AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I dug in my pocket and pulled out a gold coin. "For Lady Ranndor."
Yamina sucked in a breath. "Really?"
"It's your god," I told her. "And now you can't say we didn't get you something."
The girl passed me her new necklace, then turned to have me put it on. While I worked the clasp, she lifted her hair out of the way. Standing so much taller than her, this was easy. Once I got it fastened, she turned to show that it hung modestly just below her throat.
"It suits you," I said.
Talin groaned, but we were on the move before he could complain. Granted, I'd only bought the thing because I was having fun picking on him. I also liked his little sister. She gave me a little glimpse of what he must've been like as a boy - including the way she kept giggling when we passed by groups of pretty girls.
Guys didn't get the same reaction from her. Yamina was curious about Talin's male lovers because it wasn't done in normal society. Priests had some luxuries that most people didn't get. Ok, a lot of luxuries, if I was honest. Yamina's family was determined to marry her off and increase the Ranndor fortune, but no one had stopped to ask this bright young lady what she thought about all of it. She wasn't mad about it, but she was curious about the other ways her life could've gone.
We'd just reached the end of the row when Yamina began pulling me the other way. "Let's dance, Wraythe?"
"Huh?" I looked up, trying to figure out what was going on. My eyes landed on a group of well-dressed people wearing a bit too much black. The Ranndors. "Your mom?" I asked.
"And she's got some guy I don't know with her," Yamina hissed.
"Talin, watch Ela," I ordered before turning Yamina toward the dance area.
She stretched her legs, trying to hurry. I kept up easily, then pulled her up against me as soon as we reached the edge. Her hands landed in mine, and Yamina let out a sigh of relief.
"Sorry," she mumbled.
"They keep parading you around like livestock, huh?" I asked.
She nodded. "Talin doesn't get it. He got to be a priest. All my sisters are married now, and my brothers can wait as long as they want, but I'm 'getting too old' they say." She scoffed at that as we slowly worked our way around with the other dancers. "I don't want to get married, though!"
"I'm guessing it's not legal to marry a woman, huh?"
Her head snapped up and her mouth parted. "What?"
"I mean, since you seem to be more interested in the girls than the boys," I said. "In the Temple, it's considered normal. I'm actually weird because I have no interest in men at all. Well, not sexually."
"Then what kind of interest do you have?" she asked, sounding honestly curious.
I led her through a few more steps while I tried to find an answer. "I love Talin and Ela as a part of my family. I like to hug them and cuddle with them when we sleep. I don't want to kiss them, and I certainly don't want anything to do with their dicks."
She laughed. "I'm not supposed to know those exist, Wraythe. I'm a gently-reared lady, you know."
"Bullshit," I chuckled. "I have a feeling there's not a lot you don't know."
"I know my mother would lose it if she thought I was a lesbian," Yamina mumbled.
I let go of her hand to tilt her chin up, making her look at me. "Are you a lesbian, Lady Ranndor?"
"I don't know," she admitted. "I don't want to kiss boys. I'm not excited about getting married and having a honeymoon. I think Maela's beautiful, but she likes men."
"And women, I'm pretty sure," I told her. "Just like Talin loves Ela and Nari, I think Maela is attracted to men and women. I've never asked, but it's the impression I get."
"Is that ok?" Yamina asked.
I could only shrug. "It is in the temple. It's normal in the temple. I'm starting to think what I see as acceptable is very different from what you were taught is allowed."
"Yeah." She let go and spun, making me keep up. "I like you, Wraythe. It's nice to meet a man who's honest."
"You mean one who isn't skilled enough in conversation to fill you full of shit," I joked.
