Page 2 of The Games We Play (The Path of Temptation 3)

Shiran scoffed at that. "The rings are only to keep your arousal from interrupting your protection. So long as that doesn't happen, what difference does it make where you sleep? Most of us simply can't take watching our desires fall in love with someone else, so we need our own space. That doesn't seem to be a problem thatanyof you have." He tipped his head to me, including me as a guardian in that, since I wore all five paths. "Use it. Change the rules so the rest of us can follow."

"And when they kick me out of the temple for being a problem?" I asked.

Because that was the real threat for me. The God of Temptation had decided to give me all five paths. No one in the history of our temple had worn more than one at the same time - excluding the fact that everyone wore the lace on our hands for Obligation. Some thought I was trying to cause problems. Worse, the High Priest was worried that I'd take his position once I was out of my initiate training.

The truth was a lot less impressive. I hadn't been able to choose. I'd left it in the hands of my god, who'd put it back on me. I wanted pieces of everything, so Zeal had given it to me - along with a kiss - in exchange for my complete surrender. Now, I was supposed to be a god's tool, his last attempt to save himself and his siblings from being forgotten forever. Unfortunately, since most priests didn't believe in him, that made things pretty complicated.

Shiran smiled at my question. "Guess they couldn't say much if more of us moved across the hall, huh? Look, you lead, and the rest of us will follow. If that's your only worry, then I think you'll be fine."

"Thank you," I breathed, honestly hoping this man had some kind of plan, or at least a good idea up his sleeve.

He nodded. "You're doingsomething. I'm not sure what it is, but it feels important. Almost like the smell of a storm coming, you know? Not everyone likes it, but a lot of us have been waiting a long time to see something change around here. I'm just hoping it's for the better."

"Me too," I agreed, taking a step back. "And we're probably going to be late to class."

"Mm, have fun with that," Shiran chuckled. "Don't be strangers. Wraythe knows the room, and an assignment isn't necessary to visit."

Then he turned and headed toward the nave at the back of the temple. The three of us went the other way, but the man had a point. If more guardians moved in with their desires, then it wouldn't matter as much thatwedid. It also wouldn't make anyone immediately suspect that the rings my guys wore no longer caused pain or prevented their erections.

Although, how many other guardians no longer had working rings? Harlin, I was pretty sure. Jamik and Irila, definitely. I hadn't exactly asked about anyone else, but I had a feeling that the God of Temptation had been performing his magic on everyone he could. Mostly because that was a simple prayer to grant - or so it seemed - and it always made the wearer believe just a bit more.

None of us said anything until we'd already passed the next cross hall. Then, Talin moved closer to drape his arm over my shoulder. As if that was some kind of sign, Wraythe looked over.

"What's the worst they could do?" he asked.

I blew out a breath. "Replace your rings."

"Zeal would just fix them again," he assured me.

"And you'd still end up with your dick getting cut to shit," I countered. "Those things are torture devices, Wraythe. And have you actually learned how to control your dick, or is it more that getting hard doesn't stop your brain from working?"

He reached up to scratch at the back of his head. "I'm getting better."

"Are you?" I asked, my tone turning gentle.

He huffed out a laugh. "Not really, no. I just wear tighter underwear and looser pants. I also don't see why it fucking matters."

"Doesn't," Talin assured him. "Most men get hard in battle, you know. If blood rushing to our dicks was a problem, then don't you think a lot more people would've died for it? The temple just wants its priests to look right at all times. It doesn't matter if it makes sense, so long as itlookslike we're more in control of our sexuality than everyone else."

"Because thesystemis broken," I grumbled. "Zeal wants temptation, and somewhere along the way, the temple decided it wanted adoration. That doesn't help our god any!"

"Yeah," Talin agreed, "but what does that have to do with us living together? Look, if that guardian noticed, then I'm sure someone else has too. It won't be long before our instructors and the High Priest hear, and who knows where it will go from there."

"They like to talk about us too much," Wraythe grumbled.

I nodded in agreement - but then an idea hit me. "Guys? What if we go the other way? You remember how we were talking about setting up your rooms to be for our own sessions?"

"Yeah?" Wraythe asked, sounding a little worried about my enthusiasm.

"So Ela needs to practice dominance and punishment, and he can't do it with those of us he cares about. I don't know about you two, but I prefer the idea of him being close to home if he's going to take some risks. I'm sure I'm going to need a few more outside partners for some of our class assignments, and it makes me feel better knowing you both are close. Plus, Oryll said something when I had to swallow that dildo at the start of the year. He asked if Ela and I were going to work together. I mean, we've always planned on it, but I thinkthatis our excuse."

"Not following," Wraythe admitted.

"Oh, I am," Talin said. "The session rooms by the dome are booked most nights. Not a lot of priests want someone else in their partner's bed. Most initiates don't have that problem since they don't have partners yet, so they jump from room to room, but Ela and Nariarepartnered. They don't have a spare bed to practice in, butwedo."

I was bobbing my head to show he was right. "So Ela and I make a point of bringing a few priests back to share in one of your rooms. Both of you will be in attendance, of course. Ela can have his training lessons in the other room. We make it clear that the bed in our suite is forus,and you both are a part of us, so you're allowed simply because we need the space."

"It's functional," Talin clarified. "The new arrangement has nothing to do with Nari and Ela wanting to be closer to us, but rather because they want to keep their sessionsawayfrom their relationship. It's everything Oryll has been talking about in our sexual orientation course."

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