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"But we do not love back," I told her. "My sessions with others? The intimacy is with my guardian as he watches. Another man may touch my body, but it is Talin who holds my heart, Maela. The same rules apply for Tath as any other patron. It's no different than him pleasuring himself. The priest or priestess is merely the receptacle, and we do not fall for our patrons. We will not steal them away."
"But I've seen how he looks at you," she hissed, glancing back toward the door to make sure we were still alone. "Tath wants you, and here you are, wandering through our home, constantly tempting him with what he could have."
"Just remember," I told her, "that I am still an initiate. I will not be allowed to take sessions with patrons for another year and a half. And when I can, I will do my best to avoid your husband's attention simply because Talin would be in the room. He would watch. He cannot look away, cannot close his eyes, and cannot take the risk of letting his attention wander. IloveTalin with all my heart, and I have no intention of putting him in that situation. Not if I can help it."
"And if you can't?" she asked. "Where would that leave me?"
"I suppose the wisest answer would be to make your own request." But all I could do was shrug. "Maela, if you avoid the Temple of Temptation, all you're going to do is give the High Priest a reason to name a new baron. That would strip Tath of his title, and who do you think he would blame? Talin?"
"Me," she admitted. "I like you, Nariana. You're always so kind to me, even when the other women in this house are all rolling their eyes at me and making me feel like an outsider - "
"Because I'm one too."
She laughed once at the truth of that. "Tath has already decided that we will not attend the festival this year, but maybe I can come to the temple after the holidays and you can show me around?"
"I'd be honored," I told her. "If you'd like, I'll bring a few other priestesses, and we can have lunch together. How does that sound?"
"Just lunch?" she asked.
"Maela, we do eat, and talk, and gossip like normal people. We have friends, go shopping, and do all the things you do. Yes, lunch. No different than you visiting any friend in your peerage, right? And when you feel comfortable with that, we can move to shopping, or exploring the temple, or any of the dozens of options at our disposal. I promise you, the Temple of Temptation is not a place to fear. It's my home. I had a better life there than what my parents could offer, and it was a safe one. Wholesome in its own way."
"Really?"
I nodded at her. "How old were you when you married Tath?"
"Seventeen," she told me. "And I was pregnant before the year was out."
"So you're nineteen now?"
"Twenty next month," she admitted. "I was almost eighteen when we married."
"I turned twenty last month." I offered her a smile. "I'm also still being protected and sheltered by the priesthood. They give us a safe childhood and an impressive education." But I paused. "You know, the only thing I never really got in the temple was a female friend. It would be nice to have a woman my own age to spend time with. Maybe even one who can help me navigate the twists and turns of high society?"
"I'd love to," she promised. "And maybe you can help me understand my husband and his brothers?"
"That is a promise. Now tell me what I should expect at this lunch event we have planned."
Maela reached down for a pastry and proceeded to do just that.
Chapter 45
Wraythe
The temple was bustling. When we'd been students, we'd barely noticed the events outside our wing on this night, but now that we were considered adults, we were right in the thick of it. Up and down our hall, priests and priestesses scrambled to borrow whatever they'd forgotten, and friends were helping each other get their hair and clothes just right.
Bodies had been painted. Lingerie was layered to be easily removed. The best part was all the guardians like myself trying to stay well out of the way as our wards rushed to make sure every last detail was perfect, because tonight was our biggest night of the year.
I leaned against the wall as a gaggle of guys hurried past, and another guardian pressed in beside me. He looked over, canted his head in a way that proved he wasn't surprised, and then passed me a bottle. It was unopened, but the man had another in his other hand.
"Your guy isn't showing tonight, right?" he asked, proving he knew who I was.
"Nope, we're still initiates."
He nodded. "Eladehl's his name?"
"It is..." This man seemed to know a lot about my best friend.
"Well, mine is planning his first public display." He chuckled. "I was actually sent to your room with that. My desire's name is Cayden. I'm sure you've seen him around. We live about halfway down the hall from you. Uh, he's an inch or two shorter than your Eladehl, skin the color of weak tea, with silky black hair that he leaves long on top and almost shaved on the sides? Yeah, he'll be in the show today, and he told me to see if Eladehl might want to celebrate with him afterwards."
