Page 158 of The Games We Play (The Path of Temptation 3)

"Priestess," Roek said. "Or should I call you Chosen?"

"No, only Zeal calls me that, but I'm convinced he has trouble remembering humans' names."

He gestured to the pair of chairs beside him. "Sit. You as well, guardian..."

"Talin," he said, filling in his name. "I was a year ahead of Nariana. My Choosing was delayed when my father died and my brother took over the Baron of Temptation title."

"The Ranndor tithe," Saval explained, leaning her chair back. "You can relax, Nari. I didn't call you here to lecture you. Roek and I have been working with the other instructors, both for primary and initiate courses. The council of educators has agreed to talk to us, and we're trying very hard to fix this mess."

"Which mess?" I asked.

It was Roek who answered. "The one that cost a student his life."

"And for you to feel forced to choose a specific Path," Saval added. "Nari, you know that I can't take this to the High Priest. He knows that I'm in support of your declared Path. Roek, however, is both familiar with you and yet not close." She paused to lick her lips quickly, a hint of nervousness I wasn't used to seeing. "I didn't exactly tell him about your reimmersion, though."

Roek groaned. "There's another complication?"

I lifted a finger, begging Talin to let me have this, and turned to Roek. "How deep do you want to be dragged into this, Priest?"

He leaned his hip against Saval's desk, crossed his arms, and then kicked his legs out before him, getting comfortable. "From what Saval has explained already, I know that there's a question of who believes and who doesn't. Of who wants the temple to focus on faith versus those interested only in luxuries. Well, let me make this easy for you, Nariana. I believe in my god. I've seen too many miracles in my life. I don't think I've seen him, but from the sounds of it, I might not notice. I didn't understand your decision to not choose a Path, but you felt strongly about it, and I was willing to support that. It's how gods influence us. Is that enough?"

A deep chuckle came from the corner behind Saval. "I like him."

Roek turned, then his brow furrowed. "Have we met, Priest?"

"He looks very familiar, doesn't he?" Saval asked.

"Yes. I'm sure we've met before," Roek agreed. "I'm sorry, I can't place your name..."

"Zeal," our god said, reaching down to caress Saval's hair before walking around her. "My face is plastered all over this temple, but always in white. Pale marble to show the purity of us, or something like that. I can't remember why the color was picked, but it's now a tradition." He paused before Talin. "Please tell me I did enough?"

"Nari could use some help with her ribs," Talin told him. "I'm fine. A little anemic, I've been told, but fine. She has a broken rib and limited movement."

Zeal shifted over to me and cupped the side of my face, tilting my head up. I expected him to say something. Instead, he leaned in and his mouth claimed mine. Softly, slowly, as if he had all the time in the world, the god kissed me, aware that everyone in the room was watching. When he leaned back, his thumb swept across my cheek.

"I'm too weak right now to do more, but I'm fixing you as fast as I can. I'm sorry. I burned all my power on Talin."

"Don't ever apologize for that." I told him. "You saved his life, and I will pay any price you ask for that."

"No, you already have," he swore. Then he turned back to Roek. "Nari's descended from the first priestess of all the gods. That woman's title to us was Mother. Nari can see me and my siblings. She also has faith, she's strong, and she's devoted. By not choosing, she gave me a chance I never thought I'd have, because we are dying, Priest Roek. Gods live on faith, and it's fading fast. Nari is my weapon. Eladehl, Wraythe, and Talin are hers."

"And Anver?" Roek asked.

Zeal smiled. "He's my best friend. I didn't intend for it to happen like that, but his faith is so strong, and his loyalty is a wall to build everything else from. But whiletheyare exceptional, not every priest is. The temple is broken. For too long, none of you have been able to hear me. Shortcuts have been taken." His eyes dropped to the man's crotch. "The lessons of the ring still affect you, even though your Path has changed. I hate those things. I wanted the guardians to be a safe place for their desires. To love them - completely. A priest felt that rings made training young initiates easier."

"Fuck," Roek grumbled. "Sounds about right."

"Then you won't be shocked to hear that Kinen's lace is also not all from me. He started with henna, but now it's ink. Tattoos on his skin that he spent a small fortune on. Minimal scarring, and an artist who was paid enough to forget it ever happened. The only lace left on the man is the Obligation I afford him and the lines on his collar that he bought."

"Oh, that's not good," Roek grumbled, looking over at Saval. "So why'd he approve her Path?"

"Because he tried to drown me," I said. "My marks were removed in one pool. I was allowed to walk into the second up to my knees. Kinen told me to get out, but I dove in, knowing Zeal was right beside me. Kinen grabbed me and held me under."

"What?!" The man sat up, forgetting about his lazy pose. "You could've had him tried for that!"

"I had no witnesses," I countered. "Just a god no one can see and my own guardian. Zeal used Talin to get to me, and then carried me up. The crowd seeing my lace? That was enough to prevent Kinen from kicking me out, but we currently have a very tentative truce. I don't get in his way and he pretends like I don't exist."

"But we think he chose Oryll and Ghale because they're loyal to him," Saval said.

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