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"But I'm the tithe," I reminded him. "It's assumed that I will be some kind of deviant since I was destined for the Temple of Temptation."
"But why didn't you at least tellme?" Thiemo asked.
All I could do was blow out a heavy breath, knowing my answer was a bad one. "Because I was supposed to be kept a virgin until my Choosing and ringed the morning after. Tath wanted to gloat about how I couldn't have sex, and I knew that if he realized I was with Nari..."
"He would've tried to have his way with her last year," Thiemo finished for me. "No, that makes sense." He paused to scrub at his mouth with one hand. "How long have you known you like guys?"
"Since I learned about sexuality," I admitted. "In here, it's treated as normal."
"When we're trained," Ela said, helping me out, "our instructors treat attraction to boys, girls, both, and neither like they're all equal options."
"Not quite," Anver countered. "Neither wasn't as accepted."
"But who isn't attracted tosomeone?" Thiemo asked.
Anver just pointed at himself. "I have no interest in sex, and it's taken me a very long time to realize that doesn't mean I'm broken."
"Just a different type of normal," Ela agreed. "I like a lot, Anver likes none, and Wraythe likes something in the middle. Sexuality is personal, and there's no right or wrong answer so long as your partner is able to consent."
Thiemo was nodding his head, taking all of this in. "It's not like that outside the temple, you know. That's why Tath's so ashamed."
"He is?" Nari asked, picking up on that.
"So much so that he hasn't come out of his room since Ela dropped him off his dick," Thiemo gloated. "My fucking brother was the one who kept bringing up what I'd done with Zayr, and the whole time he wanted it himself? Shit. I mean, is my entire family like this?"
"Possibly," Wraythe mumbled.
That made us all turn and look at him. "What?" I asked, now starting to wonder about my sisters, because Yamina hadn't hidden her interest in women - but was she the only one?
Wraythe just blinked a few times as if he couldn't understand why that was shocking. "What? Your family represents the God of Temptation, Talin. You and at least two of your brothers are attracted to men. Are you so sure that your married sisters actually want their husbands for more than financial security?"
"Lina does," Thiemo assured him. "Abril? She wanted children, and it was easier to get married than to go against our father. I'm not sure about Reylie."
But Wraythe was holding my eyes. He was thinking about Yamina and Maela. I also knew that he wouldn't say anything, so I nodded my head as subtly as possible, making it clear that I understood. Then I realized what Thiemo had previously said.
"Tath is still locked in his room?"
"Mhm," Thiemo agreed. "Our mother stood outside, banging on that door for most of the first day. Now, she just sends up a tray with meals for him. Tath might eat one in five of those, but he has no problem demanding bottles of whiskey. Those, he's going through like water."
"At least he's not taking it out on Maela," Nari said.
"Shit," Thiemo huffed. "She and Yamina are the only ones in the house with their heads on straight. Mom's frantic about making sure the staff doesn't talk. Jelica is trying to pretend that none of it happened. Kanten is pissed because he and Tath were supposed to go on another trip, and our other sisters don't know about any of this."
"How long do you think he'll hide from it?" I asked.
Thiemo simply shrugged. "I think the bigger problem is going to be when he finally comes out of his room and decides to be the fucking baron again. Knowing him, he'll pretend like none of it ever happened. Never mind that everyone in the house saw it." Then he looked over at Ela. "How'd that happen anyway?"
Suddenly, Ela's face turned cold. "When you give in to temptation, there is always a price to pay. Iamthat price."
Thiemo ran his eyes over Ela. "And a tempting one."
"Not always," Ela assured him, leaning forward to keep my brother's interest. "Every Priest of the Body has something they're good at. Me? I'm good at removing limits. I'mverygood at it, Thiemo."
"So, a dominant?" Thiemo asked.
"No, a sadist," Ela corrected. "Everyone assumes that Nari and I are a dominant and submissive pairing, but we're not. She's closer to a dominant, but the seductive and elusive kind. She is sensual and delicate, which makes her easy to underestimate. Me? I'm her weapon."
"And he was forged by a god," Anver added. "That's not an exaggeration."
