela looking... Well, he wasn't shy, but it was the closest to demure that I could imagine on him. In other words, his arrogance had just been turned down to normal levels.
"We should go see Pey," Ela said, talking to Talin. "You can play my guardian so Wraythe can have the night with Nari and Anver."
"Wait, what?" Anver asked, opening the door to the sitting room.
"Me," I told him, "You. Nari. Fuck-fest."
"I'm down," Anver agreed. "Figure I can fuck your ass while Ela's out, and we just won't tell him."
"Sounds good," I agreed as I headed for the dressing room to get out of the stinky clothes I'd worn through all of my combat courses. "Oh, and maybe we can let Nari try a strap-on, too. You want to let her peg you, Anver, or should I?"
"Either way," Anver yelled back.
Which was when Ela's face appeared in the doorway behind me, his shocked expression reflected in the dressing mirror beside me. "No," he huffed.
I put on the most innocent expression I could manage. "What? I mean, you know I get all insecure when you're around."
"If Nari is pegging anyone, it is going to be me," he insisted.
"Ok, I'll just see if Anver has a gag reflex." But my smile was winning.
"Works for me," Ela said, calling my bluff. And then he held up his letter. "Um, it's purple. Thiemo wants to show respect for his god, so it's purple and black."
I paused for a moment, thinking over his wardrobe. "Don't you have that suit?"
"A few," Ela agreed.
