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His palm moved down my hip, then forward, pressing against the front of my pelvis. The sound in his throat made it clear that he'd just realized there was nothing under this dress, and then I felt him shift so he could adjust himself with his other hand. Deciding to be a little naughty, I leaned back to press my ass against the hardening bulge.
"Should I take that as a yes?" he asked.
I turned in his arm to face him. "Your consent was when I showed up tonight, Lord Horvat." I slid my tongue across the corner of my upper lip. "However, I might make a mess of your white suit."
"I'm hoping you will," he agreed. "Think of it as proof."
I gasped playfully. "Is that all you see me as? A way to explain your random disappearances and silly smiles when you return?"
Zayr's brows creased, his head twitched, and then a smile began to take over those luscious lips of his. "I actually hadn't thought about that."
"You should," I told him. "Just imagine the scandal of you sneaking into the temple to see me. And you know, we do not discuss our patrons. That would be in poor taste."
Zayr shifted closer until his body was pressed completely up against mine. "And if I wanted to make that offer - "
"You brought the bitch?" a man bellowed, shoving at my shoulder hard enough to force me out of Zayr's grasp.
My date immediately stepped into the man's face and shoved with both hands. "Back the fuck off, Pollard."
"Figured you'd have one of those little butt boys," the man, Pollard, taunted.
Talin was moving closer, and I could feel his rage in my lace like ice that was so cold it burned. Turning my head, I saw his hand on the hilt of his sword - thankfully, not the gun - and his jaw was clenched. I wouldn't call him off, not yet, and he was only waiting because Zayr had pushed the man away from me.
"Where's your date?" Zayr taunted the man. "Couldn't afford one? Is that because you lost your last business at the gambling tables, or did you simply squander the last of your daddy's money?"
The man shoved forward, but Talin was right there. The sword was still in its sheath too, although my guardian didn't need that. Instead, Talin grabbed the man's arm, spun him around, and pushed him face first into the closest chair.
"This session is not approved for multiples or violence," Talin told the man, his voice stone cold.
So Zayr turned me away. The pair of us kept walking until we were across the room. I could see Ela and Thiemo moving in the opposite direction, keeping pace casually. Wraythe was messing with his sleeve, which made me think he'd dropped that blade out in the middle of that. I just waited until the big guy looked over again, then nodded.
He smiled. It was a subtle one, but he understood that I approved. I was also willing to guess that Ela was making sure to stay near us so that Talin had a little backup. While the mood in here wasn't as threatening as I'd expected, the cold shoulders I was getting made it clear I'd been noticed.
Zayr kept me walking until we reached a bar. "Brandy," he ordered, "and whatever the lady and her guardian would like."
"Nothing, Lord Horvat," Talin said.
"Water?" Zayr offered. "I'm sure you won't imbibe tonight, but you also aren't really a shadow."
Talin simply chuckled. "No, sir. I'm more of a Blade." But he nodded to accept the water.
I asked for port, which made Zayr's brows go up. It took a moment to get our drinks, and in that time, the priests and priestesses who hadn't secured a date began to take their places. The women found small tables, often asking men near them to help them up. The men paired with other women where they could, or placed themselves casually around the room when they couldn't.
"And the women are on display," Zayr grumbled. "Half the men in this room made their first bid on men. They claimed companionship, and that they didn't want to cheat on their wives. They were more than willing to talk about how they're merely trying to help the Temple of Temptation earn funds." He shook his head. "And yet I have a feeling that most of them will take a very scenic route home, because the back of a carriage is rather private."
"No one to tell the tales," I agreed, gesturing that we should keep moving.
Talin tilted his glass, sucking back more than half of the water, and left it on the bar as he followed behind us. Yes, I noticed. I also made sure to walk slowly, pressing myself against Zayr's side. He toyed with my hair, flicking at one of the chains, and we talked. I found that he raised horses and owned a rather impressive farm in the country. He realized that I'd never ridden a horse in my life, and was appalled.
"You expect me to believe that you've never felt the rush of something that big and strong running away with you?" he asked.
I had to bite my lips together to keep from laughing. "Well, I wouldn't say that, but it wasn't a horse."
He sucked in a breath to reply, then simply paused. A second later, he ducked his head and groaned. "One day, I will get you on a horse. It will have to be after you graduate, but I want to see the priestess who can make the Baron of Ambition sneer, whining and begging for help."
I turned to stand before him, stopping our meandering. "I do not beg, Zayr."
"Mm," he grumbled, clearly getting ideas. "No, you start rebellions with nothing more than the peak of your nipples, which I must admit are wonderfully distracting. I'm sure you're more the kind of woman to demand, hm?"
