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"And Jamik," Zeal told him, "because he helped find the right weapon for you.
Wraythe just jerked his chin at Jamik. "I honestly appreciate it. I was dreading trying to fight with some toothpick."
"We'll make sure you're armed properly," Jamik promised him.
Then it was Talin's turn, and all eyes shifted to watch him unwrap his own box. Like everyone else, Zeal had put a little thought into his gift. Unlike the others, this one wasn't as useful. When Talin finally lifted it out, what he showed the rest of us was nothing more impressive than a book, but Talin was smiling like Zeal figured something out.
"This is a first edition, isn't it?" he asked.
"Of course," Zeal assured him.
Talin just chuckled. "It's a copy of my favorite book. One I've read so much that the pages are stained, faded, and torn." Then he held up a hand. "And..." Pushing himself off the couch, he headed into the bedroom, only to return a moment later. "Nari? I was going to give this to you later, after the company left, but I think it'll make more sense now."
Confused, I took the package and unwrapped it, able to tell it was a book as soon as he'd handed it to me. But when the paper fell away, all I could do was smile. I knew this book. Not just the story, but the exact copy of it. It had been sitting in his room at that inn, and we'd talked about it to break the ice.
Then I realized that the new copy in his hand was the same thing. That, more than anything else, told me just how dear this present was. From the man who had everything, he'd given me the one thing he valued most. A book he loved enough for Zeal to replace it with the same edition so Talin wouldn't have to go without.
"Thank you," I told him.
"I appreciate this, Zeal," he said. "I was sure I'd never find another. Because they cut out half the good stuff in the second edition."
"Think of it as a sentimental thing," Zeal told him. "That book brought you back to me."
"And brought her to me," Talin agreed.
"Just one more," Zeal said, passing me a very small pouch. "I'm sorry the wrapping isn't the same as everyone else's, but I don't think you'll care."
Pulling open the drawstring, I turned the pouch over against my palm, and something dropped out. The first thing I noticed was velvet, but then I caught a sparkle of light. A simple twist of my fingers revealed it to be a typical woman's choker, but when I turned it over to see the front, my breath caught. Over and over, a design of a five headed snake had been worked into the velvet, almost like a brocade style, but much softer against the hand.
"What is it?" Amerlee asked.
I lifted the center up so everyone could see. "It's my symbol of Temptation," I said softly. "The mark of our temple that we're required to wear when on assignment, and it's beautiful." My eyes jumped back to Zeal. "And the symbol?"
Because most necklaces like this only had an overlapping pair of triangles with the tips pointing downward. This? It was clearly the serpent of Zeal in some kind of black stone, but I had a feeling that wasn't cheap ceramic or glass. It looked like the fanciest gems I'd seen in high society, yet dark enough to reflect nothing back, almost like an enigma.
"I made it for you," he said. "Something as exotic and unreal as the woman I've claimed as my Chosen. If any patron bothers to look, he will have no doubts that you're god-touched, and that you are, and will always be, mine."
I let my thumb run across the snake, aware that it felt completely solid. "Always," I promised softly.
And when I looked up, Zeal was smiling tenderly. "Think of this as your Choosing present, because yes, I did hear you today."
"Did something happen?" Jamik asked.
I just nodded. "I suppose this is my final gift, but it's really more for myself than for all of you."
I looked at the faces of the people who mattered so much to me. This was my family. This was the price that Zeal had paid me for my surrender. These were the people I loved, and the ones who had made me into the woman I was. My lifelines, my backbones, and the ones who helped me feel like I was worth something. All of them, together, inmyroom - and I knew I'd never lose them.
"I've finally realized what my Path is," I said. "The Path of Temptation is the bridge between our god and the ones who believe in him. I'm his conduit when he needs one, his voice when he can't speak his own words, and the gentle temptation that will bring more to our faith." I looked over at him. "I'm the weapon that will defend the faith, and hopefully even save our gods." I licked my lips. "My Path is to make sure that Zeal's faith runs Zeal's way."
A soft smile touched his lips and he looked down, subtly nodding his head. "Yeah, that's a good Path for you."
"I just want to know one thing?"
"Anything," he promised. "If Icananswer it, I will."
"Who does my mark match? The one on my back? Is it you, Zeal?"
"No," he assured me. "While I would love to have you carrying a piece of my soul, it's not mine. Look closer, Nari. Every shape is made of an infinite number of smaller patterns, and even they are made of shapes inside them. Each piece?" He looked up, those iridescent eyes meeting mine. "It's a priest. All of the priests."
"So Iamsupposed to guard them all," I breathed.
He didn't look away. "Isn't that what you've been doing this whole time? The method is yours, my Chosen. I simply want a partner to help me bring my religion back to what it's supposed to be."
"I can do it," I promised.
"I've never doubted," he assured me. "It won't be easy, though."
"I never asked for easy," I reminded him. "I simply asked to not ever need to do it alone."
Zeal leaned forward and palmed the side of my face. "You are my temptation, and you are my last hope. The only reason I will leave you, Nariana, is because I've been forgotten. I've given you the tools you need. You just have to use them. All of them… Or should I say, all ofus."
