Page 50 of The Price We Pay (The Path of Temptation 1)

"Want to walk home with us?"

Tishlie sighed as if she was honestly hoping I'd say no. "She's talking to thepriest,Anver."

He just looked at me. "I just know that you have lessons right after this."

"Yeah, I should get going," I agreed. "Thank you, Priest Lavin. I was unaware my marks were so unique. Means I have some more questions for my mentor."

The man's lip quivered like he wanted to sneer. "Then I will see you tomorrow, acolyte." And he turned, storming back toward the Intuition section of the temple.

"See what you did?" Tishlie grumbled.

Anver ignored her. "You ok?"

"Your timing couldn't have been better," I told him.

He just pointed up the hall. "I figured that if they were coming back in, something wasn't right. Do I want to know?"

"Yeah," Wraythe said when he and Eladehl got closer, "what was that anyway?"

"Priest Lavin just asked if he could 'examine me.'"

"This," Wraythe said, looking at Anver, "is why you should've stayed with us." And then he turned me toward the exit, almost pushing me before him.

"I said Intuition was a bad idea," Anver told him the moment we were outside. "Should've listened to me."

"No," Eladehl snapped, joining in. "Yousaid that we should split up.Shesaid that Intuition wasn't any fun."

"Well, I couldn't leave Tishlie alone," Anver shot back.

Wraythe just growled deep in his throat. "So you left Nari instead. Good thingwedidn't."

I let them bicker over me, not even really listening. Lavin had just tried to get me to let him do what? Of course, I could think of a million possibilities, but the question was which one he'd intended. Even worse, now that I'd refused, would he grade me harder than the others?

"Fuck," I breathed, just as we made it outside. "I think I just screwed up, and I don't know how to fix it."

"What?" Eladehl gasped. "Nari, that idiot was pawing all over you. It's why we didn't leave. He looked at you... well, the way Wraythe does."

"Fuck off," Wraythe snapped.

"That's not what I meant," Eladehl insisted. "More that he doesn't look at her like a teacher should. How is getting away from him fucking up?"

I let out a heavy breath. "He said he'd grade me easier if I allowed him to examine me in private. Because of my lace, he said. Does that mean he's going to fail me since I wouldn't?"

"You didn't really fall for that, did you?" Anver asked.

"Of course not," I assured him. "I also told him I'm not even eighteen, which seemed to bother him. I'm hoping that will be enough to keep him from trying again, but that's not my point. Guys,heis the one who gives our grades!"

"Maybe apologize to him?" Tishlie offered.

"This is why you really need a guardian," Eladehl told her. "Because,no."

"But what else is she supposed to do?" Tishlie asked.

Eladehl scoffed. "I'm sure his answer would be suck his dick. Maybe let him pop her cherry? She's kinda screwed no matter what she does."

"But if he realizes that she's not allowed to do that, then wouldn't he feel bad?"

Anver dragged his hand all the way down his face. "He knows, Tish. He also knows that if her grades get too low, she could be dropped to Obligation, and no one ever wants that. He's trying to intimidate her."

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