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"Not if you learn how to fight." And she leaned back to wave someone closer. "I kept an eye on her like you asked."
"Thanks, Lurel," Talin said as he moved his arms around me, caging me in. The right one held a damp cloth. "Press this to that eye so it doesn't bruise too bad."
"I'll be fine," I assured him.
"Mhm," he teased. "Until it swells closed, turns purple, and Oryll gives you shit for not being properly presented for his class."
"Makeup," I reminded him.
"And you can't see your own face," Talin warned me. "Nari, there isn't enough makeup in the world to hide that. I'm sorry, beautiful, but this is a lesson you'll be showing off for at least a week."
"Citrus," Lurel told me. "It helps, believe it or not. Doesn't matter what fruit you use, but make a compress from it, and the discoloration will fade faster. Sticky, but it will help."
And then Wraythe slammed his opponent into the ground hard enough to knock the wind from the guy's lungs. A cloud of sand billowed at the force of the impact, and a moment later, Falmol was slapping the ground, admitting his defeat.
"Good enough," Ghale said. "From this, I will assign you all to training groups for next class." His eyes turned to me. "And you'd better learn fast."
I just dipped my head in acknowledgement, because he seemed to expect some kind of response. Too bad for him, it wasn't quite what he was wanting. Still, I figured I had a secret weapon.
"Hey, Talin?" I asked. "You willing to show me some of those moves you have?"
"You willing to protect your pretty face?" he countered.
"Kinda what I was hoping for."
He slid his arm around my waist and guided me back, away from the rail. "Then yes. I'm pretty sure Jamik can find us an area to work out in the evenings, and I have a funny feeling we won't be alone."
Chapter 9
Nariana
After my grappling course I cleaned up as best I could and headed straight into Techniques in Eroticism. This was another class Priest Oryll taught, but one without our guardians. My face had already started to swell, and the bruising was imminent, but I didn't really care. Eladehl, however, did.
"What happened?" he asked softly when I claimed the chair beside him.
"Grappling," I explained.
He sucked a breath in between his teeth and reached up to examine my face. "Did Talin beat the shit out of him? Wraythe?"
"No, I kinda grabbed him by the ring." I flashed him a smile. "Useful trick you taught me."
Eladehl's dark eyes flashed. "Why is the idea of that so hot?" he asked.
"Me grabbing another man's dick?" I teased.
He paused. "Never mind."
"No, what?" I pressed.
"Um..." He cleared his throat, sounding like he really didn't want to answer. "More you overpowering some guardian with his dick. I dunno. I guess it's like seeing that the underdog still has teeth."
I huffed at him. "I'm not the underdog. I might be a little behind, but only because I didn't take nine years of combat classes like the rest of you."
The intensity of his expression let up a split second before he poked me in the ribs. "And that makes you the underdog, Nari. Love this new look, though."
Because I was still showing off my lace as much as my body. Nalph's clothes made me look a little older and a lot more mature. I was enjoying the looks other priests gave me in the halls, and the subtle change in attitude toward me. No longer was I just another first-year initiate. I'd managed to become a woman.
Then Oryll started off the class with a bang. "Sex," he said, instantly killing all conversation, "is about more than penetration. Good sex demands eroticism. But what does that mean?"
